Are you struggling to understand your child's educational needs?
They're bright — but something isn't clicking. From your first questions to a clear, hopeful plan, we'll walk the path together — in person across LA or by remote assessment anywhere in California.
The child is not the problem. The work is understanding how they learn.
I'm Erica — a licensed educational psychologist who celebrates neurodiversity. I provide both in-depth assessment and consultation, guiding families through IEPs, 504 plans, special education, and educational planning, with detailed, plain-language reports you can actually use.
How I can help
Specialized assessment — wherever you are
Remote assessments, anywhere in California
- Statewide reach, no long drives or waitlists
- Familiar surroundings keep anxious kids at ease
- The same plain-language report you can take to school
Twice-exceptional, truly understood
- Gifted profiles alongside learning or attention differences
- Strengths-first evaluation, never a deficit checklist
- A plan that helps your child thrive, not just cope
ADHD & executive functioning
- A nuanced picture, never a quick checklist
- Clarity on focus, organization, and follow-through
- Practical accommodations for home and school
IEP & school consultation
- Meeting prep — records, reports, and plans reviewed in advance
- Coaching to ask the right questions and decode school-team terms
- Advocacy for the services, accommodations, and goals your child needs
Areas of expertise
Individualized and thorough — never one-size-fits-all
Twice-exceptional (2e)
For students who are gifted and also navigating a learning, attention, or developmental difference. We see the whole profile — remarkable strengths alongside genuine challenges.
Learning differences
Dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and nonverbal learning differences — clarifying how your child reads, writes, and reasons, and what support truly helps.
ADHD
A nuanced picture of attention, working memory, and follow-through — never a quick checklist, always individualized.
Autism
Strength-based, affirming assessment and consultation — understanding how your child experiences the world, communicates, and learns best.
The assessment process
A gentle path, one step at a time
So you always know what comes next — and your child feels at ease the whole way through.
Free consultation
A warm 20-minute call to understand your concerns and whether assessment is the right next step.
Intake & history
We gather background, school records, and your observations to shape an individualized plan.
The assessment
Engaging, low-pressure sessions — in person in LA or remotely across California — paced for your child's comfort.
Report & review
A clear, plain-language report and a sit-down together to talk through findings and next steps.
Meet the founder
A psychologist who sees your child's strengths first
Erica Salzman, M.S., LEP #4465
Families often arrive overwhelmed — already told their child is "fine," yet certain something isn't clicking. With a postgraduate certificate in Twice-Exceptional Education, I look past the label to the whole child, and I bring warmth that helps even anxious kids feel at ease.
My goal is to leave you not just with answers, but with a clear, hopeful plan — and the confidence to advocate for your child at school.
More about EricaWhy families choose The Exceptional Learner
Depth & thoroughness
Every evaluation is thorough and individualized — never rushed, never one-size-fits-all.
Plain-language reports
No jargon. Reports you and your child's school can understand and act on.
Truly heard
Families tell me they finally felt listened to — concerns taken seriously, not dismissed.
Warm rapport
A gentle approach that puts even anxious kids at ease before and during testing.
Specialized in 2e
A postgraduate certificate in Twice-Exceptional Education — the nuanced profiles many evaluators miss.
A hopeful path
You leave with clarity, a concrete plan, and the confidence to advocate.
Testimonials
What families say
I realized we were in good hands when Erica told us she would focus on what our daughter can do instead of what she can't.
We gave her an impossible deadline and she delivered a day ahead of schedule — and her report was incredibly comprehensive and accurate.
We did a lot of research, and Erica was a standout first choice to assess our teenage sons. Both kids loved her.
What stood out most was how deeply she cares about advocating for children and making sure they feel seen, understood, and supported.
Her strength-based approach and deep 2e expertise — changing the box to fit the kid instead of forcing the kid into the box. That's my language.
Frequently asked questions
A few things parents often ask
What is a psychoeducational assessment?
A psychoeducational assessment is a comprehensive look at how your child learns. I examine all relevant domains — cognitive, academic, social-emotional, and behavioral — to understand how your child thinks, processes information, and what they're drawn to. The result is a detailed report with specific, individualized recommendations, including a DSM-5 diagnosis and/or special education eligibility determination where relevant. It is never a single test or a quick label.
What is a twice-exceptional (2e) learner?
A twice-exceptional learner is a student with exceptional talents or abilities alongside a learning, attention, or developmental difference. Because giftedness and challenges can mask one another, these profiles are easy to miss. Identifying and supporting 2e learners is my primary specialty — I hold a postgraduate certificate in twice-exceptional education from Bridges Graduate School.
Can my child be assessed remotely?
Yes. In-person testing takes place in my Pasadena office, with in-home sessions available across the Los Angeles area for an additional fee, and remote assessments are available for any student located in California, conducted entirely over a secure telehealth platform.
Can you attend my child's IEP meeting?
Yes. I review assessment reports, diagnostic tests, and rating scales beforehand, then join the meeting to share the results of any assessment I've conducted and be your coach in the room — helping you understand the proposed services, accommodations, and goals, and what to ask. I don't speak on your behalf; my aim is for you to speak confidently for yourself, empowered and well-informed.
Let's take the first step together.
A free 20-minute consultation — a warm conversation about what you're seeing and how I can help.
Book Free Consultation