ACES offers comprehensive psychological assessment services. Whether you need testing for school, court, job or because of an accident, ACES staff will be able to meet your need. We know that when people need testing, they don't want to wait months to get an appointment and then even longer to get a report. We strive to streamline the process, in keeping with the highest professional standards, so that you can get your test results quickly and efficiently.

Neuropsychological Testing

Neuropsychological testing is conducted by Mary Brownsberger, Psy.D. Dr. Brownsberger is a Neuropsychologist who is expert in working with individuals across the lifespan, particularly those who are living with disability or a chronic medical condition, or those who are nearing the end of life. She also provides neuropsychological assessment, diagnosis and treatment for individuals who have experienced brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic events, memory problems, anxiety disorders, behavioral problems and other problems.

Dr. Brownsberger currently serves on the executive board of the Rehabilitation Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association. She is a member of the National Academy of Neuropsychology, the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, and the Pennsylvania Psychological Association.

Psycho-Educational Testing for School (School Psychology)

When children are challenged in school, it affects not only the child's academic progress, but also their self-image and social adjustment. Often the entire family can be adversely affected when a child struggles in school. Whether the problem is a learning disability, ADHD, Asperger's, PDD, Autism, or any of the other neurological and psychological disorders that impact learning, parents want rapid, expert, assessment and diagnosis and, just as important, effective strategies for the student, parents and teachers.

Our expert School Psychologist is Kasey M. K. Black, M.S., a School Psychologist certified in both PA and N.J. Ms. Black is a school psychologist for the Council Rock School District. She is experienced in working with children with academic and behavioral difficulties, including specific learning disabilities, autism-spectrum disorders, and ADHD. She specializes in effective interventions for students with specific learning disabilities.

In addition to our expert assessment team, Dr. Shanken-Kaye is the co-author of two widely acclaimed books on working with challenging students in the classroom: The Self-Control Classroom: Understanding and Managing the Behavior of ALL Students, Including Those with ADHD  and, From Disrupter to Achiever: Creating Successful Learning Environments for the Self-Control Classroom.
As a nationally recognized expert in the treatment of behavioral problems in children and teens, Dr. Shanken-Kaye works closely with Drs. Brownsberger and Black in developing expert interventions, custom designed for each young person.

Therapy Services for Adults




Therapy Services for Children

When children experience psychological difficulties whether the source is neurological, biologic, environmental, or school problems, the entire family tends to suffer. For this reason, our treatment philosophy is heavily weighted toward recognizing that the child is an integral part of a family unit and, only by helping the parents and sometimes the siblings, can we really help the child.
If your child has a problem, you want a rapid diagnosis and effective, rapid treatment. The more expert a clinician is in treating similar problems, the more likely it is that your child will experience success in treatment. The ACES Staff contains several experts in Child Psychology including Susan Kuczura Psy.D., Sherry Pearstien Ph.D., and Eric Weinstein Psy.D., Each of these clinicians is expert in dealing with the problems of children and each is a parent as well. Some of the common problems diagnosed and treated in our offices include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• ADHD
• Family Problems including Sibling Rivalry
• Asperger's Syndrome
• School Problems
• Learning Differences
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
• Sexual Victimization and In-appropriate Sexual Behavior
• Concussion and Other Head Injury Rehabilitation
• School Refusal
• Divorce and Step Family Adjustment
• Bereavement
• Eating Disorders
• Self-Harm
• Fire Setting
• Eneuresis and Encopresis

Therapy Services for Adolescents

Adolescents present special challenges for the clinician. The teen years are times of experimentation and testing limits. Teens try on different personalities as they strive to gain mastery and prepare for adulthood. Unfortunately, due to family or school challenges or to psychological or neurological impairments, adolescents may exhibit behavior that harms them or their families or communities. When this happens parents need rapid and effective treatment options that help their teenager get back on track. Unfortunately many teens are very resistant to psychotherapy and parents often struggle to get their daughters or sons to cooperate. The help of an expert in working with teenagers is crucial. A therapist has, in general, one appointment to gain the trust and cooperation of a teen! If trust is not built during that first meeting, it is highly likely the young person will refuse to continue or, if forced to continue, will stone-wall or be dishonest with the therapist.
Our expert clinicians specialize in working with difficult and defiant youth. Our reputation in the area middle and high schools is without peer. Not only do we have an extremely high rate of success in gaining the cooperation of previously uncooperative young people; our largest source of adolescent referrals comes from teens already or previously in treatment.
Experts on our staff include; John Shanken-Kaye, Ph.D., Eric Weinstein, Psy.D., Kristen Dudley, Psy.D., Dawn Robin Miller, M.S.Ed., N.C.C., Susan Kuczura, Psy.D., Christine Marston, Ph.D. and Ed Hayduk, M.S.

Some of the Common Problems Diagnosed and Treated in Adolescents Include:

• Anxiety Disorders
• Depression
• Bi-Polar Disorder
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
• Conduct Disorder
• ADHD (with and without Hyperactivity)
• Family Problems
• Divorce and Blended Families
• Cutting and Self-Mutilation
• Asperger's
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)
• Suicidality
• Sexual Acting Out
• Sexual Victimization
• Eating Disorders
• Criminal Behavior
• Fire Setting
• Drug and Alcohol Problems
• Personality Disorders

We Also Offer Mental Wellness Programs for Adolescents!

Adolescents sometimes benefit from input into important life decisions and also from help coping with the many changes they experience in their lives. ACES is well equipped to help teenagers make good choices, improve performance and motivation and make plans for the future.

Services Include:

• Sports Performance Issues
• Increasing Motivation
• Improving Self-Image
• Choosing a College Major 
• Vocational Counseling
• Relaxation and Stress Management

ACES Offers a Complete Forensic Psychology Service

What is a Forensic Psychologist?

A Forensic Psychologist is an individual who, not only is an expert in psychology, but is also specially trained in the writing of reports and presenting testimony in Court. Forensic Psychologists deal with all of the issues that are at the juncture of mental health and the law.

When you retain a Forensic Expert you want someone who is not only expert in the area of concern (e.g. Custody, Criminal or Personal Injury), but also an individual who is expert at presenting his or her findings in a strong and convincing manner in Court and who can credibly withstand even the toughest cross examination.

John Shanken-Kaye and his staff are well trained in both the assessment of adults, teens, and children, as well as the requirements of expert testimony in the Courts. Dr. Shanken-Kaye has been qualified as an expert in both criminal and civil matters in Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery, Lehigh, Northampton and Philadelphia Counties.

Services include:

Child Custody Evaluations

Although as clinicians we strive to help parents and families stay together through effective marriage and family counseling, sometimes divorce is unavoidable. Although we encourage non-adversarial methods of determining child custody such as mediation and co-parent counseling, it is sometimes the case that parents need the services of an expert in Child Custody. Dr. Shanken-Kaye is well known as an expert in Child Custody in Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties.

In this most emotional and high stakes proceeding, parents want, not only a highly skilled expert who will take the time to complete a thorough and exhaustive review of all of the factors influencing parents and children; they also want an empathetic and caring individual who is aware of the strains divorce places on both parents and their children. Dr. Shanken-Kaye prepares highly detailed and complete evaluations that contain comprehensive recommendations for parenting plans that are in the best interests of children.

Parental Competence

Sometimes parents don't need a complete evaluation, they need to satisfy the Court that they are competent and safe parents. The need for this type of evaluation is often because one parent has had their custodial time restricted because of drug or alcohol abuse, criminal behavior, or concerns about serious mental illness.

Dr. Shanken-Kaye and the ACES staff provide testing, evaluation, and, if needed, remedial therapy, to establish or re-establish parental competence.


Parent Coordination

A Parent Coordinator is a specialist in both family matters and the law who is appointed by the Court, through a stipulated agreement between divorced or separated spouses, to provide decision making in agreed upon areas of parenting. Decisions of the Parent Coordinator have the force of Court Orders and are therefore binding on both parties unless and until they are overturned by the Court. Parent Coordination can be very helpful in those highly adversarial custody cases where parents frequently find the need to resort to the Court for the resolution of parental disputes. One major advantage of Parent Coordination is that it is far quicker and less expensive than is seeking a Court date and retaining lawyers. Parent Coordination is not the same as co-parent counseling. Indeed, Parent Coordinators function as referees and judges; not as psychologists and counselors.

Dr. Shanken-Kaye is an early advocate of Parent Coordination and has worked diligently with the Bucks County Court, the Bucks County Bar Association, and his fellow forensic experts, to facilitate the use of Parent Coordinators in Bucks County. A member of the Association of Family Court Conciliators (AFCC), Dr. Shanken-Kaye adheres to the highest standards in the field while treating both parents in a caring and empathetic manner while issuing fair and impartial decisions in a timely fashion.

Criminal Matters

When people are on trial for criminal matters they often need the services of a Forensic Psychologist. While a psychological evaluation cannot determine guilt or innocence, it can establish current mental status and assist the Court in making an assessment of future risk. Once again the client wants a highly skilled psychologist who will be unbiased in making a determination and credible in presenting their findings to the Court.

Common tasks performed at ACES include but are not limited to:

Mental Health Evaluations


Competence to Waive Miranda Rights


Competence to Stand Trial


Insanity Defence


Violence Risk


Sex Offender Evaluations




Please call for more information on these services