Immigration Psychological Evaluations in Oklahoma
You've been through enough. We handle the evaluation so you can focus on what's next.
Ala Therapy Collective provides specialized forensic immigration psychological evaluations for extreme hardship waivers, cancellation of removal, VAWA, asylum, U-Visa, and T-Visa cases. We work statewide across Oklahoma via secure telehealth and also serve clients in California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Texas, and Utah.
These are high-stakes cases and we treat them that way. Our reports run 20+ pages, include a summary section directly addressing the legal question specific to your case, and are written for the people who will actually read them: your attorney and the USCIS officers or immigration judges deciding the case. We do not write generic reports.
Three turnaround tiers available: Standard (draft in 15 business days), Expedited (draft in 10 business days), and Urgent (draft in 5 business days).
Our Immigration Evaluators
Our immigration evaluation services are designed for people navigating some of the highest-stakes moments of their lives. We treat them that way.
Shylah Ridgway, LCSW, LICSW
Founder & Primary Immigration Evaluator
Shylah is our primary immigration evaluator, licensed in Oklahoma, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Texas, and Utah. She has produced forensic psychological evaluations for hardship waivers, asylum, VAWA, U-Visa, and T-Visa cases.
Her evaluations are built to meet what attorneys and adjudicators actually need, with reports that run 20+ pages and include a summary section directly addressing the legal question specific to your case.
Demetria Bonds, LMSW
Immigration Evaluator
Demetria also conducts immigration evaluations and collaborates with Shylah on cases. She is licensed in Oklahoma and brings focused training in trauma-informed assessment to her work with clients.
Immigration evaluation work is a growing area of our practice, and we are intentionally building team capacity in this space.
Our evaluations are written for the people who will read them: immigration attorneys building your case, and the USCIS officers or immigration judges deciding it. We do not write generic reports. Every evaluation is tailored to the specific legal standard your case requires.
We provide psychological evaluations for the following immigration case types.
Each evaluation is tailored to the specific legal standard and case requirements. Select a case type to learn more.
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Who qualifies: People who were persecuted or have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Asylum seekers must file affirmatively with USCIS or defensively in immigration court.
How the evaluation helps: A psychological evaluation establishes the mental health consequences of persecution and connects your current symptoms to what you experienced. It explains to adjudicators why trauma presents the way it does, including avoidance, minimization, and inconsistent recall, which are often misread as lack of credibility.
What we commonly document: PTSD, complex trauma, depression, anxiety, torture trauma, persecution-related trauma, and the functional impact of those conditions on daily life.
Read more about asylum psychological evaluations.
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Who qualifies: U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents whose family member faces deportation or removal. For hardship waivers (Forms I-601 and I-601A), the qualifying relative is typically a spouse or parent. For cancellation of removal, the standard is higher: exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to a U.S. citizen or LPR spouse, parent, or child.
How the evaluation helps: The hardship that matters legally belongs to your qualifying relative, not the person facing removal. The evaluation centers on them: what separation or forced relocation would actually do to their mental health, their stability, and their life. We tie every clinical finding to the factors adjudicators are required to weigh.
What we commonly document: Depression, anxiety, PTSD, caregiver dependency, impact of medical needs, financial and emotional consequences of separation, and deterioration of existing mental health conditions under separation.
Read more about hardship and cancellation of removal evaluations.
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Who qualifies: Survivors of severe forms of human trafficking, including sex trafficking and labor trafficking accomplished through force, fraud, or coercion. Applicants must show they are present in the United States as a result of trafficking, have complied with reasonable law enforcement requests (with exceptions for minors and trauma-related inability to cooperate), and would suffer extreme hardship involving unusual and severe harm if removed.
How the evaluation helps: A T-Visa evaluation documents the psychological reality that adjudicators and law enforcement often misread, including why a survivor did not escape sooner, why they may have appeared to cooperate with a trafficker, and why they sometimes denied being a victim at all. It also addresses retrafficking risk and fear of retaliation.
What we commonly document: PTSD, complex trauma, dissociation, depression, anxiety, trauma bonding, and the ongoing impact of physical, psychological, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse endured while trafficked.
Read more about T-Visa psychological evaluations.
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Who qualifies: Victims of qualifying crimes who suffered substantial physical or mental abuse and who have been, are, or are likely to be helpful to law enforcement in investigating or prosecuting that crime. The U-Visa is available regardless of immigration status. Qualifying crimes include domestic violence, sexual assault, felonious assault, kidnapping, trafficking, and others.
How the evaluation helps: The U-Visa requires proof of substantial abuse, and that is exactly what a psychological evaluation is built to show. We document the mental and emotional harm the crime caused, how it continues to affect you, and why cooperating with law enforcement can itself be retraumatizing.
What we commonly document: PTSD, trauma responses to crime, depression, anxiety, dissociation, assault trauma, domestic violence trauma, sexual violence trauma, and emotional distress.
Read more about U-Visa psychological evaluations.
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Who qualifies: People who were abused by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse, parent, or child. Despite the name, VAWA protects people of every gender. A VAWA self-petition is filed on Form I-360 and allows survivors to move forward without the abuser's knowledge or permission. An approved petition can lead to lawful permanent residence, not citizenship directly.
How the evaluation helps: VAWA covers abuse that leaves no physical mark, including psychological, emotional, financial, and sexual control, threats, isolation, and coercion. We document the abuse you experienced and how it affected you, and we address the dynamics adjudicators may misread, including why you stayed and why you may have minimized what was happening.
What we commonly document: PTSD, complex trauma, depression, anxiety, trauma bonding, dissociation, and the psychological impact of physical, emotional, psychological, financial, or sexual abuse.
Read more about VAWA psychological evaluations.
How the Process Works
Our immigration evaluation services are available to people of all nationalities and cultural backgrounds. Interpretation services are available for an additional fee.
Reach out and we will connect within 48 hours
Contact us through our intake form or email immigration@alatherapycollective.com. We typically respond within 48 hours, usually much faster, to talk through your case, your timeline, and what to expect.
In-depth clinical interviews to understand your history and experiences
We conduct two or more trauma-informed sessions to understand your history, experiences, symptoms, and the impact those experiences have had on your life. We move at your pace. Sessions are confidential, conducted via HIPAA-secure telehealth, and held in the language of your choice. Your delivery timeline begins once all interviews and required documentation are complete.
We write your report and send a draft for review
Your 20+ page forensic report is tailored to the specific requirements of your case type, whether that is Hardship, Asylum, VAWA, U-Visa, or T-Visa. The draft is delivered to both you and your attorney within the business day window of the tier you selected, starting from interview completion. Standard delivers the draft in 15 business days, Expedited in 10, and Urgent in 5. Timelines do not include weekends or holidays.
Review, corrections, and final delivery through HIPAA-secure portal
Once you and your attorney have reviewed the draft, we make any needed adjustments to ensure your story is accurately reflected and the report is ready for your filing. Final delivery is through the SimplePractice HIPAA-secure client portal. No email attachments, no insecure transmission. Correction turnaround depends on client and attorney review time and does not affect the original tier pricing unless changes are requested more than 30 days after draft delivery.
Pricing
Same depth of work at every tier. Pick what fits your timeline.
Business days only. Timelines do not include weekends or holidays.
Payment plans available. A typical plan is 50% at session one, 25% at session two, and 25% when the final report is ready. Reach out to ask.
Amendments & Updates
What happens if something needs to change after your draft is delivered.
There is no USCIS requirement that evaluations be updated after a set period of time. If your attorney has requested an updated evaluation, contact us and we will assess what scope of work is needed before any fees are discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
We understand this process can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of questions and answers we often hear from clients, so you can know exactly what to expect:
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Our draft is delivered within the business day window of the tier you select, starting from the date all clinical interviews and required documentation are complete. Timelines are in business days and do not include weekends or holidays.
Standard: draft delivered in 15 business days, $1,200 Expedited: draft delivered in 10 business days, $1,700 Urgent: draft delivered in 5 business days, $2,000
Minor corrections within 30 days of draft delivery are included. Amendments requested after 30 days that do not require a re-interview are $300. A full update requiring re-interview or substantial rewrite is priced as a new evaluation. Payment plans are available. See the How Will I Pay FAQ below.
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A psychological evaluation provides independent clinical evidence documenting the emotional, psychological, and functional impact of trauma, abuse, persecution, family separation, or hardship. Immigration attorneys use these reports to strengthen cases involving asylum, VAWA petitions, U-Visa and T-Visa petitions, and hardship waivers and cancellation of removal.
A forensic evaluation does something a personal statement or attorney brief cannot. It translates your lived experience into clinical findings that immigration authorities are trained to weigh. It establishes diagnoses, connects your symptoms to what you experienced, and addresses the specific legal standard your case requires, whether that is substantial abuse, extreme hardship, persecution-related trauma, or the ongoing impact of trafficking.
Research supports it too. According to a study published in the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, asylum cases that included a psychological evaluation were approved at an 89% rate, compared to a national average of roughly 37%. The evaluation is not a guarantee, but it is one of the most powerful tools available to strengthen your case.
If your attorney has recommended one, you are in the right place. If you are not sure whether you need one, reach out and we will help you figure it out.
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Before your first session, you will receive questionnaires through our secure SimplePractice portal. These help us gather background information in advance so your interview time is spent going deeper rather than just covering the basics. Additional questionnaires may be sent between sessions as needed to fill in any gaps and make sure the final report is complete and accurate.
Session One: An informal interview to assess emotional strengths and difficulties, mental functioning, and relevant family history. This tends to run slightly longer than one hour.
Session Two: Your second session occurs at least one week (usually 7-10 days) after your first. It lasts approximately 45-60 minutes and includes a second interview and completion of diagnostic scales.
All of the information gathered is used to create the report we provide to your legal counsel.
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We accept credit cards, payment apps, and cash. Payment is broken into three installments: 50% is due at your first session, 25% at your second session, and the remaining 25% when the draft report is ready. If you need flexibility beyond this structure, reach out and we will work something out.
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In most cases, no. However, there may be instances in which obtaining a copy of your medical or legal records would be helpful. We can discuss this at the time of the evaluation.
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After the interview, we write a comprehensive forensic report (typically 20+ pages) detailing your personal, family, educational, and medical history, along with any relevant mental health diagnoses and clinical findings. Every report includes a summary section that directly addresses the legal question specific to your case, written in language appropriate for immigration authorities and useful to your attorney. When relevant, we also request, review, and incorporate supporting medical or legal records.
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Once all interviews and required documentation are complete, your draft is delivered in 15 business days for Standard, 10 for Expedited, or 5 for Urgent. Timelines are in business days and do not include weekends or holidays. You and your attorney review the draft, we make any needed corrections, and then the final report is delivered. We are available to answer questions before, during, and after the process.
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Yes. We provide immigration evaluations for children and adolescents and have specialized training in the evaluation of unaccompanied minors.
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No. Immigration psychological evaluations are private pay only and are not covered by health insurance. This is true regardless of your insurance plan or provider. Payment plans are available to help make the cost more manageable. See the How Will I Pay FAQ above.
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No. You do not need an attorney to request an evaluation. Many clients come to us through a referral from their immigration attorney, but you are welcome to reach out directly. If you do not yet have an attorney, we can talk through your case and help you understand what type of evaluation may be relevant to your situation.
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A therapist letter is a brief statement from a treating clinician that speaks to a client's mental health. A forensic psychological evaluation is a different kind of document entirely. It is a structured clinical assessment conducted specifically for legal purposes, resulting in a 20+ page report that documents your history, clinical findings, diagnoses, and how your experiences connect to the specific legal standard your case requires. It is written for immigration authorities and attorneys, not for clinical records. A therapist letter is generally not sufficient for immigration proceedings. Adjudicators expect a forensic evaluation. For attorneys referring clients to us, the distinction matters: a forensic evaluation is what holds up under USCIS or court scrutiny.
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Yes. Your immigration status does not affect your eligibility for a psychological evaluation. We work with clients regardless of documentation status, and your information is protected by HIPAA. We do not share your information with immigration authorities or anyone outside of you, your attorney, and the authorities you specifically authorize.
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Your evaluation is shared only with you, your attorney, and the authorities you authorize as part of your immigration case. We do not share your information with USCIS, ICE, or any other government agency independently. All sessions are conducted through HIPAA-secure telehealth and all documents are delivered through the SimplePractice secure client portal.
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Psychological evaluations do not have a formal expiration date. Some attorneys prefer to refresh an evaluation if a case has been pending for a long time or if circumstances have changed, which is a reasonable judgment call. If your attorney has asked for an updated evaluation, reach out and we will look at what actually needs to change. Depending on your case, we may be able to update specific sections rather than starting over. We will assess the scope before discussing any fees.
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No, we only work with clients who are out of detention.