VAWA psychosocial evaluations for self-petitions Also called a mental health evaluation for immigration.
A VAWA mental health evaluation is a psychosocial evaluation documenting how abuse, coercive control, or extreme cruelty has affected you, for your VAWA self-petition (Form I-360). It is for self-petitioners and for the attorneys who represent them. If you are filing a VAWA self-petition, you can work with me directly. Evaluations are conducted remotely. To start, send a short, non-confidential inquiry or book a free 15-minute fit call.
Evaluations are conducted remotely and are used in U.S. immigration courts and USCIS adjudications. Please share the venue so I can flag any jurisdiction-specific considerations.
You can contact me directly.
Most of my evaluations are arranged with an attorney. A VAWA self-petitioner can work with me directly, with or without an attorney. I do not give legal advice and I do not assess eligibility; an attorney or accredited representative does that. My role is to document your experience with care and accuracy.
Abuse that happens inside a family is often hard to name, and harder to describe to a stranger. Silence, changing stories, and delayed disclosure are not automatically dishonesty. My evaluation documents the context that shaped what you could say, and when.
What the evaluation looks at
A VAWA mental health evaluation is written to support the legal record. In a VAWA case, it looks at:
In this kind of case
- Coercive control.
- Battery or extreme cruelty.
- Abuse history and its emotional and mental health impact.
- Family context.
- Functioning, coping, and current daily life.
What every report includes
- Clinical interview and trauma-informed psychosocial history.
- CIAS contextual analysis: cultural, developmental, economic, and U.S. climate factors.
- Functioning, coping, symptom impact, and prognosis.
- DSM-5-TR-informed diagnostic formulation where clinically appropriate.
How it works
1. Fit and scope check
You, or your attorney, start with a short inquiry. Use the inquiry form or book a free 15-minute fit call. The fit check confirms case type, timeline, jurisdiction, conflict check, and whether an evaluation is appropriate before any documents are exchanged.
2. Secure document transfer
After fit is confirmed, relevant records are provided through secure means. Please do not send confidential materials through the first inquiry.
3. Multi-session evaluation
Trauma-informed interviews, interpreter planning where needed, and structured psychosocial assessment. Evaluations are conducted remotely.
4. Draft and final report
A draft is reviewed for factual, jurisdictional, and privilege-related corrections. Clinical opinions are not altered on request. The final report is delivered for the record.
What the evaluation costs
Fees are confirmed in writing after case type, deadline, scope, jurisdiction, interpreter needs, and testimony needs are reviewed.
| Case type | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| VAWA | $1,000–$1,500 | Coercive control, abuse history, mental health impact, and functioning. |
| Rush | +$300–$500 | Depending on deadline and availability. |
| Testimony | Quoted separately | Fee schedule provided at engagement. |
Standard turnaround is usually 2–3 weeks from completed intake and document receipt. A sliding scale may be available for qualifying nonprofit legal-aid referrals; please note nonprofit or legal-aid status in the inquiry. All case types and fees are on the fees page.
What to send after fit is confirmed
Please do not send confidential materials through the first inquiry. After scope is confirmed, documents are transferred through secure means. Useful documents may include:
- Declaration describing abuse history
- Police reports, protective orders (if any)
- Medical or therapy records (if any)
- Evidence of relationship to abuser
- Any prior VAWA filings
What to include in the first inquiry
Case type, deadline or hearing date, venue, interpreter needs, nonprofit or legal-aid referral status, and enough non-confidential information to assess fit. Do not send declarations, medical records, or other protected health information until secure intake is confirmed.
For attorneys
- Standard turnaround is 2–3 weeks from completed intake and document receipt. Rush is available at +$300–$500 depending on the deadline. Master-calendar timelines are flagged at fit check so scheduling is realistic.
- A draft is shared so counsel can flag factual, jurisdictional, or privilege-related corrections. Clinical opinions are not altered on request.
- Each report is signed under penalty of perjury and includes the credentials, methodology, and limitations sections counsel typically rely on.
- Testimony is available where scheduling allows, including EOIR merits hearings and related proceedings. Testimony fees are quoted separately at engagement and confirmed in writing.
Process, checklists, and credentials
The attorney overview covers collaboration, document checklists by case type, interpreters, detained clients, and the sliding scale for legal-aid referrals. A current CV is available on request.
No attorney yet?
If you are a VAWA self-petitioner, you can contact me directly. If you would like an attorney for your case, or your case is not a VAWA self-petition, the next page explains where to start. Read what to do if you do not have an attorney yet →
Common questions
Can I work with you without an attorney?
Yes, if you are filing a VAWA self-petition. You can contact me directly through the inquiry form or a free 15-minute fit call. I do not give legal advice and I do not assess whether you qualify; an attorney or accredited representative can do that. For other case types, see what to do if you do not have an attorney yet.
How many sessions does the evaluation take?
The evaluation is multi-session: trauma-informed interviews, interpreter planning where needed, and structured psychosocial assessment. Scheduling is discussed at the fit check. Standard turnaround for the report is usually 2–3 weeks from completed intake and document receipt.
Can the evaluation be done remotely?
Yes. Evaluations are conducted remotely. Please share the venue at inquiry, meaning the court or USCIS office handling the case, so jurisdiction-specific considerations can be flagged.
Do you work with interpreters?
Yes. Interpreter planning is part of the evaluation when language access is needed, with attention to language match, dialect, gender preference, and trauma-informed practice. An attorney may propose an approved interpreter; alternatively, a vetted interpreter can be arranged.
Do you evaluate people who are detained?
Yes, on a case-by-case basis. Detained evaluations require coordination with counsel, the facility, and (where needed) telehealth or in-person scheduling. Please flag detention status and facility at the initial inquiry so feasibility can be confirmed quickly.
What if I cannot talk about what happened?
You do not have to tell your story perfectly, or all at once. Silence, changing stories, and delayed disclosure are not automatically dishonesty. Trauma, culture, language, shame, developmental history, and fear shape how experience is remembered, ordered, and disclosed. The interviews are trauma-informed and take place over more than one session, and part of my work is to document the context that shaped what you have been able to say, using the CIAS framework.
How is an evaluation different from therapy?
An evaluation documents your experience and its effects for the people deciding your case. It is not treatment. I listen carefully and with respect, but the purpose of the sessions is a written report for the legal record, and clinical opinions in that report are not altered on request.
Who sees the report?
Records are exchanged only after secure intake is established, and protected health information is not requested in the initial inquiry. When an attorney retains me, reports are released to retaining counsel only. If you are filing without an attorney, how the report is delivered to you is confirmed at the fit check.
How much does it cost?
The typical range for this case type is $1,000–$1,500. Rush is +$300–$500 depending on deadline and availability, and testimony is quoted separately. Fees are confirmed in writing after the case is reviewed. A sliding scale may be available for qualifying nonprofit legal-aid referrals.
Other evaluations I provide
Asylum
Asylum mental health evaluation (I-589): trauma, fear of return, and disclosure.
U and T visas
U and T visa mental health evaluation (I-918, I-914): abuse, trafficking, and coercion.
Hardship waivers
Extreme hardship mental health evaluation (I-601, I-601A): family separation and caregiving.
All mental health evaluations for immigration · Fees · For attorneys
Ready to start?
The first step is a short, non-confidential inquiry or a free 15-minute fit call.