Should You Consider an Autism Evaluation?
Many people seeking evaluations have spent decades believing they were simply "too sensitive," "awkward," "lazy," or "not trying hard enough."
Autism presents differently from person to person and that many individuals have developed successful masking strategies that can make diagnosis more complex. Our approach is respectful, neurodiversity-informed, and focused on understanding your unique strengths as well as the challenges you experience.
Women and girls, in particular, have historically been underdiagnosed because they often develop sophisticated masking strategies that hide autistic traits from teachers, family members, and even mental health professionals. Many have been told they were Bipolar or Borderline, further confusing or invalidating their experiences. Robin has over 25 years of experience working with autistic adults and adolescents, including individuals who were not identified until later in life.
Frequently Asked Questions
An autism evaluation may be helpful if you've always felt different, struggled with social interactions, experienced sensory sensitivities, found change difficult, or have wondered why certain aspects of life seem more challenging than they do for others. Many people seek an evaluation after recognizing themselves in information about autism or after a family member receives a diagnosis.
Yes. We specialize in comprehensive autism evaluations for adolescents and adults, including individuals who may have gone undiagnosed for many years. Many adults seek an evaluation to better understand themselves, improve relationships, access workplace or educational accommodations, or find answers that bring clarity to lifelong experiences.
Absolutely. Autism often presents differently in girls and women than in boys. Many women learn to mask their autistic traits by observing others, forcing eye contact, rehearsing conversations, or pushing through sensory discomfort. As a result, they are frequently overlooked or misdiagnosed. Our evaluations consider the many ways autism can present across different individuals.
Many autistic teens and adults become skilled at masking, or hiding their natural behaviors to fit in socially. While masking may help someone navigate certain situations, it can also lead to anxiety, exhaustion, burnout, and a feeling of not knowing who they truly are. Our evaluation process looks beyond outward behaviors to better understand your lifelong experiences.
Your evaluation includes a detailed clinical interview, standardized assessment measures, a review of your developmental history, and an exploration of your current strengths and challenges. We take time to understand the whole person rather than relying on a single test score.
The exact timeline varies depending on the individual, but most evaluations involve multiple steps, including interviews, testing, scoring, interpretation, and a feedback session where we review your results together.
That's common, especially for adults. While early developmental history is helpful, we understand that memories may be limited. When possible, information from parents, siblings, partners, school records, or other historical sources can provide additional context, but we work with the information available.
Many adults seek an evaluation without support from family members, or their parents may have limited memories of childhood. While family input can be helpful, it is not always required. We use multiple sources of information to develop a comprehensive understanding of your experiences.
Yes. Many people are diagnosed in adulthood, including individuals in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond. Receiving a diagnosis later in life can provide validation, self-understanding, and practical guidance for moving forward.
That's valuable information, too. Our goal is to help you understand what's contributing to your experiences. Sometimes another condition—such as ADHD, anxiety, trauma, or a combination of factors—better explains your challenges. Regardless of the outcome, you'll receive recommendations to help guide your next steps.
Yes. ADHD and autism frequently occur together. During the evaluation, we carefully consider whether one or both conditions may be contributing to your experiences and explain how they overlap and differ.
Yes. You'll receive a comprehensive written report that explains the evaluation process, findings, diagnosis (if appropriate), and individualized recommendations. This report may be useful for personal understanding, educational planning, workplace accommodations, or sharing with other healthcare providers when appropriate.
Many colleges, universities, and employers accept comprehensive psychological evaluations when considering accommodation requests. While each institution sets its own requirements, our reports are designed to provide clear clinical documentation that may support accommodation requests.
Yes. Your evaluation results are confidential and will only be shared with others if you provide written authorization or as otherwise required by law.
If your primary question is, "Am I autistic?" or you need diagnostic clarification, an evaluation is often the best place to start. If you already know you're autistic—or you're primarily seeking support for anxiety, relationships, burnout, or life challenges—autism-focused counseling may be the better fit. We're happy to discuss your goals and help determine which service is right for you.
The first step is scheduling a consultation. We'll answer your questions, explain the evaluation process, discuss your goals, and help determine whether an autism evaluation is appropriate for your situation.
We do not accept insurance for autism evaluations. In addition, most insurance plans do not cover autism testing for adults unless there is a specific medical necessity that meets the plan's criteria.
Because our evaluations are private pay, you won't need prior authorization or approval from an insurance company, and your assessment is guided by your clinical needs rather than insurance requirements. We'll discuss the cost of the evaluation with you before scheduling so you know exactly what to expect.
