Autism has become better understood and identified in children over the years, but there are many, many adults whose families and educators were unaware of this diagnosis when they were children. After years of feeling that something was different, many adults come to learn about autism after meeting friends who are familiar with ASD or having a relative diagnosed. Getting a good adult autism evaluation can be tricky for several reasons, but it can be really important for people to help them understand themselves and be able to better navigate the social world. We recognize that autistic adults who have not previously been diagnosed typically do not look “stereotypical” with obvious symptoms. Frequently, these individuals may be overlooked, not taken seriously, and unrecognized, even by many mental health professionals who do not specialize in this type of assessment. We are aware of the different ways that autism can present in girls and women, and some of her testing focuses on their experience of “camouflaging” their symptoms and their internal experiences involving socialization. We are familiar with the concepts of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), which many families have found and identify with.

We complete many evaluations with adults who have wondered about autism but not received a diagnosis before—many have gotten other diagnoses along the way, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. Often, but not always, their intuition about whether they are on the spectrum is correct. Either way, We aim to help provide some guidance and support/recommendations.