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ADHD & Autism Assessments for Teens and Adults

Many people reach adolescence or adulthood with a lingering sense that something about how they think, focus, relate, or move through the world has always felt different. Some have struggled with attention, organization, or follow-through. Others have long felt out of sync socially, overwhelmed by sensory experiences, or exhausted from trying to keep up with expectations that never quite seemed designed for them.

A thoughtful psychological assessment can help bring clarity and language to these experiences.

Our approach goes beyond identifying symptoms. We aim to develop a deeper understanding of the whole person — how someone thinks, learns, relates, regulates emotion, and navigates relationships and environments. This kind of understanding can help guide treatment, self-understanding, and practical supports.

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When an Assessment May Be Helpful

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Some individuals have previously sought individual therapy for concerns such as anxiety, burnout, or relationship difficulties, but later begin to wonder whether ADHD or autism may also be contributing to their experiences. An ADHD or autism evaluation may be helpful if you or your teenager:

Have long struggled with attention, focus, organization, or executive functioning
Experience social differences, communication challenges, or sensory sensitivities
Feel chronically overwhelmed, burnt out, or exhausted by everyday demands
Suspect ADHD or autism but were never evaluated earlier in life
Have been treated for anxiety or depression but feel something deeper may be contributing
Are seeking academic or workplace accommodations
Want a clearer understanding of lifelong patterns of thinking, learning, and relating

For many individuals, particularly women, LGBTQ+ people, and those who learned to mask or compensate early in life, neurodevelopmental differences can go unrecognized for years.

A Depth-Oriented Approach

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Our assessments are designed to understand both neurodevelopmental functioning and the broader emotional context of a person’s life.

Depending on the referral question, the evaluation may include:

Clinical interviews exploring current concerns and life history
A developmental history to understand early patterns of learning, attention, and relationships
Standardized cognitive and psychological testing
Measures of attention, executive functioning, and social communication
Questionnaires assessing mood, personality, and relational patterns
Behavioral observations throughout the evaluation process

This multi-method approach helps us differentiate between ADHD, autism, anxiety, trauma, learning differences, and other overlapping concerns that can look similar on the surface.

Projective Testing and Deeper Psychological Understanding

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When appropriate, we may incorporate projective testing as part of the assessment process.

Projective methods allow us to explore aspects of emotional experience and personality that may not emerge through structured questionnaires alone. These measures can offer insight into:

Emotional regulation and coping styles
Interpersonal expectations and relationship patterns
Internal conflicts or sources of stress
How someone makes meaning of experiences and relationships

From a relational psychodynamic perspective, understanding these deeper patterns can be essential for guiding therapy and creating treatment that addresses the underlying emotional landscape, rather than focusing only on surface symptoms.

ADHD, Autism, and Relationships

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Neurodevelopmental differences can have a meaningful impact on romantic relationships. Many couples seek assessment for one partner after noticing recurring patterns that are difficult to fully understand without considering how attention, communication, sensory processing, or emotional regulation may be shaping the dynamic.

For example, ADHD can influence areas such as organization, follow-through, time management, and emotional reactivity. Autism can affect communication styles, sensory needs, social expectations, and the ways partners interpret each other’s intentions. Without a framework for understanding these differences, couples may find themselves stuck in cycles of frustration, misunderstanding, or feeling unseen by one another.

In many relationships, one partner may feel overwhelmed by responsibilities or emotional intensity, while the other may feel chronically criticized, misunderstood, or pressured to change ways of being that feel deeply ingrained. Over time, these patterns can create distance or resentment, even in relationships that are deeply caring.

A thoughtful assessment can help illuminate how neurodevelopmental differences intersect with personality, attachment patterns, and relational dynamics. For many couples, having language for these experiences can bring a sense of relief and open new possibilities for understanding one another.

In some cases, couples choose to continue the work in couples therapy, where partners can explore these patterns together and develop ways of communicating and relating that feel more supportive and sustainable.

If you are interested in learning more about how these dynamics can be addressed in therapy, you can also visit our Couples Therapy page.