Are you a teen or adult who is wondering if you might be on the spectrum/Autistic? You have come to the right place. I have been certified in evidence-based gold standard assessment tools to evaluate for a clinical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (also previously known as “Asperger’s Disorder” or “High Functioning Autism”).
Are you a teen or adult woman who wonders if you have been overlooked or misdiagnosed? Rest assured that I am familiar with how females on the autism spectrum/Autistic women often present differently than males, are effective in many situations at “masking,” and thus are often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and/or under-diagnosed. I have worked with adults on the autism spectrum since 2009 professionally, and throughout my life personally. I also teach about Autism in adults to other mental health providers, for continuing education credits.
Read Dr. Emily’s blog about Autism Spectrum Disorder.
I have the knowledge and experience to help you sort through whether or not you might be on the spectrum and/or have other difficulties, such as Social Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/”ADD”), interpersonal patterns, or other factors causing your concerns.
Please note that any assigned diagnoses are based on current DSM 5 clinical criteria, and results may or may not affirm one’s own self-diagnosis.
No matter what the results are, I will help you navigate resources and get the help you need.
Click here to read more about Adults with Autism /Autistic Adults.
Your comprehensive evaluation will consist of an initial interview (approximately 1 hour long) in which I hear your concerns and ask you questions about your history. We will then schedule a second appointment that works for your schedule. This second appointment will be approximately 3-4 hours long, and will be individualized according to your specific needs. Measures that might be included:
- Cognitive measures of intellectual abilities (Here, I am gathering information about how you approach different tasks, as well as knowledge about strengths and areas of growth)
- Standardized semi-structured interviews for Autism such as the ADOS-2 and MIGDAS-2.
- A personalized set of questionnaires, depending on your individual needs. The questionnaires will give us information about how your personality is similar and how it is different from others. These measures will also help us determine whether your symptoms reflect Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or another diagnosis (es), as well as provide information that is used to form specific recommendations for your treatment.
- Collateral information from those who you give permission to share with me. Ideally, I will talk with a parent or other family member who is familiar with your developmental history. I will ask them portions of the ADI-2, another gold-standard Autism assessment tool. You might also want me to speak with a spouse or friend who knows you well.
After I review your results, I will discuss them with you in a detailed feedback session (approximately 1 hour long). You will receive a comprehensive written report with detailed and concrete treatment recommendations and resources. I will make every effort to answer all your questions, and if more questions arise later after our session, I am always happy to hear from you and talk with you more.
Looking for Resources for Autism? See additional resources, and Learn more about our Social Skills Groups here.
