Adult Assessments

Many young adults with ADD/ADHD enter college or university and are suprised when they begin to find difficulties after they managed up until then to "get by".  Even with high levels of intellectual skill sets, students with ADHD and/or Autism are at risk for uneven cognitive profiles and "gaps" in their skill sets, which become increasingly noticeable over time.

For those who develop their own "coping skills" and strategies for studying, learning, communication etc., you may find you can often mask or cover up your underlying challenges, until the time these demands exceed the ability to manage every day expectations.  You may find yourself completely exhausted, emotionally and physically, after a typical day at university/college/grad school or at work, and usually just want time to be alone, to do your own thing/hobby or to relax. In contrast, you may hear your friends and colleagues plan multiiple activities and social events almost every evening and weekend, and they wonder why you don't always join in, why you don't organize the events/outings, and even why you say "no" to invitiations more often then "yes".  

ADHD symptoms may include weaknesses in the executive functioning skills required for planning, organization, and time management, which together with frequent procrastination and becoming overwhelmed with work loads, can interfere with successful learning and task completio more than actual difficulties understanding and learning the information.  Assignments start to pile up, instructions are mis-interpreted, due-dates missed or totally forgotten, and the result is often increased stress and at times panic or even emotional melt-downs.  When a student goes to college or university, their childhood academic support system, including  parents, siblings and teachers, are no longer at hand and checking on them daily, leaving gaps in the learning skills required for successful self-directed academics.  In the work environment the demands and expectations are often competitive, time limited and entwined with social expectations, which adds consideration stress and frustration when trying to keep up and complete tasks.

Identifying the intellectual strengths and areas of learning difficulties for an adult ADHD going to post seconday school, grad school or starting a new career path,  is critical to ensure they have the most optimal academic and learning skill supports in place at their learning institution, and they know how, where and why they need to access them to achieve long term success.

Undiagnosed Autism in adults can present as a social barrier, an area of frustration and often misunderstanding for you and those around you, due to communication differences, difficulties with reading non verbal cues, understanding sarcasm, taking people's word literally and having trouble reading "between the lines" during conversations or information exchanges.  These highly frustrating challenges are usually not a reflection of intellect, but more the subtle but potentially overwhelming social struggles for adults with Level 1 Autism.  Gaining an understanding of whether you are on the Autism Spectrum, and just how your autism symptoms and behaviours affect your every functioning, communication and relationships, can be life changing, and make engaging with the world a much less stressful, less frustrating and more enjoyable and productive place to be. 

• Carelessness (simple errors) in School or Work tasks or misreading instructions or requests 
• Taking much longer than average to complete tasks due to perfectionism
• Getting lost with researching every possible option before being able to start a report
• Losing track of conversations and missing details
• Distractibility throughout the day and Problems Sustaining Attention
• Procrastination (putting off tasks) or Lack of Follow Through Completing Work
• Messy/Disorganize Desk or Office space causing time wasted looking for items
• Can’t Sit Still, having to keep moving in your chair, feeling internally restless without showing it
• Losing Track of Things, forgetting directions, keys or Shopping Lists
• Fidgeting and Restlessness increase when trying listen to others talk or during conversations
• Feeling as if you are not "one of the crowd" with social groups, group tasks, or missing inside jokes

ADD/ADHD can wreak havoc with work or school life, sometimes resulting in school underacheivement,  underemployed, or conflicts with teachers, professors, bosses or partners.  ADD/ADHD can also contribute to procrastination when turning in assignments or work tasks by deadlines.  A professional assessment by experienced clinicians is critical as many other conditions may present similarly to ADD/ADHD, and clarification of your diagnosis will help guide you toward the proper treatment to build strategies, gain awarenss and develop self advocacy skills.

If you meet criteria for a clincial diagnosis of ADD/ADHD, test accommodations such as extended time on examinations or assignments, a quieter environment,  a reader, electronic notes or a note-taker for classes, work space modifications etc., may be available to you through your College or University Student Services and/or Human Resource Dept. 

Recent cognitive testing and a formal evaluation for ADD/ADHD is typically required to document a disability to qualify for accommodations when requesting additional time etc. on graduate level entrance exams such as: the SAT, GRE, MCAT, LSAT and GMAT exams.

We not only Diagnose ADHD and Autism for adults, we also put you on the path to success with effective Psychological Treatment, strategies and therapeutic support.