“The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning to work on becoming yourself.“
Anna Quindlen
I provide ADHD assessment services for individuals aged 15-65. My services are holistic, comprehensive, evidence-based, and neurodivergent-affirming.
ADHD involves a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviours that have a significant impact on your daily life. In an ADHD assessment, we’ll be looking at key diagnostic features of ADHD, as well as looking at associated features that can impact your overall functioning and well-being. To learn more about ADHD, visit the Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance.
Interviews for the assessment process can be completed in-person or virtually. All the assessment measures are designed to be completed over the internet using a secure system. I recommend setting up a comfortable environment with few distractions and taking breaks as needed through the assessment process.
What are the benefits of a formal assessment?
A formal assessment provides a thorough overview of your functioning, symptoms, strengths, and challenges over time. While Autism and/or ADHD may be the primary focus of the assessment, we will also be looking for the presence of other symptoms to give you more clarity.
A formal assessment also provides the opportunity to discuss recommendations and accommodations to help moving forward. Together, we can develop a clearer picture of what you might need to improve the quality of your life.
A formal assessment also provides a significant amount of information for your primary medical provider and primary mental health provider to better support you in treatment.
What does the assessment process involve?
Initial Screening Call (15 – 20 minutes): I will initially chat with you over the phone to assess what you are looking for from the assessment process, current factors that might impact the utility and effectiveness of an assessment at this time, and screening for the presence of symptoms of both Autism and ADHD on a surface level. Many people with Autism have symptoms of ADHD and vice versa. To ensure we get a thorough overview of your clinical profile, I’ll always ask about symptoms of both to see if we need to evaluate them further. If you appear to only have symptoms of one, we will focus our attention on that category of symptoms. Following your screening call and booking of interview appointments, you will be sent consent forms, an intake form, and a background questionnaire. Please submit these at least 24-hours prior to your first appointment.
Clinical Interviews (2 to 4.5 hours): These interviews provide information on your personal history, current symptoms, social support, and potential current challenges. I’ll ask about family history, educational history, functioning in the workplace and in relationships, and medical, legal, and psychiatric history.
Assessment Measures: I will provide you with some specific measures to complete. You will complete these measures remotely from the comfort of your own environment. These measures do not need to be completed all at once, so you can pace yourself through the process, although you will need to complete them for the assessment process to advance.
Collateral Data (if any): When assessing Autism and ADHD, it can be helpful to review collateral data like report cards to provide historical information about your symptoms. While these are not required for the assessment process, they can be valuable if available.
Review of Assessment Materials (60 minutes): I will take time to review the assessment measures to see if there’s any significant concerns that need to be addressed.
Writing Time (5-6 hours): I will write up the findings from the interviews, assessment measures, and collateral data (if any) to provide a thorough overview of your history, symptoms, diagnoses and recommendations.
Feedback Session (75-90 minutes): We will review the report together and discuss potential workplace/educational accommodations if needed. If you have any concerns about the content of the report, we can address it during the feedback session so that you can be more comfortable with the final result. If you are interested in an assessment, please visit the Contact & Appointments page or feel free to reach out by email for more information at kpmetcalfepsych@gmail.com