A place to explore and understand

Understanding Adult ADHD

Australian ADHD Guideline - Consumer Companion: An accessible introduction to ADHD assessment, treatment and support, based on the Australian ADHD clinical guideline. Free

ADHD Foundation Australia: Australian ADHD information, resources and pathways to community support. Free information. some services may have fees.

Understanding Adult Autism

coming soon..

Considering an Assessment

How does an online ADHD or autism assessment work?

An online assessment takes place over secure video appointments, allowing you to attend from a private, comfortable space.

At Elara Psychology Clinic, the process includes:

• Questionnaires: completed before your appointments to help us understand your experiences.

• Intake interview: a conversation about your background, current concerns and what you hope to understand.

• Diagnostic interviews: a detailed exploration of your developmental history and experiences across different areas of life.

• Feedback appointment: a discussion of the findings, whether diagnostic criteria are met and recommendations relevant to you.

• Written report: a comprehensive summary of the assessment and personalised recommendations.

Our approach is evidence based and neuro-affirming. Standardised tools support the assessment, alongside collateral information (if applicable), clinical interviews and developmental information. A questionnaire score alone does not determine the outcome.

You’re welcome to ask about breaks, using notes or other communication and accessibility preferences before we begin. If online assessment is unsuitable or further assessment is needed, we’ll discuss this with you.

Explore our ADHD, autism and combined assessment options to learn more about the process.

ADHD, autism or both: which assessment should I consider?

You don’t need to work this out on your own before enquiring.

ADHD and autism can occur together, and some experiences such as overwhelm, difficulty switching tasks or managing everyday demands can have several possible explanations. This is why we screen for both and consider co-occuring conditions as part of diagnostic assessment.

An ADHD assessment explores patterns of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, their history and their impact across your life.

An autism assessment explores social communication, sensory experiences, routines, interests and other developmental patterns.

A combined assessment considers both ADHD and autism, including how their features may interact.

We also consider other factors that may contribute to your experiences, such as anxiety, trauma, sleep difficulties and mood. Recognising yourself in a description does not necessarily mean you meet diagnostic criteria.

If you’re unsure which assessment to choose, tell us what has prompted your questions. We can discuss the options before you book.

Contact us to ask which assessment may be appropriate for you.

Can I seek an adult assessment without school reports or a parent available?

Yes, you can enquire. Missing school reports or not having a parent available does not automatically prevent you from seeking an adult ADHD or autism assessment.

Developmental history is important because we need to understand how patterns have appeared over time. However, adults do not always have access to childhood records or someone who can reliably describe their early experiences.

Depending on your circumstances, useful information may include:

• Your own recollections and specific childhood examples.

• Information from a sibling, relative or someone who knew you when you were younger.

• Previous health, educational or psychological records.

• Information from someone who knows your current day-to-day functioning.

Current observations can help us understand your life now, although they may not establish what happened in childhood.

Please discuss missing information with us before booking. We can explain what may be useful and whether the available evidence is likely to support an assessment. Sometimes further information is needed, or diagnostic conclusions remain uncertain.

Ask us about your circumstances before deciding whether to proceed.

Could it be ADHD if I did well at school?

Yes. Doing well academically does not, on its own, rule out ADHD.

An assessment looks beyond grades to explore symptoms, their developmental history and whether they cause significant difficulties across different areas of life.

You might have achieved good results while:

• Leaving assignments until the last minute.

• Needing considerable help to organise your work.

• Spending much longer on tasks than others realised.

• Frequently losing belongings or forgetting instructions.

• Finding home life or relationships harder to manage than schoolwork.

These experiences are not specific to ADHD, so they need to be understood in context.

We explore both how you performed and what it took to manage. We also consider whether difficulties were present before age 12 and how they affect your life now.

Good grades are one part of your history. They do not provide the whole picture.

Read about our adult ADHD assessments to learn what we explore.

Considering an autism assessment in your 40s or 50s

You can seek an autism assessment in your 40s, 50s or later. You don’t need to have questioned it since childhood.

Perhaps something recently prompted you to look back: your child’s diagnosis, changing demands, a period of exhaustion or a description of masking that felt familiar.

An adult assessment explores your experiences across your life. We consider communication, relationships, sensory needs, interests, routines and the ways you have adapted over time.

We also explore other possible explanations and co-occurring difficulties. Feeling different, exhausted or socially drained can be worth discussing, but these experiences alone do not establish autism.

Before booking, it can help to consider what you hope to gain. You may want greater self-understanding, recommendations or information to discuss with other professionals. If you need a report for a particular purpose, let us know beforehand so we can discuss its suitability.

Explore our adult autism assessments or contact us with your questions.

What happens if I don’t receive a diagnosis?

An assessment may identify ADHD, autism, both or neither. Sometimes there is not enough information to reach a clear conclusion.

Not receiving a diagnosis does not mean your difficulties are unimportant or that you should simply be able to cope.

At your feedback appointment, we’ll explain:

• What the assessment found.

• Why diagnostic criteria were or were not met.

• Any limitations or areas of uncertainty.

• Recommendations based on the information available.

• Whether further assessment or referral may be helpful.

Sometimes another explanation needs to be explored. In other cases, you may recognise particular traits without meeting all the requirements for a diagnosis.

You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss information you feel needs clarification. Recommendations can still address identified difficulties and support needs, even when a diagnosis is not made.

Our neuro-affirming approach means taking your experiences seriously while reaching a considered clinical conclusion.

Read about our assessment process and what is included.

Your Elara Psychology Clinic Assessment Guide and FAQs

After a Diagnosis

Reframing Autism: Autistic Welcome Pack - A resources welcoming newly identified autistic people and supporting exploration of autistic identity. Free; autistic-led.

Practical tools For Everyday Life

JobAccess: Making changes in your workplace: Australian information about workplace adjustments and available assistance. Free; government information.

Neurodivergent Insights: Dr Megan Anna Neff - Workbooks and tools for exploring neurodivergent and support needs. Paid resources.

books, podcasts & Lived Experience

How to ADHD: Jessica McCabe: A book combining personal experiences with practical approaches to everyday ADHD challenges. Paid book.