Adult ADHD Assessment
Understanding yourself more clearly
Many adults spend years feeling as though life is harder than it should be.
They may struggle with organisation, focus, emotional overwhelm, time management, or following through on tasks. Often they have developed ways of coping without fully understanding why certain challenges seem so much more difficult for them than for other people.
For some, ADHD may be part of the picture.
I conduct Adult ADHD assessments for people over the age of 25. As awareness of neurodiversity grows, more adults are seeking assessment as a way of better understanding themselves and making sense of experiences that may have followed them throughout their lives.
Why seek an ADHD assessment?
An Adult ADHD assessment can be a pathway to greater self-understanding and self-compassion.
Many adults with ADHD have struggled for years without understanding why they experience certain challenges in their daily lives. An assessment can provide validation by identifying ADHD traits and explaining how they may be impacting different areas of life.
Women in particular may go undiagnosed because ADHD symptoms in women often present differently from the way ADHD is commonly understood. Many women first begin exploring ADHD when the demands of parenting and the increasing mental load highlight difficulties that may previously have gone unnoticed.
Once you have a diagnosis, you can begin to better understand the specific ways ADHD affects your life and access support that is tailored to your individual needs.
My approach to ADHD assessment
I am experienced in assessing and diagnosing adults with ADHD.
My approach recognises that ADHD rarely exists in isolation. Many adults with ADHD have also spent years navigating shame, overwhelm, emotional intensity, self-criticism, or feeling misunderstood.
The assessment process aims to build a clear picture of your experiences and determine whether ADHD is contributing to the difficulties you are facing.
Assessment process
An Adult ADHD assessment at Grounded Life Psychology is conducted using a staged approach. This structure is designed to allow clients to make informed decisions about how far they wish to proceed and to manage costs accordingly.
The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate whether you meet DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) based on the information available at the time of assessment.
This process is not a comprehensive psychiatric assessment and does not assess for all possible mental health, neurodevelopmental, medical, or substance-related conditions unless otherwise agreed.
Assessment conclusions are based on:
• Information you provide
• Information provided by your nominated observer (if applicable)
• Clinical interview
• Standardised psychometric measures
The accuracy of conclusions depends on the completeness and accuracy of the information provided.
It is important to understand that:
• A diagnosis cannot be guaranteed.
• Acceptance of this assessment or diagnosis by a psychiatrist, general practitioner, employer, insurer, NDIS, educational institution, or other third party cannot be guaranteed.
• Other professionals may choose to conduct their own independent assessment.
ADHD Assessment Fees
I conduct assessments via a staged approach, which means you do not need to complete all stages.
All session fees require upfront payment at the time of booking.
Initial session (including purchase of CAARS 2 for you and an observer, plus feedback) – $300
Second session (semi-structured interview) – $300
Diagnostic letter – $400 including GST
Additional fees may apply if further psychometric measures or interviews are required. This will be explained as part of the consent process.