Are you an adult who wonders if you are on the spectrum? Because autism has become more in the public eye in recent years, I commonly receive requests for evaluations from adults in Sacramento that are concerned that they have traits and behaviors that may be consistent with autism or Asperger’s (Asperger’s is no longer a diagnosis and now falls under the diagnosis of Autism).
Signs and symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder
If you are worried about your social skills, ability to connect with others, and have struggled throughout your life with reading and expressing nonverbal signals, it may be worth exploring whether you are a neurodivergent individual. The core differences in autistic individuals are difficulties in social-emotional reciprocal communication and connecting with others, as compared to neurotypicals. It is important to understand that autism is a neurodevelopmental condition, meaning that it is present from early childhood onward to adulthood. For this reason, an evaluation involves taking a thorough childhood psychological/medical history and speaking with family members that knew you when you were a young child (under age 5), whenever possible!
What are some of the benefits of undergoing an evaluation for Autism at Healthy Mind Sacramento?
Most adults who undergo testing do it for their own peace of mind to figure out what is going on in their life. It helps to better understand where their pervasive pattern of difficulty in relationships is coming from. Sometimes, an individual is found NOT to be autistic, but rather have a different diagnosis, such as social anxiety disorder or PTSD. Getting a proper diagnosis allows you to seek the correct treatment so you can improve communication skills or relationships.
If you are autistic, you may be eligible for services. These include:
- Eligibility at Alta California Regional Center, which connects clients to free- and low-cost therapies and job-training
- Work or school accommodations
- Eligibility to apply for job training programs for autistic people
What tests/procedures are given?
- Clinical psychodevelopmental interview with you
- Cognitive testing, to make sure there are no weaker areas that could account for problem behaviors
- Phone interview and questionnaires to be completed by a family member(s) (or
someone who has known you since you were a child, when these behaviors
first emerge) - Autism testing
- Any supplemental testing as needed to rule out common co-occurring
disorders: e.g. depression, anxiety, social anxiety, trauma
How long does testing take?
Testing is completed over 2 sessions, a few hours each. There is then a third feedback session a few weeks later in which you will receive your report and we will go over the results of your evaluation in detail.
Please fill out the contact form to get a quote with more information. Healthy Mind Sacramento does not take insurance, but we do provide a superbill if you wish to submit it to your insurance company or HSA/FSA .
Learn more about Dr. Miller’s work in assessment and treatment of autism here.
Want to learn more about living with life on the spectrum? Check out Living with Asperger’s: Ways to overcome social deficits and feelings of inadequacy.