Autism Assessments & Clinical Consultations

Consultations are supportive, exploratory sessions that may focus on questions, patterns, next steps, or guidance. An assessment is a structured clinical evaluation intended to clarify autism identification and, when appropriate, provide formal diagnostic documentation.

If you are unsure whether a consultation or an assessment is the best fit, you are welcome to start with a consultation. Together, we can explore your goals and determine next steps.

Autism assessments and consultations with me are completely private and for your personal understanding, validation, and self-awareness.

No information is reported to outside parties, agencies, or insurance companies. Your results are yours to keep and can be shared only at your discretion.

This is a safe space.

1. Please use headphones or a separate microphone (not the computer mic) for the best audio quality for our sensitive ears.

2. Please turn off all notifications on your phone and devices before the session begins so we can focus best.

3. You’ll want to be alone in a private place for these sessions, free from distractions and interruptions.

4. It’s good to have paper and a pen to take notes on.

5. For consultations, I recommend thinking about what you want to achieve in this session. Have questions written out ahead to make the best use of your time.

Yes! During the sign-up process, you can set up any number of recurring sessions, which is a good idea to hold specific time slots for you.

Payment & Cancellation Policy

We accept payments via credit card or PayPal. If needed, Zelle or Venmo may also be an option—please contact us in advance to arrange alternative payment.

Payment is collected at the time of booking to secure your appointment and reserve the time specifically for you.

If you need to cancel your appointment, please provide at least 48 hours’ notice:

• Cancellations with 48 hours’ notice will receive a refund, minus a $50 fee to cover credit card processing and administrative costs.

• Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice will receive a 50% refund, as this time has been held especially for you and may not be able to be offered to someone else on short notice.

You are always welcome to reschedule your appointment at no additional cost, as long as the change is made at least 48 hours in advance.

If you have any questions or need assistance with scheduling, feel free to reach out—we’re happy to help.

If you don’t see a time that works, please reach out to us here and let us know your preferred days/times, and we can see if we can find something that works.

We will use Zoom Video for assessments. If you book consultations, you can use an audio-only, video, or live written chat session. If you live in the United States and want to do audio-only, we can also talk by phone for consultation sessions. If we work together via Zoom, you will be sent a unique link by email. If you have never used Zoom before, please watch the video below and arrive early to get set up.

Many widely used autism measures were built and normed mostly on a small sample of white boys. They focus on what a clinician can see during brief, structured tasks or checklists and miss how autism often presents in women and high maskers.

Why these methods miss high masking women

• Women are socialized to be pleasing, empathic, and adaptable, so many learn scripts, force eye contact, and copy peers to fit in.

• Masking reduces observable traits during appointments, which can drop scores below diagnostic cutoffs.

• The ADI-R relies on caregiver recall from early childhood. Caregivers often do not know what is underneath the mask or the cost of masking, so crucial history goes unrecognized.

• Special interests that look socially acceptable and subtle, like deep interest in psychology and human behavior, or more subtle stimming, are overlooked or dismissed.

• These tools measure external behavior, not the internal experience or the energy cost required to appear typical.

What these methods get wrong

• Treat empathy, friendships, or imaginative play as evidence against autism.

• Reframe masking as only social anxiety instead of a core autistic survival strategy.

• Label shutdowns as avoidance or choice.

• Dismiss sensory sensitivities as not significant, even when they shape daily life.

• Attribute burnout and job loss only to anxiety or trauma, ignoring autistic burnout.

Why this is harmful

• Being told you are not autistic enough or not severe enough is invalidating and traumatizing.

• Delayed or denied diagnosis blocks access to language, accommodations, and care.

• Ongoing masking without recognition increases burnout, health problems, and hopelessness.

• Countless women told they are not autistic using these tools are, in fact, autistic.

Choose clinicians who look under the mask

• Seek neurodiversity affirming clinicians trained to identify what is under the mask.

• Look for assessment styles that explore the true lived experience and the internal world, not only scores.

• Ask how they evaluate masking, sensory load, shutdowns, and the energy cost of socializing.

• Ensure they consider culture, race, and queerness, since older models were not built for this diversity.

• Prefer clinicians who welcome narrative interviews, self-reports, and do not require childhood informants.

My approach

• I do not use ADOS, ADI-R, AQ, or RAADS-R.

• I center lived experience across the lifespan, including exploring your internal world, under the mask.

• As a woman identified as autistic later in life, I have researched this for years and understand the lived experience of social conditioning to mask.

• I provide a validating, neurodiversity-affirming approach. scription

The autism assessment includes a 90-minute live clinical interview (with a short break) that includes both the assessment interview and discussion of findings. In addition, I spend approximately 90 minutes reviewing questionnaires and developmental history in advance and preparing a written diagnostic summary or letter when indicated.

Clients are also asked to complete pre-assessment questionnaires. These responses help ensure our time together is focused, thoughtful, and tailored to you.

If an autism diagnosis is made, clients receive a written letter of diagnosis that may be shared when requesting accommodations. Requirements for documentation, however, vary by institution.

In some cases, universities, disability services offices, or government agencies may require a formal neuropsychological assessment with comprehensive testing and a detailed written report. Because requirements differ, it is important for clients to confirm in advance what documentation is needed by the specific institution or agency they are working with.

Why This Assessment Is More Accessible—and Still Thorough

Most private adult autism assessments in California range from $5,000 to $10,000, largely due to extensive work done outside of sessions, including scoring standardized measures and writing detailed reports. These assessments often follow a clinical model that may not fully capture the nuanced experiences of sensitive or late-identified autistic adults.

In contrast, my assessment process is offered at a lower cost for a single comprehensive session (90 minutes in total). This includes exploration, integration, and reflection—with a built-in break and space for emotional processing. The cost remains accessible by streamlining the process and focusing on collaborative, conversational assessment rather than lengthy written reports.

Instead of standardized testing (often not accurately reflecting the lived experience of adult-diagnosed autism), I rely on in-depth, guided dialogue tailored to your lived experience. While no formal written report is provided, you may request a simple letter stating the outcome of the assessment if needed.

This approach not only saves you thousands of dollars—it also fosters a more human, validating, and accurate process. By creating a space where you feel emotionally safe, seen, and respected, we’re able to gather richer insights. This model is especially supportive for those with sensitive nervous systems or a history of masking, and it often results in a more accurate identification of autism in adults.

Making this kind of assessment more affordable, affirming, and accessible is deeply important to me.

If you are seeking an assessment for personal understanding, self-clarity, or identity exploration, a comprehensive clinical assessment with a written letter of diagnosis is often sufficient. Many clients have also been able to use a diagnostic letter when requesting accommodations in workplaces or educational settings.

However, documentation requirements vary by institution. In some situations, disability services offices, or government agencies may require a formal neuropsychological assessment, additional standardized testing, or documentation from a medical provider in order to approve accommodations or services. For this reason, it is important to check in advance to determine what documentation is required.

If you are unsure, I encourage you to contact the relevant organization directly to clarify their specific requirements.