A Thoughtful, Individualized Approach

Unlike many medical conditions, there is no blood test, brain scan, or single psychological test that can diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder. Diagnosis relies on a comprehensive evaluation that integrates developmental history, standardized rating scales, behavioral observations, and clinical judgment.

Many of the adolescents and adults I evaluate, including physicians, attorneys, executives, graduate students, and other high-achieving professionals, have spent years masking or camouflaging autistic characteristics. They often develop strategies that allow them to succeed academically and professionally while making their differences less apparent during a traditional evaluation.

My evaluations combine evidence-based rating scales with a structured clinical interview that includes questions refined through years of evaluating autistic adolescents and adults. This approach helps identify subtle lifelong patterns of social communication differences, sensory sensitivities, cognitive rigidity, restricted interests, and masking behaviors that may otherwise be overlooked.

In my clinical experience, many adults—and women in particular—have spent years being treated for anxiety, depression, or mood-related concerns with limited success because the underlying neurodevelopmental differences were never fully recognized. While these conditions commonly occur alongside autism, obtaining diagnostic clarity is often the key to understanding long-standing challenges and developing more effective treatment recommendations, accommodations, and supports.