Neurodiversity Affirming Evaluations for Children, Teens, and Adults in Middlesex, NJ

In-person & Online!

ADHD therapist speaking to the parents of an ADHD child who received an ADHD evaluation in Middlesex NJ

ADHD AND AUTISM EVALUATIONS

  

True Reflections Mental Health Services offers comprehensive ADHD & Autism evaluations for individuals ages 2.5 to adulthood. Evaluations are available both in-person in Middlesex, NJ and virtually for residents of New Jersey.


As someone diagnosed neurodivergent later in life, I'm deeply committed to offering ADHD & Autism evaluations for people of all ages. Diagnosing children can facilitate getting them the necessary academic accommodations and support. Likewise, diagnosing adults can lead to workplace accommodations and offer clarity about lifelong struggles. It provides answers, helping individuals understand themselves better and embrace their differences.

My neurodiversity-affirming approach emphasizes the strengths and abilities of each client, recognizing that ADHD and Autism are not limitations, but rather aspects of a diverse and multifaceted human experience. I have extensive training in identifying masking in girls and women with ADHD and Autism who typically get undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

The Comprehensive ADHD & Autism Evaluation assesses sensory processing, social-emotional, memory, learning, language, communication, neurodevelopment, cognition, and adaptive behavior.  The evaluation does not include IQ Testing.

 I understand that everyone is unique, and the assessments used during the ADHD & Autism Evaluations are personalized. Some of the screeners/assessments that may be used during the Comprehensive ADHD & Autism Evaluation are:

 

·      Childhood Autism Rating Scale Second Edition (CARS2)

·      Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q)

·      Brown Executive Function/Attention Scales (Brown EF/A Scales)

·      Sensory Profile

·      Delis-Rating of Executive Functions (D-REF)

·      The Comprehensive Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness-3rd Edition

·      Conners 4th Edition (Conners 4)

·      Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-3)

·      RCADS (Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale)

·      Beck Anxiety Inventory (BDI–2)

·      Beck Depression Inventory (BAI)

·      Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ'07)

·      Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing the Autism Spectrum, Second Edition (MIGDAS-2)

·      Clinical Assessment of Pragmatics (CAPs)

 

 

Comprehensive ADHD & Autism Evaluation Process and Fees (letter w/ diagnosis)

  1. First Appointment: Intake. If the evaluation is for a child, the intake takes place with the parent.

  2. Second Appointment: Testing with child/adolescent/adult

  3. Third Appointment: Testing with child/adolescent/adult

  4. Fourth Appointment: Feedback appointment with diagnosis on True Reflections Mental Health Services letterhead.

FEE: $1,800

  

Comprehensive ADHD & Autism Evaluation Process and Fees (Report w/ recommendations)

  1. First Appointment: Intake. If the evaluation is for a child, the intake takes place with the parent.

  2. Second Appointment: Testing with child/adolescent/adult

  3. Third Appointment: Testing with child/adolescent/adult

  4. Fourth Appointment: Feedback appointment and report with recommendations

FEE: $2,800

If you or a loved one are seeking a comprehensive evaluation for ADHD or Autism, schedule an appointment now! I am here to support you on your journey towards understanding, acceptance, and empowerment.

Testing for Executive Function, Sensory Processing & Interoceptive Awareness

Executive Functioning Assessment

Assessing executive functioning and attention is crucial for identifying cognitive strengths and weaknesses, diagnosing conditions such as Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and developing tailored intervention strategies.

I assess various domains including but not limited to:

  • Activation: An individual's ability to initiate, organize, and sustain activities.

  • Focus: An individuals capacity to sustain attention and effort over time, particularly in tasks that may be boring or challenging.

  • Effort: An individual's ability to regulate alertness, sustain motivation, and modulate activity level.

  • Emotion Regulation: An individuals capacity to manage emotions effectively, particularly in stressful or emotionally charged situations.

  • Memory: How effectively someone can recall and manipulate information in their mind.

  • Action: An individual’s ability to manage and monitor actions effectively, including planning, organization, and problem-solving skills.

  • Sleep difficulties

  • Social difficulties

  • Impulsivity

The administration of the scales typically involves obtaining ratings from multiple informants who are familiar with the individual being assessed. This may include parents, teachers, caregivers, family members, or the individuals themselves, depending on their age and developmental stage.

Sensory Processing Assessment

The Sensory Processing assessment provides a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s sensory processing patterns, preferences, and challenges across different sensory domains. It provides sights into how sensory processing impacts an individual's daily functioning, behavior, and participation in everyday activities.

The sensory processing assessment includes:

  • Sensory Modulation: An individual's ability to regulate responses to sensory stimuli across different sensory modalities. This includes examining how individuals respond to sensory input in terms of their level of sensitivity or reactivity (hyperresponsiveness, hyporesponsiveness) and their ability to self-regulate.

  • Sensory Overresponsivity: It focuses on identifying heightened sensitivity or negative reactions to sensory stimuli. Individuals who are overresponsive may exhibit avoidance behaviors or experience distress in response to certain sensory experiences, such as loud noises, bright lights, or certain textures.

  • Sensory Underresponsivity: Sensory underresponsivity refers to a decreased sensitivity or awareness of sensory stimuli. Individuals with sensory underresponsivity may fail to notice sensory input or require more intense stimuli to elicit a response. This can impact their ability to engage with their environment and may lead to difficulties in processing and responding to sensory information.

  • Sensory Seeking/Sensation Seeking: It assesses an individuals' tendency to actively seek out sensory experiences. Some individuals may engage in sensory-seeking behaviors, such as seeking out opportunities for movement, tactile input, or auditory stimulation. Understanding sensory seeking behaviors is crucial for designing appropriate interventions and providing sensory experiences that meet individuals' needs.

  • Sensory Discrimination: It assesses an individuals' ability to accurately interpret and differentiate between different sensory stimuli. This includes distinguishing between different textures, temperatures, tastes, sounds, and visual stimuli. Difficulties in sensory discrimination can impact various aspects of daily functioning, such as fine motor skills, social interactions, and academic performance.

  • Sensory-Based Motor Skills: It assesses the relationship between sensory processing and motor skills development. It examines how sensory processing influences motor planning, coordination, and execution. Individuals may demonstrate challenges in motor skills development related to sensory processing difficulties, such as poor balance, coordination deficits, or difficulties with motor planning tasks.

  • Emotional/Social Responses to Sensory Stimuli: The emotional and social aspects of sensory processing are also evaluated through the assessment. This includes examining how sensory experiences impact individuals' emotional regulation, social interactions, and overall well-being. Individuals may demonstrate emotional responses such as anxiety, frustration, or withdrawal in response to specific sensory stimuli.

  • Sensory Environment: The assessment considers the individual's sensory environment, including their preferences and aversions to specific sensory stimuli in various settings (home, school, community). Understanding how the sensory environment influences an individual's behavior and participation can inform environmental modifications and accommodations to support their sensory needs.

Comprehensive Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness

The Comprehensive Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness provides insight into how individuals perceive and interpret their internal bodily sensations, which play a crucial role in regulating emotional responses, self-awareness, and overall well-being.

Key Components of the Comprehensive Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness:

  • Sensitivity to Bodily Signals: It evaluates an individual's sensitivity to various interoceptive signals, such as heartbeat, breathing, gastrointestinal sensations, and emotional states. This component assesses the individual's ability to detect and differentiate between different internal bodily sensations.

  • Accuracy in Perceiving Bodily Signals: Accuracy refers to the individual's ability to perceive and interpret internal bodily sensations correctly. It assesses how accurately individuals perceive their internal bodily signals compared to objective measures, such as physiological recordings (e.g., heart rate monitoring). This component provides insights into the individual's level of accuracy in detecting and interpreting interoceptive cues.

  • Awareness of Bodily Signals: Awareness encompasses the individual's conscious recognition and understanding of their internal bodily sensations. It evaluates the individual's awareness of interoceptive signals and their ability to identify and label specific bodily sensations. This component assesses the individual's level of insight into their bodily experiences and their ability to articulate and describe these sensations.

  • Emotional Awareness: Emotions are closely linked to interoceptive processes, and the CAIA includes an assessment of emotional awareness in relation to bodily sensations. This component examines how individuals perceive and interpret bodily signals associated with emotional arousal, such as changes in heart rate, breathing patterns, and visceral sensations. It provides insights into the individual's ability to recognize and regulate emotional states based on interoceptive cues.

  • Interoceptive Integration: Interoceptive integration refers to the individual's ability to integrate interoceptive signals with other sensory and cognitive processes. It assesses how individuals incorporate interoceptive information into their overall perception of self and their environment. This component provides insights into the integration of interoceptive signals with other sensory modalities, such as exteroception (perception of external stimuli) and proprioception (awareness of body position and movement).

Executive Function, Sensory Processing & Interoceptive Awareness Testing Process and Fees

  1. First Appointment: Intake. If the evaluation is for a child, the intake takes place with the parent.

  2. Second Appointment: Testing takes place with the child/adolescent/adult

  3. Third Appointment: Feedback appointment with recommendations

FEE: $1,200