In mental health care, psychological assessment serves as a cornerstone for understanding, diagnosing, and effectively treating a wide range of psychological conditions. I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of the assessment process in providing individuals with clarity, validation, and the necessary tools to navigate their mental health journey.
There is a lot of talk on social media these days about ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder specifically, and many people realize relatively later in life that they might share standard features of these disorders. However, there are a lot of things that can look like these conditions on the surface but have very different origins. For example, complex trauma, bipolar, and anxiety can all share features of ADHD – and parsing out the subtleties and nuances of these symptoms is more complicated than TikTok would lead you to believe! Psychological assessment provides clinicians with comprehensive insights into an individual’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning and can save clients from wasting time and money on treatments that aren’t working.
For children, identifying autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and mood disorders early dramatically improves outcomes. People who are diagnosed later in life are more prone to depression and anxiety. Early identification leads to early intervention, crucial for minimizing impact and promoting resilience. A formal diagnosis provides a common language for communicating with healthcare providers, educators, and loved ones. It enables children to articulate their needs, helps them and their caregivers advocate for appropriate accommodations, and seeks understanding and support from those around them. It can also reduce misunderstanding and stigma by replacing myths and stereotypes with accurate information and knowledge. Words like autism can feel frightening for parents, but many children and teens feel empowered by getting a formal diagnosis. It can help them find community and understand themselves more clearly as they move through their tumultuous childhood years.
A comprehensive assessment can save individuals from going down a dead end in terms of medication. If someone is being medicated for ADHD when, in fact, they have bipolar, that’s not only wasted resources but months or years of feeling much worse than they need to. Understanding a diagnosis can foster self-acceptance and empowerment. It allows individuals to make sense of their experiences, recognize their strengths and challenges, and develop coping strategies tailored to their unique needs. It can also shift the focus from self-blame to self-compassion, fostering a sense of agency and control over the individual mental health journey.
Clients benefit from our collaborative team approach when seeking a therapeutic assessment at the Catalyst Center. While clients are matched with an individual psychologist who will administer, score, and interpret the tests, six psychologists with decades of experience review the data together. We learn from each other, we debate, and the end product is a truly comprehensive picture of an individual. Psychologists at the Catalyst Center are trained in diagnosing ADHD, autism, bipolar, mood and anxiety disorders, and eating disorders.
There can be a lot of stigma and even fear around certain diagnoses or the idea of getting a diagnosis in the first place. However, whether the diagnosis is known, the symptoms are there, and information is power. I encourage anyone who is struggling with unexplained symptoms or behaviors to embrace the assessment process as a transformative opportunity for understanding, growth, and healing on their mental health journey.
