How can a diagnosis and assessment process be beneficial?

How can a diagnosis and assessment process be beneficial? Well, first off, it's pretty amazing to have a professional just there to listen and validate everything you're going through. I felt exactly that when I met with my psychologist alongside my mum. It was incredibly liberating to open up about all I experienced as a child, having a professional understand and my mum there to acknowledge and validate my feelings. That moment was truly special.

The assessment itself is like a journey of self-discovery! You get to explore aspects of yourself that you may have never shown anyone before, perhaps even aspects you've been hiding from yourself. But moving onto the diagnosis, receiving one can be hugely validating—I definitely found it to be. However, it's important to note that for some, this process can be quite challenging.

As a professional—myself in this case—I look at your entire story, right from childhood through to the early years, trying to identify patterns of behaviour and internalised experiences that either meet or do not meet the criteria for neurodivergence (like Autism, ADHD, or maybe signs of something else). This diagnosis can help you and your family understand you better, encourage you to read more about it, and also advocate for necessary accommodations at school, university, and the workplace.

You might also be eligible to access NDIS funding with the professional report I provide. It’s essential to understand that a diagnosis offers legal rights, accommodations, and support. But remember, a diagnosis shouldn’t be seen as something negative within the client. Instead, it provides a deeper understanding of a person born with a different type of nervous system.

Then, you can discuss with your psychologist—me, in this scenario—the tools and strategies for living a more authentic life as a neurodivergent person in a world designed for non-neurodivergent people, and push for a better world that appreciates and understands differences.

References:

Is this Autism? A Guide for Clinicians and everyone else

Is this Autism? A Companion Guide for Diagnosing

Unmasking Autism