1-2 Weeks
Typical report delivery after testing
Virtual + In-person
PSYPACT, Nashville & Murfreesboro
A FAMILIAR FEELING
You’ve spent years figuring out the rules...
You may have spent years learning how to manage social situations that do not come naturally. You might rehearse what to say, study other people's reactions, replay conversations afterward, or consciously adjust how you speak, move, or respond. You may function well at work, maintain relationships, or have succeeded academically while privately finding social demands, sensory input, unexpected changes, or everyday responsibilities far more exhausting than other people seem to.
Perhaps you have received explanations for some of these difficulties before, but they have never quite accounted for the whole pattern.
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Social effort
Conversations can require conscious effort, including rehearsing, monitoring reactions, or replaying them afterward.
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Sensory overload
Noise, light, textures, smells, crowds, or unexpected change can require more management than others see.
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Routines + interests
Predictability and deep interests may bring comfort, focus, and a sense of order.
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An incomplete answer
Previous explanations may account for part of the story, but still leave important questions open.
THE CRITICAL QUESTION
What explains the full picture?
Autism can overlap with ADHD, anxiety, OCD, trauma-related concerns, mood conditions, and other psychological or neurodevelopmental differences. Some people have more than one diagnosis, while others have spent years with a diagnosis that explains only part of their experience.
Our evaluations explore autism within the full context of your experiences, including other diagnoses that may overlap with or occur alongside it, so you leave with a clearer understanding of yourself.
→ Is autism the best explanation for these lifelong patterns?
→ Are ADHD, anxiety, trauma, or other concerns contributing?
→ How do developmental history and current functioning fit together?
→ What strengths, needs, and recommendations emerge from the complete picture?
AUTISM CAN BE EASY TO MISS
Not everyone fits the stereotype.
Women
Some women learn early to observe, imitate, and consciously manage social behavior. They may develop scripts, suppress behaviors that attract attention, or become highly attuned to what other people expect. Anxiety, depression, ADHD, or other concerns may be recognized long before anyone considers autism.
High-masking adults
Some adults become highly skilled at adapting their behavior across social, academic, and professional settings. They may make eye contact, maintain friendships, communicate well, and appear socially comfortable while privately relying on significant conscious effort to do so.
Gifted and twice-exceptional adults
Strong cognitive abilities can make differences easier to compensate for or explain away. Gifted adults may use intelligence, observation, pattern recognition, or learned social strategies to manage situations that are less intuitive for them, making autism more difficult to recognize earlier in life.
THE FULL PICTURE
The full picture matters.
Autism in adults does not always look the way people expect. You may make eye contact, have close relationships, communicate well, or have a successful career. None of these things rule out autism, particularly when you have spent years learning how to adapt, compensate, or mask.
Our evaluations look beyond outward appearances to understand the patterns across your life, including social and communication experiences, sensory differences, routines and interests, masking, and the ways autism may intersect with OCD, anxiety, or other concerns.
The goal is to understand the full picture and how autism may help make sense of experiences you have carried for years.
What the evaluation examines
- Developmental history and lifelong patterns
- Social and communication experiences
- Sensory differences
- Routines, interests, and patterns of flexibility
- Masking and compensatory strategies
- Emotional and psychological functioning
- Co-occurring or alternative explanations
The result is a complete picture of your strengths and challenges. Rather than only determining whether ADHD symptoms are present, our evaluation is designed to understand the bigger picture and provide recommendations tailored specifically for you.
An adult autism evaluation may be especially helpful if
- You have wondered for years whether autism could explain lifelong patterns in yourexperiences.
- You have previously been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, depression, OCD, bipolar disorder, or another condition but still feel that important questions remain unanswered.
- You recognize autistic traits in yourself after a child, sibling, partner, or other family member receives a diagnosis.
- You have been told that you are “too social,” “too successful,” “too empathetic,” or otherwise do not fit someone's expectation of what autism should look like.
- You are unsure whether autism, ADHD, mental health concerns, or some combination best explains your experiences.
- You want documentation of your diagnosis and support needs for accommodations or other purposes.
- You previously completed an autism evaluation but believe important aspects of your history or presentation were not fully considered.
Turn years of questions into clarity
WHAT TO EXPECT
A careful process, with clear next steps.
1
Clinical interview
We begin with a detailed conversation about your developmental history, current concerns, relationships and communication, sensory experiences, interests, routines, mental health history, and the questions you hope the evaluation will answer.
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3
4
Questionnaires
You complete standardized measures examining autism-related experiences and other psychological or neurodevelopmental concerns relevant to the evaluation.
Diagnostic evaluation
Your clinician integrates your history, standardized measures, clinical observations, available records, and other relevant information. We also consider diagnoses that may overlap with or occur alongside autism.
Findings & recommendations
You receive a detailed written psychological report explaining the findings, diagnostic conclusions, and individualized recommendations. Reports are generally completed within 1–2 weeks after testing is finished.
WHY ZEPHYR CARE
Complex presentations deserve thoughtful answers.
Adult autism is not always straightforward. Many of the adults we evaluate have spent years adapting successfully enough that their differences were overlooked. Others arrive with several previous diagnoses and want to understand how those diagnoses fit together. Some are seeking a second opinion after an earlier evaluation did not seem to account for their lived experience.
Our practice has particular experience with high-masking adults, women, gifted and twice-exceptional adults, co-occurring ADHD, and presentations that do not fit traditional stereotypes of autism.
We take your lived experience seriously and understand that autism does not look the same in everyone. Our neurodiversity-affirming approach looks beyond traditional stereotypes to recognize the ways autistic traits may appear in your life, including patterns of masking, compensation, and adaptation that may have made them easier to overlook.
Neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based care.
We do not approach autism as a collection of deficits to be corrected. We consider areas of difficulty alongside strengths, preferences, ways of communicating, adaptations you have developed, and the environments in which you function best.
Our goal is to help you understand how autism fits into the bigger picture of who you are. You leave with clearer answers, a deeper understanding of your own patterns and needs, and practical recommendations for moving forward.
The goal is more than a diagnosis. It is a clearer understanding of how you experience the world and what you need to thrive.
STRAIGHTFORWARD COSTS
Clear pricing. No surprises.
Initial Intake
$200
A comprehensive clinical interview focused on your history, experiences, concerns, and goals for the evaluation.
Autism Evaluation
$1,000
Adult autism assessment, scoring and interpretation, detailed written psychological report, and individualized recommendations.
Total with intake: $1,200
Autism + ADHD Evaluation
$2,000
Combined evaluation when both autism and ADHD are important diagnostic questions.
Total with intake: $2,200
Payment plans are available through CareCredit.
ARTICLES
Learn More About Adult Autism Testing
Pursuing an autism evaluation is a significant decision, and many adults spend time researching autism, reflecting on their experiences, and learning about the diagnostic process before deciding whether testing is right for them. If you're still exploring these questions, the following articles may provide additional information about common concerns related to adult autism testing, high-masking presentations, autism in women, and finding a provider who understands neurodiversity.
The Gatekeeping of Autism: Misdiagnosis and Challenges in Adult Autism Testing
Many adults, particularly those with high-masking presentations, have been overlooked, misunderstood, or misdiagnosed before pursuing an autism evaluation. This article explores common barriers to diagnosis and why some autistic adults are not identified until later in life.
From Misdiagnosis to Validation: Addressing Women’s Concerns About Autism testing
Women are frequently underdiagnosed or diagnosed later in life due to differences in how autism may present and the ways many women learn to mask their difficulties. This article discusses common concerns women have about autism testing and the validation many experience through the diagnostic process.
How to Find a Neurodiversity-Affirming Provider for Adult Autism Testing
Not all autism evaluations take the same approach. Learn what it means to be neurodiversity-affirming, what questions to ask when selecting a provider, and how to find an evaluator who understands the diverse ways autism can present in adulthood.
QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
What you may be wondering.
What if I already have ADHD, anxiety, OCD, depression, or another diagnosis?
Previous diagnoses are considered as part of the evaluation rather than set aside. Autism can occur alongside other neurodevelopmental and mental health diagnoses, and some conditions can produce overlapping experiences. We look at how the different pieces fit together and whether your existing diagnoses adequately explain your history and current functioning.
What if I've already had an autism evaluation?
Some adults seek a second opinion because a previous evaluation left important questions unanswered or did not fully consider masking, developmental history, co- occurring conditions, or other aspects of their presentation. We approach your evaluation with fresh eyes and take the time to understand your full history, including the ways autism may have been masked, compensated for, or overlooked earlier in life.
Will a family member need to participate?
No. While some adults choose to involve family members or loved ones, participation from others is not required. We respect your privacy and tailor the evaluation process to your individual circumstances.
Can I receive an autism diagnosis if I make eye contact, have friends, am married, or have a successful career?
Those characteristics do not rule out autism. Autism is evaluated based on the broader developmental and behavioral pattern rather than whether someone matches a narrow stereotype. The evaluation considers both observable functioning and the effort or strategies that may be involved in maintaining it.
Will an autism diagnosis automatically go into my medical record?
Many adults have questions about privacy before pursuing an autism evaluation. As a private-pay practice, we do not automatically share your evaluation results with your primary care physician, insurance company, employer, school, or any other third party. Your records remain confidential and are protected by HIPAA. Information is only released with your written authorization or as otherwise required by law. Some clients choose to share their diagnosis with medical providers, schools, employers, or disability services offices in order to access accommodations or support. Others prefer to keep their diagnosis private. In most situations, the decision about whether to disclose your diagnosis is yours. If you have specific concerns about privacy, accommodations, employment, professional licensing, military service, or other circumstances, we encourage you to discuss these questions with your evaluator before testing so that you can make an informed decision about pursuing an evaluation. This article explains more about how private pay testing maintains your confidentiality.
Where are adult autism evaluations available?
Adult autism testing is available in person at our Nashville and Murfreesboro, Tennessee locations, as well as virtually for clients located in participating PSYPACT states. You can choose the option that best fits your needs and location.
Do you accept insurance?
Zephyr Care is a private-pay practice and is not in-network with insurance companies. If you have out-of-network benefits, we can provide a superbill for you to submit for possible reimbursement. Reimbursement is determined by your insurance plan and cannot be guaranteed. Payment plans are also available through CareCredit.
READY WHEN YOU ARE
Ready for answers that make sense?
If you have spent years wondering whether autism could explain patterns in the way you communicate, connect with others, experience your environment, or move through daily life, an evaluation can help you examine that possibility carefully.
You do not need to arrive certain of the answer. That is what the evaluation is for.