ADULT ASSESSMENTS

Adult ADHD and Autism Assessments in North Carolina

You may have spent years being told you are too much, too sensitive, too scattered, or not enough—without anyone looking closely enough to understand why.

You do not need to arrive certain that you have ADHD or autism. The assessment process is designed to look deeper, make sense of the patterns you have experienced throughout your life, and give you a clearer understanding of what is actually happening.

Colorful abstract no specific object or scene.
A woman with dark brown hair and light skin sitting at a table with an orange typewriter, papers, and pens in front of her, in a cozy, dimly lit room with gray walls and a fireplace.

WHAT TO EXPECT

A thorough assessment—not another checklist

This is not a quick screening or a test you can pass or fail. We will look closely at how you have experienced attention, communication, relationships, sensory input, routines, emotions, and everyday demands throughout your life.

The Cherry Adult ADHD-Autism Diagnostic Interview was developed specifically for adults. It considers the ways people learn to mask, compensate, push through, or build their lives around difficulties that may not be obvious to anyone else. We will also consider your strengths, your environment, your identities, and the strategies you have already developed—not just a list of symptoms.

HOW IT WORKS

The assessment process, step by step

1. Start with a free consultation

We will begin with a free 15-minute consultation. You can tell me what has led you to seek an assessment, ask questions about the process, and decide whether working together feels like the right fit. If you decide to move forward, we will schedule your assessment.

2. Complete the assessment interview

The interview takes approximately three hours in total and can be completed in one appointment or divided into shorter sessions. We will talk about your experiences from childhood through adulthood, including attention, organization, communication, relationships, sensory differences, routines, emotional regulation, school, work, burnout, and the ways you may have learned to mask or compensate.

There are no right answers, and you do not need to prepare a case proving that you have ADHD or autism. Your job is to describe your experience as honestly as you can. My job is to listen, ask the questions that help us connect the dots, and consider the full picture.

3. I review the information

After the interview, I review your history and assessment findings carefully. I compare what we discussed with the diagnostic criteria for ADHD and autism and consider whether another condition—or a combination of factors—may better explain some of your experiences.

This part matters. Anxiety, trauma, depression, chronic stress, and other concerns can overlap with ADHD and autism. The goal is not to force your experience into a diagnosis. It is to arrive at the clearest and most useful understanding possible.

4. Receive your report and discuss the results

Once the review is complete, I prepare a written report explaining the findings, the diagnostic conclusions, and recommendations based on your needs. Reports are generally completed within two to four weeks. We will then meet for a 30-minute follow-up appointment.

I will walk you through the findings in plain language, explain how I reached my conclusions, answer your questions, and discuss practical next steps. You will receive a copy of the report for your records.

COST OF THE ASSESSMENT

The complete assessment is $950

The $950 fee covers the full assessment process—not only the time we spend together in the interview.

Your assessment includes:

  • A free 15-minute consultation

  • Approximately three hours of clinical interviewing

  • Review and interpretation of the information gathered

  • Diagnostic evaluation of ADHD, autism, and co-occurring ADHD and autism

  • Consideration of other concerns that may overlap with or better explain your experiences

  • A comprehensive written report with individualized recommendations

  • A 30-minute results meeting to review the findings and answer your questions

QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE

Before you schedule an assessment

  • Yes. The Cherry AADI is designed to assess ADHD, autism, and co-occurring ADHD and autism, sometimes called AuDHD. You do not need to know which diagnosis fits before beginning the process.

  • The purpose of the assessment is to understand your experience as accurately as possible—not to force it into a particular diagnosis. Whether or not you meet the criteria for ADHD, autism, or both, we will discuss what the findings mean and what may be helpful moving forward.

  • School records or information from someone who knew you during childhood can be helpful when they are available, but many adults do not have access to them. A lack of childhood records does not automatically prevent you from completing an assessment.

  • Your report will document the assessment findings and include individualized recommendations. It may be used to support requests for workplace or academic accommodations, although every employer, school, testing organization, and licensing body has its own documentation requirements. Approval of accommodations cannot be guaranteed.

  • During the results meeting, we will review the findings, answer your questions, and discuss practical next steps. Recommendations may include therapy, medication consultation, workplace or academic supports, strategies for daily life, or additional services based on your needs.

WHEN YOU ARE READY

You do not have to be certain before you reach out.

If you are tired of guessing and want a clearer understanding of how your brain works, let’s talk. The free consultation gives you a chance to ask questions and decide whether you are ready to begin the assessment process.

Schedule a Free Consulation