Gold-standard ADHD assessments for ages 16+.
Our focus is our superpower.
We’re hyper-focused on ADHD, and pride ourselves on our standards of excellence.
What is ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms range widely, and look very different in adults than in children. Symptoms in adults can include, but are not limited to:
ADHD can affect all areas of life, including education, work, relationships, as well as mental health. Adults have usually learned to mask and compensate for their symptoms well, and can appear to be very functional, while feeling like they are constantly bordering on a state of overwhelm.
*Because there is such variation in ADHD symptoms, this list is by no means exhaustive. If you're unsure about whether our comprehensive ADHD assessment in London is right for you, we recommend completing our online pre-assessment questionnaire. This is free of charge and comes with no obligation.
Who are we?
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Dianne Everitt - Clinical Psychologist
I started offering ADHD assessments after seeing how significant and life changing an adult diagnosis of ADHD could be, and also how detrimental it could be when undiagnosed. There are too many brilliant people who have had their self-esteem damaged thorugh a lifetime of being mislabelled and misunderstood because of ADHD.
I am passionate about working with ADHD in adults, and the journey often begins with a thorough assessment. I wanted to offer a smooth process and a thorough assessment that takes the entire individual and all of the nuances of ADHD into account. That is what we have strived to create.
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Dr Kate Wordsall - Consultant Psychiatrist
I qualified as a doctor in 1989 from the University of Bristol. I work with adult Mental Health with a range of difficulties, including neurodiversity and Adult ADHD.
Since making a diagnosis of ADHD is a complex process where we rule out other possibilities that may account for symptoms of ADHD, I believe a multidisciplinary approach is a comprehensive way to ensure an accurate diagnosis. If you ahve been diagnosed and you wish to explore medication as a treatment option, I will work with you to get the type of medication and the dosage right.
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Dr Naomi Middleton - Clinical Psychologist
My passion for ADHD began when I started seeing it in more and more clients I was working with in therapy. What I started to see was a missing piece of the puzzle when treating things like depression, anxiety, overwhelm, addiction, and more.
When there is an underlying component of ADHD, the focus of treatment shifts, and the more we can create accurate interventions. The more I have worked with ADHD, the more I have recognised the importance of an accurate diagnosis. I’m warm, rigorous, and make the journey as comfortable as possible for you.
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Stephanie Ford - Counselling Psychologist
I have specialised in Neurodiversity (Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) for a number of years, and have worked with the diagnostic process in both the NHS and in Private Practice.
Given that a diagnosis of ADHD or ASD has such a significant impact, I am passionate about being rigorous and through throughout the assessment process. I take a neuro-affirmative approach, and believe an assessment is not only about a diagnosis, but also about recognising strenghts, and supporting challenges that are experienced by individuals who are neurodivergent.
Unsure if you might have ADHD?
What to look for when looking for a high-quality ADHD assessment?
A recent BBC documentary highlighted the risk of poor standards applied at some private clinics assessing for ADHD. This has raised a number of concerns for the safety of those seeking an ADHD diagnosis. There are many private clinics offering assessments, and it is important to know how to distinguish a high-quality assessment process from a poorer standard; here's what I would look for in a practitioner when seeking an ADHD assessment. We are proud to meet all of these criteria, and our assessments are in line with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidelines.
It takes around 10 years to become an expert in something. ADHD presents in so many different ways, so a practitioner with extensive experience is key to avoid misdiagnosis, especially with overlapping symptoms from other conditions.
An expert in mental health
Uses both questionnaires & clinical interview
The DIVA, a structured clinical interview, created to diagnose ADHD, is most commonly used, as well as a range of questionnaires for both you and significant others to complete.
Collects information from significant others
Information about your past and present is important in understanding the whole picture of someone with ADHD. (If, for any reason, you don’t have access to parents or partners for this information, it is possible to make a diagnosis without this).
Differential diagnosis and co-morbidities
This is in accordance with NICE guidelines. Anything less than this may not be as comprehensive as needed, in order to reach an accurate ADHD diagnosis.
Spends 2-3 hours in the interview
This refers to the overlap of symptoms of ADHD symptoms with other conditions. ADHD is complex and nuanced and can hide behind other conditions such as depression and anxiety. Sometimes, other underlying mechanisms can create symptoms that look like ADHD. Your clinician should take the whole picture into account, rather than just ADHD symptoms.
Offers a feedback session
Receiving an ADHD diagnosis, or even not receiving one, is a lot to get your head around A feedback session provides an opportunity to discuss the details of your ADHD assessment report, ask questions, and ensure you feel supported.
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How does the Assessment process work?
How much does an ADHD Assessment cost in London?
Our comprehensive private ADHD assessment costs £995. We are covered by most major insurance companies.
Why get an ADHD diagnosis?
If you suspect you are experiencing symptoms that point to ADHD, should you have an assessment? Here are some facts for you to consider your decision:
The point of a diagnosis is always to inform a treatment plan.
The more accurate the diagnosis, the more accurate we can be with implementing a treatment plan.
ADHD treatment involves working with executive functioning, emotional regulation, and impulse control.
If we think you have anxiety, but ADHD is underneath that, how we work with you changes quite significantly.
Changes the lens through which you view yourself and undoes labels.
All of the labels from childhood - "disruptive", "misbehaved", "rude", "blunt", "forgetful", "naughty", "dramatic" - get called into question as we start to understand how misunderstood you were. This can be a profound shift in perspective. A person's entire sense of self starts to shift.
ADHD brains are fast brains.
They’re like fast cars with no brakes. This can be debilitating if severe, but it can also become your greatest asset if you learn to harness it. The other side of ADHD is creative brilliance, the more you understand your brain, the more you can work with your strengths.
Understanding how ADHD affects the brain creates a framework for understanding.
This gives you the ability to communicate to your loved ones what you need and empowers them to support you better.
There are more medications available to treat ADHD than any other type of mental health diagnosis.
Medications for ADHD activate neuro-plasticity in the brain.
They give us the ability to start accessing neural pathways and make the skills needed for self-regulation more available in the brain.
You can gain concessions if you are a student, or reasonable adjustments in the workplace.
Other things to consider:
ADHD is considered a lifelong condition.
Some health insurers will consider this a pre-existing condition, and will therefore not cover treatment for it, or related to it, of you sign up for health insurance after a diagnosis is made. Check the details of what they will and won't cover in relation to mental health treatment before getting an assessment.
It can impact the costs of life insurance and disability cover if you take out a policy after a diagnosis.
This is not always the case, and some companies will consider the severity and impact of your illness, with potential additional costs. It is worth discussing this with an insurance broker before getting an assessment.
A note about ADHD
Some of the most brilliant and colourful people I have ever worked with have been those with ADHD. When you understand ADHD and find the strengths that come with it, it’s like the whole world opens up to you. Untreated, it can leave a trail of destruction in your life and relationships.
One of the most common things we have seen in high achievers with ADHD is that they know they have incredible potential but their performance never quite reaches that potential. It is a major source of frustration, and it feels like the obstacles that stop you from getting there are impossible to move.
Procrastinating, poor time management, over reliance on structure or an inability to create a structure, emotional outbursts that you struggle to understand, unstable relationships, poor self-esteem, anxiety, depression, burnout, feeling like you never quite fit in, being misunderstood, having a brain that is ‘always-on’ and disliking who you are. These are all common by products of untreated ADHD and the problem is, they often get mislabelled as depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder and substance abuse.
Having worked with many adults who were trapped by ADHD their entire lives and only received a diagnosis in adulthood, I have seen how life changing this diagnosis can be. ADHD is one of the most treatable psychiatric conditions and treatment can be profoundly life changing. I don’t like the word (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity) ‘disorder’ because that really isn’t how I see it. ADHD brains are wired differently, and when you understand it, and give it what it needs, we see an incredible amount of creativity, leadership, passion, potential and success come from these individuals.
Our Psychologists are passionate advocates for people with ADHD and whole heartedly believe that the right treatment is key to reaching your full potential. We offer thorough diagnostic assessments and support you through every step.