Autism Services for Adults
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects everyone differently. For many adults, receiving a formal diagnosis brings clarity and reassurance — opening the door to tailored support, greater self-understanding, and the confidence to move forward and thrive.
Expert Guidance at Every Stage
How an adult autism assessment works
To support you in the best possible way, we first take time to understand your unique strengths and needs. Our expert team will carry out a thorough, private autism (ASD) assessment to help clarify whether you are autistic, offering insight and reassurance for the journey ahead.
Step
1
Screening
If you’re wondering whether you might be autistic, our free screening offers clarity and insight. Led by a consultant clinical psychologist, our psychology team will guide you through the process. If the results suggest autism, we’ll recommend a full diagnostic assessment for a clear and confident answer.
Step
2
Gathering Insight
Before your assessment, we ask someone who knows you well — ideally from childhood — to complete a brief report and online screening questionnaire. This helps us understand how you’ve developed over time, since neurodevelopmental conditions like autism are present from birth. Gaining this insight supports our clinical team in building a clearer picture of your strengths and needs.
Step
3
Assessment
The assessment is conducted by either a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, both specialists in diagnosing autism in adults. During your appointment, we’ll conduct a detailed clinical interview, covering various aspects of your experience to ensure you feel heard and understood. Since autism can sometimes resemble other conditions, our role is to carefully distinguish between them and provide a clear, accurate assessment. After the evaluation, you'll have the opportunity to ask any questions about the results.
Step
4
Diagnostic Report
After your assessment, you’ll receive a detailed report outlining our findings in a clear and easy-to-understand format. It will include a full breakdown of the assessment, our clinical opinion, tailored recommendations, and helpful signposting for any ongoing support you may need.
Step
5
Ongoing Support
Whether or not an autism diagnosis is made, our team will guide you through the next steps. We’ll discuss the support options available to you at Psicon, which may include tailored therapeutic packages delivered by our clinical and counselling psychologists through our wellbeing service.
Understanding Adult Autism
Valuing Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity is a natural part of being human — a reality for millions of adults across the UK. Having a neurodevelopmental condition doesn’t mean something is wrong; it simply means your brain works differently from those who are neurotypical. A private adult autism assessment is often the first step towards understanding and embracing your unique mind.
When neurodevelopmental differences go unrecognised, they can lead to confusion and distress. With a clear diagnosis, we can offer the right tools, therapies, and support to help you move forward with confidence, clarity, and purpose.
Speak to a member of our teamAutism Signs
You may be experiencing…
Although there are many things that autistic people share, every person’s brain is unique, so autism can be experienced in different ways.
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Frequently Asked Questions Anything
Anything you’d like to ask us?
Taking the first steps to understanding why you feel different, unhappy, or struggling takes courage. We’re here to help you find the support that’s right for you.
Is autism different in women?
While the assessment process and diagnostic criteria are consistent across genders, autism can present differently in women. Diagnostic tools have historically been based on male traits, which means many autistic women go undiagnosed. Men often display more outward or ‘typical’ autistic behaviours, while women may show more subtle signs. This is partly because many women learn to mask their traits to blend in socially. Having assessed thousands of individuals, we understand how autism can look different from person to person. Our assessments are carefully designed to recognise camouflaging behaviours, especially in women. Our team is highly experienced in identifying the unique ways autism can present in females, even when it’s not immediately obvious.
How long is the waiting list?
This often depends upon how quickly we receive the pre-assessment information, but once we've received all questionnaires, we aim to provide an assessment appointment within four to six weeks.
What happens if I'm not diagnosed?
Our assessment process includes a free screening stage, carried out by our psychology team and led by a consultant clinical psychologist. They will look at information contained within your referral, as well as scores from a well-researched and clinically validated screening questionnaire. This information will show whether autism is indicated, or not. And even though it’s not diagnostic, it will enable you to make an informed decision as to whether to proceed with a full assessment before making any financial commitment. However, it is important to understand that despite the screening process being positive for autism, sometimes the outcome of the assessment will be a non-diagnosis. This means you don't meet the threshold to be diagnosed with autism. If this is the case for you, our clinical team will still be able to provide recommendations for further support and we may even be able to ask your GP to make an onward referral for another type of assessment, should this be clinically appropriate.
I don’t have anyone to help with the pre-assessment questionnaires, will this affect my assessment?
As part of the assessment process, we ask someone who knows you well — ideally from childhood — to provide additional background information. This is because, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5), traits must have been present from early development in order to meet the criteria for an autism diagnosis. Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition, rooted in differences in how the brain functions. We recognise, however, that not everyone has someone available to support this part of the process. While it may make the assessment more complex, it won’t stop it from going ahead. In these cases, we recommend bringing any relevant materials from your early life, such as school reports, to help build a fuller picture of your development.
If it's not autism, then why do I feel different? What do I do now?
We understand that many clients come to their assessment already feeling that autism is likely the answer. That’s why it can feel confusing or upsetting if a diagnosis isn’t given. Autism can be more difficult to identify later in life, especially as its traits often overlap with other conditions like PTSD, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. That’s why working with a highly skilled clinician is so important — they can carefully explore your experiences and help determine whether your challenges stem from a neurodevelopmental condition like autism, or from other psychological factors. If autism isn’t diagnosed, our clinical team will still offer clear recommendations for ongoing support, and, where appropriate, we can request further referrals through your GP for additional assessments or services.
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We're with you at every step
Every mind is unique, and many of us are neurodivergent. While these differences can bring challenges, we believe that with empathy, understanding, and expert care, everyone can thrive. We’re here to support you throughout your neurodevelopmental journey.