ADHD Assessment · Los Angeles & California Telehealth
Adult ADHD Assessment in Los Angeles
A comprehensive evaluation to clarify whether attention, organization, and executive-function difficulties are best explained by ADHD, anxiety, OCD, or other factors.
Assessment is currently available by waitlist.
In person in Los Angeles · Telehealth assessment available throughout California
Could this be ADHD?
Many adults reach a point where they notice a persistent gap between what they intend to do and what they actually accomplish. Tasks that seem manageable in theory become difficult to start. Time slips away in ways that are hard to account for. Effort that others seem to apply effortlessly requires something extra.
- Starting tasks that feel manageable but never quite getting to them
- Losing track of time in ways that affect work, relationships, or daily routines
- Difficulty sustaining attention on tasks that require consistent effort
- Forgetfulness that goes beyond occasional — appointments, commitments, where things were left
- Inconsistent performance — capable and focused one day, unable to concentrate the next
- Feeling overwhelmed by routine demands that seem straightforward to others
- Difficulty with organization, planning, or following through on multi-step tasks
- Keeping up through significant effort that others do not seem to need
These experiences can occur for many reasons. ADHD is one possibility. Anxiety, OCD, depression, sleep disruption, learning differences, and other factors can produce similar patterns — and more than one can be present at the same time. An evaluation is designed to look at the full picture rather than assume a single explanation.
Why ADHD can be difficult to identify in adults
Adult ADHD is frequently missed — not because the difficulties are not real, but because they can be easy to attribute to other causes. Many adults with ADHD were not identified in childhood. Their difficulties may have been described as a lack of effort, a personality trait, or anxiety. By adulthood, they have often developed compensatory strategies — working harder, over-preparing, relying on external systems — that mask the underlying pattern until demands increase beyond what those strategies can manage.
Functioning can also vary significantly across settings. A structured environment may support performance in ways that make difficulties less visible. When structure is removed — in a new job, a graduate programme, or a period of significant life change — the gap between effort and output can become more apparent.
Anxiety and perfectionism can further complicate the picture. Hypervigilance and over-preparation can produce a surface appearance of attentiveness that makes ADHD harder to see, both for the person experiencing it and for clinicians relying on brief screening tools. A structured evaluation considers these factors rather than relying on a symptom count alone.
ADHD — or something that looks like ADHD?
Difficulty concentrating, trouble following through on tasks, feeling mentally overwhelmed, and problems with organization and executive functioning are not unique to ADHD. The same difficulties can arise from a range of other conditions and circumstances — and more than one can be present at the same time.
Anxiety
Worry, rumination, and mental preoccupation can impair concentration and follow-through in ways that closely resemble ADHD. Anxiety can make it difficult to initiate tasks, sustain attention, and manage competing demands — not because of an attention deficit, but because cognitive resources are occupied by anxious thinking.
Learn more about anxiety therapyOCD
Intrusive thoughts, mental rituals, and avoidance of triggering tasks can disrupt attention and task completion in ways that look like ADHD from the outside. The mechanism is different — OCD involves a specific cycle of intrusive thoughts and compulsive responses — but the functional impact on concentration and follow-through can overlap significantly.
Learn more about OCD treatmentDepression and mood concerns
Low motivation, cognitive slowing, difficulty initiating tasks, and poor concentration are core features of depression. These can be mistaken for ADHD — or they can co-occur with ADHD, making it important to understand what is primary and what may be secondary.
Sleep disruption
Chronic sleep problems produce attention and executive-function impairment that can be indistinguishable from ADHD on a brief checklist. Fatigue affects working memory, task initiation, and sustained attention — the same domains that ADHD affects.
Learning differences
Reading, processing, or working-memory difficulties can produce academic and occupational struggles that overlap with ADHD presentations. A comprehensive evaluation can help clarify whether attention difficulties are primary or whether a learning difference is contributing to the pattern.
Trauma-related symptoms
Hypervigilance, dissociation, and emotional dysregulation associated with trauma can affect concentration and follow-through. When trauma history is relevant, a thorough evaluation considers its potential contribution to the overall clinical picture.
The purpose of assessment is diagnostic clarification — not simply confirming ADHD. The question is not only whether ADHD is present, but what best explains the full pattern of a person's experience, and what that means for treatment and next steps.
What an adult ADHD evaluation may include
The specific components of an evaluation depend on the referral question and the clinical picture that emerges. An adult ADHD assessment may include some or all of the following.
Clinical interview and history
A thorough conversation covering developmental history, current concerns, prior diagnoses or evaluations, academic and occupational history, and the settings in which difficulties occur. This is one of the most important parts of the process — context and history cannot be captured by standardized measures alone.
Standardized assessment measures
Validated measures selected for the referral question, which may assess attention, executive functioning, and emotional functioning as appropriate. The specific measures depend on what the evaluation is designed to address.
Integration of findings
Results from the interview, measures, and relevant history are considered together to develop an integrated clinical picture — examining what is primary, what may be co-occurring, and what might be better explained by another condition.
Written report
A comprehensive written report documenting findings, diagnostic impressions where appropriate, and individualized recommendations. The report is written clearly so it can be shared with treating providers and used to guide next steps.
Feedback session
A dedicated session to walk through the report together, answer questions, and discuss what the findings mean in practical terms — whether that involves treatment recommendations, referrals, or other next steps.
The assessment process
An adult ADHD evaluation typically begins with an initial consultation to discuss your questions and determine whether a full assessment is the right fit. From there, the process moves through clinical interview, standardized testing where appropriate, integration of findings, a written report, and a feedback session. The full process from intake to feedback generally takes several weeks.
What you receive
Comprehensive written report
A detailed report documenting the findings, the clinical reasoning behind them, diagnostic impressions where appropriate, and specific recommendations tailored to your situation.
Individualized recommendations
Practical guidance regarding treatment options, referrals, strategies, or other next steps based on the findings — not a generic checklist, but recommendations grounded in your specific clinical picture.
Feedback session
A dedicated session to review the report together, answer your questions, and ensure you leave with a clear understanding of what the findings mean and what comes next.
Assessment can provide diagnostic clarity and inform next steps. It does not guarantee a particular diagnosis, treatment outcome, or accommodation approval.
ADHD assessment and accommodations
Psychological assessment documentation is sometimes used when requesting academic or workplace accommodations. Many schools, testing organisations, and employers require a current evaluation from a licensed psychologist that includes standardized test results, diagnostic conclusions, and specific accommodation recommendations.
Whether a particular report meets a specific institution's requirements depends on factors specific to that situation.
Accommodation documentation requirements vary by institution. We recommend confirming your school's, employer's, testing organisation's, or other institution's specific requirements before scheduling.
In person in Los Angeles · Telehealth across California
Adult ADHD assessment is available in person in Los Angeles and via telehealth throughout California. Whether telehealth is appropriate for a particular evaluation depends on the referral question and the assessment methods best suited to it — this is something discussed during the initial consultation.
Some referral questions or assessment methods are better suited to in-person administration. We will be straightforward about what format best fits your situation.
Fees and insurance
We accept Optum, Blue Shield of California, Aetna, and Carelon Behavioral Health for psychological assessment. If you carry a different plan, we can provide a superbill for potential out-of-network reimbursement. We recommend contacting your insurance in advance to confirm your specific benefits.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Adult ADHD EvaluationIncludes clinical interview, standardised testing, written report, and feedback session | $1,200 |
| Comprehensive Psychological AssessmentIncludes differential diagnosis, cognitive and emotional functioning, written report, and feedback session | $2,500 |
A deposit is collected at scheduling. Payment plans may be available — please ask during your consultation.
A superbill is provided upon request for clients seeking out-of-network reimbursement.
Common questions about adult ADHD assessment
Looking for clearer answers about ADHD?
If you're interested in an adult ADHD assessment, get started through the contact form to join the assessment waitlist and learn about next steps.
Assessment currently available by waitlist · In person in Los Angeles · Telehealth throughout California