Clarity through science. Strength through care.
Assessments
Tara Psychology provides a range of adult assessments, including neurodevelopmental, cognitive, and psychosocial functional capacity. Other diagnostic assessments can be tailored to your needs, such as PTSD, personality disorders, or other mental health conditions.
More Than A Diagnosis
Seeking clarity around autism, ADHD, or both? Tara Psychology offers neuroaffirming assessments that centre lived experience throughout the process. These collaborative and thorough assessments can be completed online or in-person in Footscray.
Assessment isn't about chasing a label:
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It's about understanding how our brain works, enabling us to respond with clarity, self-compassion, and access to the right supports.
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It's about finding language that resonates and helps make sense of long-standing challenges.
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It's about recognising that these difficulities are not a personal failure.
For many, this work marks a meaningful turning point toward clearer understanding and more aligned choices.
Adult Autism Assessments
Autism often goes unrecognised in adults, particularly in women and those who have developed strong masking strategies. Many reach adulthood without a clear explanation for longstanding patterns in social communication, sensory processing, or emotional regulation. This assessment explores those areas using structured tools, including the MIGDAS-2, which supports a grounded, respectful understanding of autism in adults. The process includes questionnaires completed at home and 3 to 4 hours of appointment time, including a feedback session to discuss outcomes and tailored recommendations.
Fee Options
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Assessment with brief report
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Assessment with comprehensive report
Guidance on choosing between a brief and comprehensive report is provided in the Important Information section below.
Adult ADHD Assessments
ADHD doesn't always look the way people expect. It might show up as chronic over-functioning, emotional intensity, internal chaos, or a sense of never quite keeping up even when things seem fine on the surface. While traits like distraction or restlessness may be present, ADHD is ultimately about how your nervous system responds to the world. This assessment goes beyond the coping strategies, using structured tools like the DIVA-5 alongside your lived experience to identify distinctive patterns in attention, motivation, emotional regulation, and executive functioning. The process includes questionnaires completed at home and 3 to 4 hours of appointment time, including a feedback session to discuss outcomes and tailored recommendations.
Fee Options
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Assessment with brief report
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Assessment with comprehensive report
See the Important Information section below for help deciding between a brief and full report.
Please note:
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Psychologists do not prescribe medication. If you are considering ADHD medication, an assessment by a psychiatrist is required.
Combined Autism and ADHD Assessments
A combined autism and ADHD assessment explores how traits from both neurotypes interact in your everyday life, including patterns of attention, executive functioning, sensory processing, motivation, and social communication. Structured tools such as the DIVA-5 and MIGDAS-2, along with a detailed exploration of your personal history and current experiences, are used to build a neuroaffirming and nuanced understanding. The process includes questionnaires completed at home and 5 to 6 hours of appointment time, including a feedback session to discuss the outcomes and tailored recommendations.
Fee Options
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Assessment with brief report
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Assessment with comprehensive report
Details on whether to choose a brief or full report can be found in the Important Information section.
Please note:
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Psychologists do not prescribe medication. If you are considering medication for ADHD, an assessment by a psychiatrist is required.
Assessment Process
Our neurodevelopmental assessments are offered online, with in-person sessions arranged when appropriate. The assessment process involves a clinical interview to explore your history and current experiences, evidence-based questionnaires completed at home, and gathering supporting information from key people or professionals where relevant. A feedback session is provided to discuss recommendations and next steps.
You can also book an Initial Consultation to discuss your needs and gather background information. If you choose to proceed with the full assessment, the cost of the Initial Consultation will be deducted from the total assessment package fee.
Clinical Interview
Gather information, explore history, and conduct diagnostic interview (if relevant) over 1-3 sessions
Questionnaires
Complete online questionnaires in your own time
Collateral Information
Gather supporting information from carers, professionals, or reports (if relevant)
Report Writing
Analyse all information and develop a comprehensive report
Feedback
Discuss outcomes and recommendations
Ready to move forward? Schedule your consultation online to start the process.
Cognitive assessments are also available and can help clarify thinking, memory, and problem-solving strengths.
Send an Enquiry
Not yet ready to book? Submit an enquiry to discuss your options, ask questions about brief or comprehensive reports, or explore which assessment best fits your needs.
Important Information
Brief Report vs Comprehensive Report
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Brief Report – A concise document confirming assessment outcomes. Suitable for personal insight, therapy planning, most workplace or educational accommodations, or sharing with other treating professionals when a full report isn't required.
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Comprehensive Report – A detailed document outlining assessment methods, clinical findings, and tailored recommendations. Usually required for funding applications (e.g., NDIS), complex workplace or educational accommodations, or formal recognition by government agencies such as Centrelink.
NDIS Considerations
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For NDIS purposes, a comprehensive diagnostic report with evidence of functional impact is required. In many cases, the NDIS will also ask for supporting evidence from another allied health professional (e.g., occupational therapist) when the assessment is completed by a general psychologist. Please note that these documents do not guarantee funding as the NDIS assesses applications according to its own criteria.
Medication Considerations
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Psychologists cannot prescribe medication. If you are considering ADHD medication, a psychiatric assessment is required.
Additional Sessions
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Some assessments may require additional sessions depending on complexity or purpose. This may incur additional charges.
Fees
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Assessment fees vary according to the type of assessment, complexity, and purpose of the assessment. Please send an enquiry to receive detailed information about the costs relevant to your situation.
Medicare Rebates for Assessments
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Medicare rebates do not currently apply to most psychological assessments.
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Individuals under 25 may be eligible for up to 8 rebated assessment sessions in their lifetime when referred by a psychiatrist or paediatrician for a "complex neurodevelopmental assessment". No more than 4 of these can be claimed with any one practitioner.
Payment and Report Delivery
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Reports are provided once full payment has been received.