Autism Assessment · NYC & Tokyo
Many people spend years feeling out of place — socially exhausted, misread, or quietly different — without ever knowing why. A comprehensive autism assessment can provide clarity, language, and a path forward.
Autism spectrum disorder is not a flaw in how you were built. It is a different architecture — one that deserves to be understood, not just managed.
ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication, sensory processing, and patterns of thinking. It exists on a wide spectrum. No two autistic people are the same.
What research consistently shows is this: autistic individuals often experience the world with heightened intensity — a sharper focus on detail, deeper engagement with specific interests, and a sensory landscape that non-autistic people rarely notice. These are not deficits. They are differences that, when understood, become navigable.
A formal assessment does not change who you are. It gives you — and the world around you — better tools to understand and support you.
Who We Help
We conduct autism assessments for children, adolescents, and adults. Many of our clients are seeking answers for the first time — at any age.
Many adults receive their first autism diagnosis in their 30s, 40s, or later — often after a lifetime of feeling different without explanation. Late diagnosis can be genuinely life-changing. We see professionals, executives, creatives, and individuals who have long suspected there was a name for their experience.
The teenage years amplify social demands and academic pressure in ways that can be especially difficult for autistic teens. An assessment helps identify what is actually happening — and opens the door to school accommodations, targeted support, and a clearer sense of self.
Early identification gives children access to support when it matters most. We conduct assessments for children showing differences in social development, communication, or behavior, and we work closely with families to translate findings into practical, actionable guidance.
The Assessment Process
Our assessments are multi-method, meaning no single test determines the outcome. We build a complete picture.
We begin with an in-depth conversation covering your history, experiences, and concerns. For children, we interview parents or caregivers in detail about early development, milestones, and behavioral patterns across settings.
The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) is the gold-standard observational tool for autism assessment. It involves a structured interaction designed to elicit natural social communication behaviors, which the clinician observes and scores.
We use validated rating scales — completed by you, and often someone who knows you well — to capture behavior across multiple environments. These provide quantitative data that anchors the clinical picture.
Cognitive and neuropsychological testing maps your profile of strengths and challenges across memory, attention, executive functioning, language, and processing speed. This is essential for understanding not just whether autism is present, but how it manifests specifically for you — and whether other conditions like ADHD co-occur.
You receive a comprehensive written report with diagnostic impressions, a detailed profile of findings, and practical recommendations for work, school, relationships, and daily life. We meet to walk through results together, answer every question, and help you understand what comes next.
The Science
ASD is one of the most heritable neurodevelopmental conditions known to science — with genetic factors explaining a substantial proportion of risk. It involves atypical patterns of brain connectivity, particularly in regions governing social cognition, sensory processing, and executive functioning.
Crucially, the science also shows that autism is profoundly heterogeneous. There is no single autistic brain — there are many subtypes, many profiles, and many pathways. This is exactly why individualized assessment matters. A diagnostic label tells you something. Your specific neuropsychological profile tells you much more.
Research also continues to affirm that autistic individuals often demonstrate remarkable strengths in pattern recognition, sustained focus, systematic thinking, and deep expertise in areas of interest. A good assessment identifies both sides of the equation.
"Many autistic people describe a rich, detail-oriented, intensely focused experience of the world — with strengths that emerge clearly when the right supports are in place."
Assessments use DSM-5 and ICD-11 diagnostic criteria and are conducted by doctoral-level psychologists. Our reports are accepted by schools, employers, universities, and disability services in the United States and internationally.
What a Diagnosis Opens
A formal diagnosis is not just a label. It is a key that unlocks access — to support, accommodation, and self-understanding.
Workplace
In the United States, the ADA entitles autistic employees to reasonable accommodations — flexible scheduling, sensory adjustments, written instructions, and more. Our reports provide the documentation employers and HR require.
Education
Schools and universities require formal documentation to provide accommodations. Our evaluations meet the standards required by K-12 schools, colleges, and professional licensing bodies including the bar exam and graduate school programs.
Personal
Many clients describe their diagnosis as the most clarifying experience of their adult life. Years of self-blame, exhaustion, and confusion become explicable. This is not a small thing.
Treatment
A diagnosis opens the door to evidence-based interventions tailored to autism — CBT adapted for autistic cognition, executive functioning coaching, occupational therapy for sensory needs, and community connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Herald Square Psychology GK offers English-language neuropsychological and autism assessments for expats, international school families, and professionals across Japan. Same clinical standards. Fully English. Internationally accepted documentation.
Get Started
A consultation call costs nothing. It is a chance to ask questions, understand the process, and decide if an assessment is right for you — with no pressure and no obligation.