What to Expect From Your Autism Assessment
You’ve booked your assessment, here’s what happens next.

Pre-Session: What You’ll Receive

Within a few days of booking, I’ll email you a pre-assessment pack. This includes:

A welcome message
A link to complete your intake form
Several standardised screeners (self-report questionnaires), looking at Autism, ADHD, and Stress.
An option to upload any supporting documents (e.g. school reports, past assessments, therapy notes — if you have them)

These need to be submitted at least 7 days before your appointment, unless we’ve agreed otherwise.

What the Session Will Be Like

I aim to make this a relaxed, collaborative conversation. I will be asking you semi-structured questions (using the MIGDAS-2 & clinical interview) about areas such as:

Sensory experiences
Emotions and regulation
Relationships and communication
Thinking and cognitive patterns
Your personal history and identity

It’s okay for you to go off-topic, share stories, or make tangents, I welcome those! Part of my role is to guide us back to the central themes, so there’s no need to apologise or feel shame if we drift. You can be yourself.

I’ll be sitting in my office with a warm tea or coffee, and I encourage you to set up your space however is most comfortable for you too. If you'd like to see what my office looks like ahead of time, this is what I might look like.

We usually take a 10–15 minute break about halfway through a 3‑hour session, but we can shift the timing or frequency of breaks based on your needs. You’re also welcome to:

Pause at any time
Move, stretch, or stim
Eat, drink, or go to the toilet
Sit, stand, lie down, walk around the house or garden while talking to me on the video

This is your space — I will follow your lead and do my best to help you stay grounded throughout.

Accessibility & Support Options

You’re welcome to email me at hello@sarahharrower.com if you need anything adjusted. Here are some examples of things you might request:

A general overview of topics or sample questions in advance
Clarifying or rewording questions during the session
Bringing a support person (present quietly or involved — it’s up to you)
Suggestions for comfort tools or grounding objects
Doing the session from bed, outside, or with movement — however you feel most comfortable
Receiving a short pre-session voice memo from me if text is overwhelming
Changing from one 3‑hour session to two 90‑minute sessions
Something else?

Access needs are welcome and normal. You don’t need to explain or justify them — just let me know what works best for you.

Session Details

Your assessment will take place via secure Google Meets video call. You’ll receive a link by email the week of your appointment — it opens in your browser and no downloads are required but you may need to sign in using a google account. I recommend you sign in at least 10 minutes early to ensure everything is working ok.

Please make sure:

You're in a quiet, private space where you feel regulated
Your internet is stable and your device is charged or plugged in
You have food, water, and any comfort items nearby
You won’t be interrupted unless that’s something you’ve planned for
You feel free to take breaks, stim, move, or step away as needed

You don’t need to prepare anything, though reflecting on the topics noted above as well as the screening questionaires will be helpful to ensure you tell me about everything you need to. I will guide you through the process gently and clearly.

If Technology Fails

If the video call drops out and does not reconnect within 2 minutes, I will call your phone. If we can’t reconnect via video, we’ll either continue by phone or reschedule. There’s no extra charge for rescheduling due to tech issues.

After the Session

If You Remember Something Later

It’s completely normal for additional insights or memories to come up after the session, especially if you process information over time. If this happens, you’re welcome to jot down your reflections in a Word document, notes app, or notebook and email them to me within a week of your session. This allows me to include any meaningful additions in my consideration of your assessment, and then in your letter or report.

If I Need to Follow Up

Occasionally, I may think of something after our session — for example, I might realise I need to clarify a point or ask a follow-up question.
If that happens, I’ll send you a short email. If I believe that further assessment is needed, I’ll reach out to discuss options with you directly.

Clinical Supervision

As outlined in your informed consent, I discuss each autism assessment with a senior clinical supervisor before finalising your feedback. My supervisor is a highly experienced psychologist who shares a neuroaffirming, trauma-informed approach and is bound by the same strict ethical and legal standards around confidentiality as I am.

Supervision helps ensure that:

I’m viewing your story clearly and respectfully
I’m not missing anything important or letting unconscious bias shape my conclusions
My diagnostic opinion is thoughtful, grounded, and well-informed

This is a standard part of ethical practice and is focused on supporting your care, not judging or scrutinising you. Although you’ll have given written consent for this at the time of booking, I will always check again at the end of our assessment session. If you no longer feel comfortable with your case being discussed in supervision, you can let me know then or anytime before supervision takes place.

If you wish to withdraw your consent after the session, you’re welcome to email me at hello@sarahharrower.com. I will respect your choice either way.

Diagnostic Co-Signing

Where a formal diagnosis is given, I may also seek co-signing from a registered clinical psychologist. This is particularly important if you have selected a comprehensive report, or if the documentation may be used for service access or formal recognition.

The co-signing psychologist may be different to the supervisor I discuss your case with as this depends on availability and timing. They are equally bound by strict professional standards and confidentiality, and the purpose of their involvement is to support accurate, ethical diagnosis — not to reassess or re-interview you.

Therapeutic Letter

Within approximately 4 weeks, you’ll receive a 3–4 page therapeutic diagnostic letter. It includes:

My clinical opinion regarding an autism diagnosis and screening of other neurotypes and/or mental health diagnoses
A compassionate reflection of your story and identity
A summary of your sensory, social, emotional, and cognitive patterns
Insights that can be shared (if you choose) with health professionals or loved ones
Gentle recommendations for future support or clarity

You’ll receive it by secure email in PDF format.

If You’ve Chosen the Full Report

If you’ve opted for a comprehensive report instead of (or in addition to) the letter, this will follow within 4–8 weeks, depending on complexity and my schedule. I’ll keep you updated along the way.

My Intention for Your Assessment
Throughout this process, my goal is to create a space where you feel understood, seen, and free to show up exactly as you are. This process is not about finding fault or fitting you into a box or set of diagnostic labels, it’s about exploring your unique patterns of thinking, feeling, sensing, and relating, and giving language to your experiences. I will hold your story with care, curiosity, and respect. Together, we will work towards clarity and understanding, so that your neurotype can be recognised as a valid and valuable part of who you are.

What to Expect From Your Autism Assessment You’ve booked your assessment, here’s what happens next.