Neurodivergent Insights with Dr. Megan Anna Neff: Daily Summaries Delivered

Adult Autism & ADHD Assessments, Demystified (Dr. Megan Anna Neff and Dr. Jess Hogan)

What actually happens in an adult autism assessment, and is it worth it? In this deep dive, I sit down with Dr. Jess Hogan, a fellow AuDHD psychologist, to demystify adult autism, ADHD, and AuDHD assessments: where to start, what affirming assessment looks like, and the red flags to watch for.This conversation is for late-identified and self-identified Autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD adults, and for clinicians who want to assess in a more affirming way.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Why assessments feel so mysterious 2:04 Should I get assessed? Benefits, identity, and imposter feelings 6:24 Knowing your why: identity vs. disability services 8:00 Where to start (and misdiagnosis vs. diagnostic overshadowing) 12:35 Types of assessments: neuropsych, comprehensive, and ADHD-specific 14:51 Why everyone's assessment experience is so different 18:56 Private vs. insurance, and who can diagnose 26:40 Masking, compensation, and non-stereotypical presentations 32:36 Measures explained: CAT-Q, MIGDAS-2, DIVA-5 34:54 Questions to ask a potential assessor (and how to prepare) 39:35 "You're not autistic": second opinions 42:22 ADHD vs. autism assessments, and screeners vs. diagnostics 50:02 Childhood history (and when parents can't help) 55:17 AuDHD: when traits mask each other 1:03:38 Leaving a bad-fit assessor, and the good enough therapistIn this conversation, we explore:→ Whether an adult autism or ADHD assessment is worth pursuing→ Misdiagnosis, missed diagnosis, and diagnostic overshadowing→ Neuropsych vs. comprehensive vs. affirming assessment models→ How masking and compensation strategies hide autism and ADHD from assessors→ The measures used in affirming assessments (MIGDAS-2, DIVA-5, CAT-Q)→ What to do if a parent can't (or won't) confirm your childhood history→ How AuDHD traits cancel each other out during assessment→ How to exit a non-affirming assessment processAbout Dr. Megan Anna Neff:Dr. Megan Anna Neff is an Autistic-ADHD clinical psychologist, founder of Neurodivergent Insights, and author of Self-Care for Autistic People and The Autistic Burnout Workbook. She creates research-grounded, identity-affirming resources for neurodivergent adults and the clinicians who support them.Check out more at neurodivergentinsights.comAbout Dr. Jess Hogan:Dr. Jessica Hogan (she/her) is a Chickasaw, AuDHD, queer, cisgender, hard-of-hearing, and chronically ill licensed clinical psychologist practicing in Minnesota, California, and PSYPACT states. She is the founder of Neuron & Rose, a neurodiversity-affirming practice where she leads an assessment training program for doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows. She also runs The Divergent Clinician, where she trains clinicians in affirming autism and ADHD assessment. Website (Neuron & Rose): https://www.neuronandrose.comThe Divergent Clinician: https://www.thedivergentclinician.com

AuDHD and OCD: How to Tell What's What

AuDHD and OCD overlap in ways that make all three hard to see clearly, and most of us don't get language for it until we've been confused by these patterns for years.This video is for AuDHD adults, late-diagnosed Autistic and ADHD people who suspect OCD might be in the mix, and clinicians working at the intersection. We walk through where they overlap, and how to begin teasing apart what is what — including practical questions you can ask yourself in the moment.📩 If you'd like to go deeper, here's the full article on ADHD, autism, and OCD: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/adhd-vs-autism-vs-ocd/In this video, we explore:→ Why OCD often gets missed when ADHD or autism are already in the picture→ How working memory shows up differently in ADHD vs OCD vs AuDHD→ The difference between ADHD compensation and OCD compulsion (and how they can spiral into each other)→ Why autistic people need routines — and how that's different from OCD avoidance→ A predictive-processing explanation of why familiarity matters→ How to tell an autistic ritual from an OCD compulsion (look for the logic)→ What shows up at the three-way intersection — sensory sensitivities, BFRBs, executive function strain→ A starting place for noticing your own patterns with curiosity instead of judgementOCD commonly co-occurs with both autism and ADHD, and clinical observation suggests rates may be higher for AuDHD folks specifically. The overlap with predictive processing, executive functioning, and sensory differences means this work benefits from both neurodivergent-affirming accommodations AND targeted treatment for OCD — not one or the other.

The Real Story Behind Rising Autism Rates

The autism rate in the U.S. has risen from 1 in 150 to 1 in 31 over the past two decades. But the story behind that number is far more nuanced than the headlines suggest. In this conversation, Dr. Megan Anna Neff and Dr. Donna Henderson walk through the history of autism in the DSM, the systemic shifts driving increased recognition, and why "epidemic" framing misses the point.This video is for Autistic adults, late-diagnosed people, clinicians, parents, and anyone who has been asked "why is autism on the rise?" and wanted a deeper, more grounded answer to offer.📩 If you want to go deeper on this topic, we have a visual guide and transcript available alongside this video on our website:https://neurodivergentinsights.com/episodes/why-is-autism-on-the-rise/

Autistic Burnout and the Stress Cycle with Amelia Nagoski

When Autism Hides the ADHD: 6 Ways It Gets Missed

ADHD Hides These 6 Autistic Traits in Plain Sight

AuDHD Explained: When Autism + ADHD Intersect | Dr. Megan Anna Neff

Autistic Self-Care When You’re Overwhelmed