Diagnostic Consultation

Diagnostic consultation is a focused clinical service designed to help individuals and families better understand current symptoms, diagnostic questions, and treatment options. At Mid Island Psychology Associates, we provide expert diagnostic consultation when there is a need for clarification, second opinion, or guidance about next steps in care.

A diagnostic consultation may be helpful when symptoms are complex, overlapping, or difficult to understand. For example, concerns may involve anxiety, OCD, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, mood symptoms, behavioral challenges, functional neurological symptoms, or questions about whether additional assessment is needed.

What Is a Diagnostic Consultation?

A diagnostic consultation is not the same as a full psychological evaluation. Instead, it is a focused clinical assessment that may include a clinical interview, review of relevant history, discussion of current concerns, and consideration of prior records or evaluations when available.

The goal is to provide thoughtful feedback regarding possible diagnoses, treatment needs, and recommended next steps. In some cases, the consultation may help clarify whether symptoms are best understood through one diagnosis, multiple co-occurring conditions, or whether further evaluation is needed.

When Diagnostic Consultation May Be Helpful

A diagnostic consultation may be appropriate when:

• You are unsure what type of treatment is needed
• A previous diagnosis does not fully explain current concerns
• Symptoms overlap across several areas, such as anxiety, ADHD, autism, OCD, or mood disorders
• You are seeking a second opinion
• A child or adult is struggling despite treatment
• School, medical, or therapeutic providers have raised different concerns
• You want guidance before pursuing a more comprehensive evaluation

What We May Recommend

Following the consultation, we provide feedback and recommendations tailored to the individual’s needs. Recommendations may include therapy options, parent support, school-based considerations, medical or psychiatric referrals, or additional testing.

When appropriate, we may recommend a more comprehensive evaluation to support diagnostic clarity. This may include autism assessment, ADHD testing, learning disability evaluation, emotional/behavioral assessment, or adaptive functioning measures, depending on the referral question.

Consultation Does Not Require Ongoing Treatment

Diagnostic consultation is intended to provide guidance, clarification, and recommendations. It does not imply or require ongoing treatment with the consulting psychologist.

In some cases, continued care at Mid Island Psychology Associates may be discussed if clinically appropriate and available. In other cases, we may recommend outside providers, specialty evaluations, school-based supports, or other next steps better suited to the individual’s needs. If continued care at our practice is recommended, the Psychologist conducting the consultation may not be the recommended treatment provider.

Our Approach

Our consultations are thoughtful, collaborative, and practical. We aim to help individuals and families leave with a clearer understanding of the concerns, possible diagnoses, and what steps may be most helpful moving forward.