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News and Research
Science-backed Information for Better Care
ScienceWorks is a modern telepsychology practice offering evidence-based care for: Autism & ADHD, Anxiety & Depression, OCD, Trauma, Insomnia, Kids & Families, and more.
These conditions frequently co-occur, can be difficult to diagnose, and also difficult to treat - often requiring specialist knowledge and direct clinical experience to achieve the best possible outcomes.
That's why research and training are the foundation of our work.
Our goal is sharing our knowledge with our friends, clients, and partners to build a stronger, more informed mental health community.
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Why Adult ADHD and Autism Testing in Washington Can Take So Long and How to Find a Faster Path to Answers
Last reviewed: 03/14/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you have been searching for adult ADHD autism testing in Washington , the hardest part is often not deciding to get help. It is waiting while work keeps slipping, home responsibilities keep piling up, and you still do not know whether ADHD, autism, trauma, anxiety, OCD, sleep disruption, or some combination best explains what is going on. In Washington, long behavioral health waitlists and uneven provider availability

Ryan Burns
Mar 157 min read


Demand Avoidance in Adults: When Everyday Tasks Feel Like Threats
Last reviewed: 03/02/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If demand avoidance in adults shows up in your life, you may recognize the feeling: a simple request (send an email, make an appointment, start the dishes) can land in your body like a threat. You might even hear yourself thinking, “why do I resist everything?” even when you genuinely want the outcome. In this article, you’ll learn: What “demand avoidance” means and how it relates to PDA-style patterns Why autonomy can fe

Ryan Burns
Mar 28 min read


ASRS + AQ-10 Both Positive: Is It AuDHD? AuDHD Assessment Next Steps That Actually Help
Last reviewed: 02/27/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If your ASRS and AQ-10 were both positive, it can be tempting to jump straight to “So is this AuDHD?” An audhd assessment can help you sort out what’s going on, but screeners are only a starting point, not a diagnosis. In this article, you’ll learn: Why ADHD and autism traits can overlap (and feel contradictory) What popular screeners can and can’t tell you What to expect from a combined ADHD/autism evaluation How to choo

Ryan Burns
Feb 277 min read


After a Positive AQ-10: What an Adult Autism Assessment Near Me Actually Looks Like
Last reviewed: 02/27/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you just had a positive AQ-10 and you’re searching “adult autism assessment near me,” a big question usually follows: What happens next? A screening score can point you toward a full evaluation, but it can’t explain your full profile on its own. [1] In this article, you’ll learn: What an adult autism assessment is trying to answer (beyond “yes/no”) Typical steps in an autism evaluation for adults, including interview

Ryan Burns
Feb 276 min read


AuDHD Assessment in Adults: When ADHD and Autism Overlap (Particularly for Midlife Women)
Last reviewed: 02/26/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’re looking into an AuDHD assessment , you’re probably not trying to collect labels. You’re trying to make sense of patterns like: “Why is work doable some days and impossible on others?” “Why do social situations drain me?” “Why do I crave novelty and also need predictability?” In this article, you’ll learn: What “AuDHD” means and why ADHD and autism can coexist The overlap clinicians untangle in an ADHD and autism

Ryan Burns
Feb 267 min read


AuDHD Evaluation: When You Suspect Both Autism + ADHD (What a Good Assessment Covers)
Last reviewed: 02/23/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’re looking for an AuDHD evaluation , you might recognize the pattern: parts of you feel unmistakably ADHD, and other parts feel unmistakably autistic. You might crave novelty and stimulation, yet get overwhelmed quickly. You might look “high-functioning” on paper, yet feel exhausted behind the scenes. The informal term AuDHD is often used to describe this overlap of autism and ADHD. It isn’t a separate diagnosis,

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 237 min read


High masking autism in women: Signs That Get Misread as Anxiety (and What Evaluation Looks Like)
Last reviewed: 02/23/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly High masking autism in women can get mislabeled as “just anxiety,” especially when someone is bright, capable, and socially skilled on the surface. If you’ve done years of coping strategies, therapy, and self-help but still feel like daily life takes an outsized amount of effort, it may be worth looking at what’s driving the stress, not just how the stress shows up. In this article, you’ll learn: Why anxiety treatment som

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 239 min read


Private ADHD Assessment: What You’re Paying For (and How to Tell if It’s Worth It)
Last reviewed: 02/23/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’re searching for a private ADHD assessment, you’ve probably seen wildly different prices and timelines. Some options look like a full psychological evaluation, while others are closer to a screening visit. The price often reflects what the evaluation does (or doesn’t) include, and “fast” doesn’t always mean “clear.” High-quality adult assessment is built on careful clinical interviewing, multiple data points, and a

Ryan Burns
Feb 236 min read


Adult ADHD Assessment in Tennessee: What to Expect (Timeline, Report, and Next Steps)
Last reviewed: 02/23/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’re considering an adult ADHD assessment , you’re probably looking for two things: clarity (is it ADHD, something else, or both?) and a plan you can actually use. The process can feel intimidating, especially if you’ve been dismissed before or you’re worried you’ll “mess up” the appointment. In this article, you’ll learn: What usually happens in an ADHD assessment for adults, in what order What a comprehensive evalu

Ryan Burns
Feb 238 min read


Late-Identified Autism in Adults: What Autism Screening Scores Mean
Autism screening results can raise big questions, especially for people who’ve masked for years. Learn what AQ-10, RAADS-14, and CAT-Q scores can and can’t tell you, plus gentle next steps toward evaluation, accommodations, and support.

Ryan Burns
Feb 196 min read


Autistic Burnout Symptoms: Signs, Causes, and Supports That Actually Help
Autistic burnout symptoms can look like exhaustion, skill loss, and sensory overload after long-term stress. Learn signs, causes, and supports that actually help.

Ryan Burns
Feb 196 min read


What Is the CAT-Q? A Plain-English Guide to Autistic Masking and Camouflaging
Last reviewed: 03/18/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly The CAT-Q is about autistic masking and camouflaging: the ways you may hide, rehearse, compensate, or push through social situations so you seem more “fine” on the outside than you feel on the inside. If you’ve searched cat-q autism, you’re probably trying to name an experience that feels effortful, scripted, and hard to explain. This page explains that pattern in plain English, and it can support self-understanding, but

Ryan Burns
Feb 199 min read


Late diagnosed ADHD (or Autism) After 40: Grief, Relief, and Identity Whiplash
Late diagnosed ADHD after 40 can bring equal parts relief and grief. Learn why women are identified later, how perimenopause can expose coping limits, and what to expect next in Tennessee.

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 129 min read


Midlife Autistic Burnout: Why Recovery Looks Different (and What Not to Shame Yourself For)
Midlife autistic burnout can hit hard when decades of masking meet perimenopause, family demands, and shrinking recovery time. Learn how to spot it, what it is not, and what to stop shaming yourself for.

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 129 min read


ADHD Masking Burnout in Midlife: Signs You’re Running on Survival Mode
Last reviewed: 02/12/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If ADHD masking burnout is hitting you in midlife, it can feel confusing: you’re still “doing the things,” but everything costs more energy than it used to. You may look organized, competent, and fine, while privately living in a constant state of catching up, overthinking, and emotional overload. In this article you’ll learn: What ADHD masking burnout is (and why it’s so common in high-masking women) The most common sig

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 129 min read


Undiagnosed Autism and Menopause: Why Midlife Can Be the Breaking Point
Undiagnosed autism and menopause can collide in midlife, making long-held coping strategies suddenly feel like they stop working. Learn why sensory overload, fatigue, burnout, and executive function strain can spike in perimenopause, plus how a neurodiversity-affirming assessment and practical supports can help.

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 1211 min read


ADHD and Menopause: Why Symptoms Can Spike Even If You’ve “Always Coped”
Last reviewed: 02/12/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’ve spent decades “keeping it together,” it can be jarring when ADHD and menopause seem to team up and your symptoms suddenly spike. Tasks that used to be manageable take twice the effort. Brain fog shows up at the worst times. Your patience feels thinner, and your usual systems stop working. This is common, and it’s not a personal failure. The menopause transition can change sleep, mood, and cognition, and many wom

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 1211 min read


Does ADHD Get Worse in Perimenopause? What Changes (and Why)
does adhd get worse in perimenopause? For many people, symptoms can intensify as estrogen fluctuates, sleep fragments, stress rises, and the brain’s dopamine systems have less “buffer” for attention and executive function. This guide explains what’s changing and practical, non-medical ways to reduce overload.

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 1210 min read


AuDHD Symptoms in Women: Burnout, Shutdowns, and Hidden Traits
AuDHD traits in women can look like “high functioning” success on the outside while the inside feels like burnout, shutdowns, or relentless perfectionism. Learn how to tell the difference from depression, why demand avoidance can be protective, and how assessment can turn patterns into practical supports.

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 46 min read


AuDHD in Midlife Women: Why Coping Systems Stop Working in Perimenopause
Perimenopause can make long-built coping strategies collapse. This guide explains why AuDHD assessment midlife women often starts making sense now, and what support can help.

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 47 min read
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