News and Research
Science-backed Information for Better Care

Last reviewed: 03/10/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’ve been asking yourself when to start therapy , you’re not alone. For a lot of thoughtful, motivated people, learning about mental health becomes a form of self-care at first, and then slowly turns into hours of searching, second-guessing, and trying to “figure it out” before you’re allowed to get help. In this article, you’ll learn: Why self-education can be helpful and also quietly exhausting Signs your research

Last reviewed: 03/03/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’ve ever googled “anxiety vs ocd” at 2 a.m., you’re not alone. Both anxiety and OCD can come with racing thoughts, dread, and the feeling that you have to do something (right now) to make the discomfort stop. But the “something” you do and the reason you do it can point to very different diagnoses and very different treatments. In this article, you’ll learn: Why anxiety and OCD are often confused How OCD intrusive t

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

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

Last reviewed: 02/27/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’re a high-masking woman who took the AQ 10 and got a “surprisingly low” score (or a score that feels ambiguous), it can stir up a lot: relief, doubt, grief, validation, or a looping “But what does this actually mean?” The AQ-10 test is a quick autism screener, not a diagnosis. In real life, especially for women who’ve spent decades “passing,” the most important information isn’t just the number. It’s the lifelong p

Last reviewed: 02/26/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you just completed an adult ADHD assessment , it’s common to feel relief and uncertainty at the same time. You may be holding an ADHD assessment report full of scores, acronyms, and recommendations. Or you may have completed an autism evaluation for adults  (or an ADHD and autism assessment ) and are trying to understand what it means for your day-to-day life. In this article, you’ll learn: How to interpret results, in

Last reviewed: 02/26/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’ve been wondering about late diagnosed autism in women  in your 40s, 50s, or beyond, you’re not alone. Many high-masking women reach midlife feeling “functional” on paper while privately managing burnout, sensory overload, or relationship stress. A well-done adult evaluation can help you clarify what’s a lifelong neurodevelopmental pattern versus what’s better explained by anxiety, trauma, sleep problems, hormonal

Last reviewed: 02/26/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’re searching for a private ADHD assessment , you’ll quickly notice that “testing” can mean very different things from one clinic to another. Some clinics offer a focused adult ADHD assessment built around a diagnostic interview and rating scales, while others recommend full neuropsychological testing for adhd in adults that looks broadly at learning, memory, and cognitive strengths. Both approaches can be appropria

Last reviewed: 02/26/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’re searching for ADHD testing providers in Nashville as an adult woman, the results can feel inconsistent: directories, quick “online tests,” medication visits, and full evaluations that all use the same words. This guide breaks down what “evidence-based” should mean so you can choose an assessment that’s thorough, fair, and actually helpful. In this article, you’ll learn: Why Nashville listings can be confusing Wh

Last reviewed: 02/26/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’ve taken an adult ADHD test online after another day of “Why can’t I just do the thing?”, you’re not alone. An online ADHD assessment (or “online ADHD test for adults”) can be a helpful first step, but it isn’t the same as a clinical diagnosis. In this article, you’ll learn: Why quick online results can feel so compelling during burnout The difference between ADHD screening for adults and diagnosis Signs it’s time

Last reviewed: 02/23/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly Chronic insomnia is brutal because it isn’t just “not sleeping.” It becomes a whole system: you start planning your life around exhaustion, dreading bedtime, and bargaining with yourself at 2:00 a.m. If you’ve searched cbti near me Nashville  or wondered whether cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia Nashville  is actually different from generic sleep advice, it is. CBT-I (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia) is

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,

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

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

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.

AQ-10 vs RAADS-14 can feel confusing when you’re trying to make sense of autistic traits as an adult. Here’s what each screener is best for and what to do next.

Executive dysfunction isn’t a character flaw. It’s a set of “brain management” skills (planning, starting, remembering steps, tracking time) that can get overloaded. This guide explains what executive dysfunction looks like in adults, how it differs from procrastination, and what to do next without self-blame.

Perimenopause ADHD can make focus, sleep, and emotional regulation feel shakier, even if your prescription hasn’t changed. Here’s what to track and ask at your next visit.

Perimenopause can feel like your brain’s “bandwidth” suddenly shrank: the same calendar, noise, decisions, and caregiving demands now trigger faster overload. For midlife women with ADHD, that can look like irritability, task paralysis, shutdown, or a sharp rise in shame. This guide explains what ADHD overwhelm is, why perimenopause can amplify it, and realistic, low-shame ways to get unstuck.

Autism hot flashes can feel like more than “being warm.” If your nervous system already runs close to overload, a sudden temperature shift in perimenopause or menopause can flip the switch into shutdowns or meltdowns. This guide explains why, what to watch for, and how to plan supports that actually fit your life.