Expert ADHD Testing in Santa Monica
Comprehensive ADHD Evaluations for Children (6+), Teens, and Adults — Serving Los Angeles + Virtual California
Struggling with focus, organization, motivation, or follow-through? Wondering if ADHD could explain what’s been going on for you or your child?
Grey Matter Psychological Assessment provides expert ADHD testing in Santa Monica, California, serving Greater Los Angeles and offering virtual evaluation services for California residents
What you get from an ADHD evaluation
A thorough assessment can help you:
Confirm (or rule out) ADHD with evidence-based testing
Understand your unique strengths and challenges
Receive a detailed written diagnostic report
Support accommodations for school, college, standardized testing, or work (e.g., 504 Plan documentation, disability services paperwork)
ADHD can be missed — especially when you’ve been “getting by”
Many people learn to mask ADHD by overworking, compensating, or pushing through until stress, workload, or life transitions make it harder to keep up. Adults (and especially women) are often diagnosed later after years of coping
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone:
You work twice as hard to get “normal” results
You feel chronically behind, overwhelmed, or mentally exhausted
You’ve been told you’re smart—but your performance doesn’t match your effort
You worry others think you’re careless, lazy, or not trying
An accurate diagnosis matters because it gives you language, data, and a plan—so you can stop guessing and start advocating.
ADHD Testing Services We Offer
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Understanding whether your child has ADHD can change the trajectory of their education and mental health. We evaluate children beginning at age 6.
You’ll receive a clear diagnosis (when appropriate) and a report that can support school planning and accommodations such as a 504 Plan.
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If focus, attention, motivation, or organization issues are affecting school performance or social functioning, a comprehensive evaluation can provide clarity.
Our reports can support high school accommodations and documentation for standardized testing accommodations when needed
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If you suspect ADHD was missed earlier—or you’ve always had to “work harder than everyone else”—a thorough adult ADHD assessment can help you understand your executive functioning profile and build strategies that actually fit your brain.
We provide a detailed report to support accommodations for college, graduate school, or workplace needs.
What is ADHD?
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a common neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, executive function, and self-control. A professional ADHD assessment is essential to receive an accurate diagnosis in Los Angeles and access testing accommodations for school, work, and standardized exams
ADHD is a neurological diagnosis, which means that something different is happening in your brain. That difference is not a bad thing, but it can feel like a bad thing when you aren’t sure what is happening to you. Did you know that about 8% of children and 2.5% of adults have ADHD? It’s typically identified in school-aged children, but sometimes teachers, parents, and mentors miss it.
The good news? It is diagnosable and you can get treatment. You just need the right testing in order to get a real ADHD diagnosis. We’ve become mavens at providing the best ADHD assessments so that you can finally get focused. Many students who receive an ADHD diagnosis later pursue testing accommodations for exams like the SAT or ACT.
In your ADHD assessment, we test your neurological functioning and collect meaningful data about your educational history. Why? Because we want to write a report that helps you advocate for yourself at your school and/or work. Our reports include all the necessary information for you to advocate for your needs when you submit them to your work or school’s Disabilities Office. You can’t get testing accommodations unless you have one of these reports.
What’s included in our ADHD evaluations?
Our ADHD assessments are designed to measure the skills that ADHD most commonly impacts and to differentiate ADHD from other conditions that can look similar.
Your evaluation may include:
Comprehensive clinical interview + developmental/educational history
Standardized measures of attention, focus, and executive functioning
Data-informed differential diagnosis (e.g., ADHD vs anxiety, depression, trauma-related symptoms, or learning disorders)
A written report structured for advocacy with schools and workplaces
Why formal testing (not just screening) matters?
Some providers offer an “informal” ADHD diagnosis based on an interview alone. However, accommodations for school, standardized testing, and many workplaces typically require objective testing data and a formal written report.
We focus on producing the kind of documentation that is:
Clear
Evidence-based
Easy to use for accommodations and next steps
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a common neurodevelopmental condition that affects focus, attention, and self-control. Many people live with undiagnosed ADHD, which can impact school, work, relationships, and daily life. A professional ADHD assessment can help you:
Understand your unique challenges and strengths
Access academic or workplace accommodations
Develop effective strategies for success, including customized executive functioning hacks to keep you on track
Organizing your most important life tasks in manageable ways
Learning realistic skills you can use to help you stay motivated and on track (body doubling, anyone?)
Skills for assessing what is working and what tends to sabotage your focus efforts
Creating conversations to get your partner, parents, and important people on board with what you might need to function well
Improve your overall mental health, because your self-esteem has likely taken a hit from the feedback you’ve gotten over the years that you aren’t great at focusing
Serving Santa Monica & Los Angeles
We are located in Santa Monica, CA and serve clients throughout Los Angeles, including West LA, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Culver City, and surrounding areas (and virtually across California).
If you’re wondering whether testing is right for you, you can learn more about the cost of ADHD testing in Los Angeles and how evaluations work.
Frequently Asked Questions about ADHD Testing
Everything you need to know before your evaluation
How do I know if I need ADHD testing?
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If attention, organization, task initiation, procrastination, impulsivity, or follow-through issues are regularly affecting your school performance, work, relationships, or self-esteem, a formal ADHD evaluation can provide clarity. Testing is especially worth considering if you've always felt like you had to work harder than everyone else to get the same results, you've been told you're smart but your performance doesn't match your effort, or life transitions (a new job, college, parenthood) have made it suddenly harder to keep up. An evaluation doesn't just confirm or rule out ADHD—it explains why things feel so hard and gives you a clear, data-informed plan.
What does an ADHD evaluation at Grey Matter include?
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Our ADHD evaluations include a comprehensive clinical interview and developmental and educational history, standardized measures of attention, focus, and executive functioning, and a differential diagnosis process that distinguishes ADHD from conditions that can look similar—such as anxiety, depression, trauma, or learning disorders. You'll receive a detailed written report with diagnostic conclusions (when applicable), an explanation of your strengths and challenges, clear and actionable recommendations, and documentation formatted for schools, colleges, workplaces, or testing boards. Most evaluations are completed within 2–6 weeks from your intake appointment.
Do you test children, teens, and adults?
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Yes. We provide ADHD testing for children beginning at age 6, adolescents, college students, and adults of all ages. Many of our adult clients were never evaluated as children—often because they developed strong compensating strategies, or because their ADHD presented in ways that were easy to miss (particularly in women and girls). It is never too late to get answers.
How long does an ADHD evaluation take?
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The evaluation process takes place across several appointments. After an initial consultation call, you will have one or more in-person or virtual testing sessions (typically 2–4 hours total), followed by a feedback session where Dr. Gideon walks you through your results and written report. From intake to receiving your final report, most clients complete the process within 2–6 weeks. If you need results sooner, let us know during your consultation and we will do our best to accommodate your timeline.
Can your report be used for school or workplace accommodations?
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Yes. Our reports are specifically written to meet the documentation standards required by schools, colleges, universities, and employers. This includes 504 Plan documentation for K–12 students, disability services documentation for colleges and graduate programs, standardized testing accommodations for the SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, and Bar Exam, and workplace accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We write detailed, evidence-based reports so that you have everything you need to advocate for yourself without having to retest.
Does Grey Matter accept insurance for ADHD testing?
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We are a private pay practice and do not bill insurance directly. However, we provide superbills—detailed receipts with billing codes—that you can submit to a PPO insurance plan for potential out-of-network reimbursement. We also offer payment plans. During your consultation call, we will explain the full cost of your evaluation and available payment options so there are no surprises.
What is the difference between an ADHD screening and a full ADHD evaluation?
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An ADHD screening (such as an online quiz or a brief questionnaire from a primary care provider) can suggest whether ADHD symptoms are present, but it is not sufficient for a formal diagnosis. A full ADHD evaluation uses standardized psychological testing, clinical interviews, and a review of your history to provide an objective, evidence-based diagnosis. Only a formal evaluation produces the documentation required for school accommodations, workplace accommodations, and standardized testing boards. Informal screenings cannot be used for these purposes.
Can ADHD look different in women and girls?
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Yes—ADHD is frequently missed or diagnosed later in women and girls because it often presents differently than the hyperactive, disruptive behavior most people associate with ADHD. Women and girls with ADHD are more likely to show inattentive symptoms: difficulty sustaining focus, losing things, mental exhaustion from over-compensating, emotional dysregulation, and internalized struggles with self-esteem. Many women are not diagnosed until adulthood—sometimes after decades of being told they were disorganized, too sensitive, or not trying hard enough. Our evaluations are conducted with a neurodivergent-affirming lens that accounts for these differences.
Can ADHD occur alongside anxiety, depression, or autism?
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Yes, and this is more common than many people realize. ADHD frequently co-occurs with anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorder. In fact, research suggests that 30–50% of autistic individuals also show symptoms of ADHD. This is one reason why a comprehensive evaluation—rather than a brief screening—is so valuable: it identifies the full picture of what's happening, not just a single diagnosis. Our reports reflect the complexity of your profile and provide recommendations tailored to all of your needs.
Is virtual ADHD testing available?
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Yes. We offer virtual ADHD evaluations for California residents. Virtual testing uses the same standardized assessment tools and produces the same comprehensive written report as our in-person evaluations. If you are located outside of the Santa Monica area or prefer the convenience of being evaluated from home, our telehealth option provides the same high standard of care. In-person testing is available at our Santa Monica offices for clients who prefer or require it.
ADHD is often confused with other disorders.
Perhaps you’ve wondered if you even have ADHD or if you have…
Some anxiety disorder because you feel anxious and distracted most of the time
Some depressive disorder because you experience low self-esteem and helplessness so often
Some obsessive-compulsive disorder because you can’t stop obsessing over certain things
Some trauma disorder because you’ve collected some traumas in your life and you can’t remember what life was like before the trauma.
You might also feel:
Anxiety about school or work relationships.
Panic following a period of distraction and not getting enough work done.
Low self-esteem over the fear of never being successful or getting good grades.
Racing thoughts and inability to focus on tasks that excite you.
Worry that your teachers, bosses, or employers will be disappointed in your performance.
What if I also suspect I might have multiple issues going on?
This is the beauty of comprehensive evaluation. We will also evaluate for:
ADHD recovery at home
Through NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback Rentals
Beyond testing, there’s a really powerful way you can begin to train your brain for better focus, attention to detail, and motivation. Introducing NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback.
This is professional-grade, easy-to-use neurofeedback from the comfort of your home. Non-linear neurofeedback is a non-invasive and safe way to train your brain to be more focused and feel more motivation. ADHDers out there will know that this a be huge daily struggle.
We rent our professional-grade systems to you so you can brain train from the comfort of you home. If you don’t want to add one more appointment to your week but still want the benefits of neurofeedback, reach out to us about renting our professional systems.