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Emily Campbell
About
Hi there - I’m really glad you’re here! My name is Dr. Campbell, and I’m a clinical psychologist licensed in California and Ohio. I specialize in autism assessment for adults, particularly for individuals who find themselves questioning whether autism may help explain their experiences—or who have been missed, misunderstood, or misdiagnosed earlier in life. I approach assessment through a neurodiversity-affirming lens, focused on clarity and understanding rather than viewing autism as a problem that needs to be “fixed.” My work is guided by deep respect for each person’s lived experience, identity, and strengths, alongside thoughtful attention to the challenges that can arise in a world not designed for neurodivergent minds. The assessment process is collaborative and intentional, with the goal of helping you gain clarity, self-understanding, and language for experiences you may have carried for years. My hope is that this process feels validating and empowering, and that you leave with information that supports self-acceptance, self-advocacy, and informed next steps.
My interest in specializing in autism assessment for adults grew from repeatedly seeing how many people move through much of their lives questioning their experiences and challenges - feeling misunderstood or inadequate - without an accurate framework for understanding themselves. I’ve worked with many adults who were overlooked, misdiagnosed, or left to rely on survival strategies and reinforced masking in order to meet expectations that never truly aligned with who they are. Witnessing the impact of an affirming and accurate assessment has been deeply motivating for me. While learning something so meaningful later in life can bring grief for the understanding that was missing, it often also provides long-awaited relief, clarity, and validation. I feel honored to be part of your process by listening carefully to your lived experience, considering the full context of your history, and helping foster compassion and understanding for experiences that may have been misunderstood or carried shame for years. My goal is to provide assessments that honor neurodiversity, respect individuality, and support adults in gaining self-understanding and self-compassion that can inform meaningful next steps.
I bring an empathic and strengths-based approach to my work by leading with compassion, curiosity, and respect for each person’s lived experience. Many of the adults I work with are late-identified or high-masking individuals who have spent years adapting, compensating, and working hard to meet expectations in environments that were not designed with neurodivergent needs in mind. Rather than viewing these adaptations as deficits, I see them as evidence of resilience, creativity, and persistence. Throughout the assessment process, I focus on understanding how each individual thinks, processes information, communicates, and relates to the world, while also highlighting strengths such as insight, pattern recognition, depth of focus, empathy, and problem-solving. I am intentional about creating an assessment experience that feels collaborative, transparent, and emotionally safe - one that invites reflection without judgment. My goal is for each person to leave the process with greater self-compassion and a clearer understanding of both their strengths and needs, supporting confidence, self-advocacy, and meaningful next steps rooted in who they truly are.
