Are you considering autism testing but unsure how to choose the right assessment provider? We understand — there are countless options out there. In fact, when I recently Googled the phrase “autism assessment,” I found that it is searched over 6,600 times per month. A lot of folks are looking for answers, and many psychologists are saying, “I’m the person to turn to.” I believe that how autism testing is conducted matters as much as the tools used. While clinicians need the clinical expertise required to diagnose autism accurately, it is equally important how those answers are found — and whether the process itself feels respectful, affirming, and human. As neurodiversity-affirming clinicians, we know that the experience of autism is deeply personal. Autism shows up differently in every individual, and we are guided by a widely shared principle within autistic communities: “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” Affirming providers do not make diagnoses based on stereotypes or assumptions — we make them based on the unique individual we …