A first conversation with a qualified clinician can help you clarify the question you are actually trying to answer about attention, focus, and daily functioning. Regulation: Psychologists at Wholesome Psychology are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and practise under the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Code of Ethics. Certified Canadian Counsellors (CCCs) are regulated by the Canadian Counselling and Psychological Association (CCPA), and Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). In-person at five Edmonton and St. Albert offices, with virtual care available across Alberta.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether an ADHD Assessment Is Right for You

You may be questioning whether your difficulties are significant enough to justify an assessment at all. Plenty of people reach this page after years of managing, more or less, and assume that managing is proof that nothing is wrong. Others arrive convinced that the real explanation is simply that they should try harder.

Some of what brings people here looks like this. Re-reading the same paragraph three times and still not holding on to it. A running mental list of things you meant to do that never quite becomes the list of things you did. Being told you are capable while quietly working much harder than anyone realizes to stay level with people around you.

These patterns are common, and they have many possible explanations. Sleep, stress, mood, workload, life circumstances, and neurodevelopmental differences can all shape attention and organization. Noticing them in yourself does not mean you have ADHD, and it does not mean you are lazy or failing. It means you have a question worth asking properly.

If you are trying to work out whether an assessment conversation is relevant to that question, reading on may help you decide what to ask.

Who We Help

An assessment conversation at Wholesome Psychology may be a reasonable starting point if you are:

• Trying to understand long-standing difficulties with attention, organization, planning, activity level, or impulsivity
• Wanting to talk through whether a formal assessment would actually answer your question before committing to one
• Gathering information on behalf of a partner, an adult family member, or a child, and wanting to know what the process involves
• Uncertain about what an assessment does and does not produce
• Ready to book and wanting to confirm scope, format, and fees first

This service may not be the right fit in the following situations:

• Immediate safety concerns. Please use the crisis resources below rather than waiting for an appointment.
• Court, legal, or forensic requirements. Assessments prepared for legal proceedings are a distinct service with different rules, and this page does not cover them.
• Medication questions. Prescribing and medication reviews sit with physicians and nurse practitioners. A psychologist cannot prescribe.
• Wanting therapy rather than an assessment. If your goal is support with day to day coping, ADHD counselling is a separate service.

Crisis Guidance

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service, and this page is not emergency support. If you need help now, please use one of the following.

• 911 or your local emergency department if there is immediate danger
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 9-8-8, available across Canada
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642, 24 hours a day

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What This Service Is

This page describes how to explore an ADHD assessment with a qualified clinician in Edmonton and St. Albert. It is general service information. It does not assess you, and it cannot tell you whether ADHD or something else explains what you are experiencing.

An assessment is a structured professional process for exploring a specific question. It does not predetermine an outcome. The scope of any assessment, and any conclusions reached, depend on the clinician's professional role, the referral question, informed consent, and the information available to them.

Some clear boundaries are worth stating plainly:

• Therapy and assessment are not legal services, investigative processes, or crisis intervention.
• Psychological assessment is a separate service from counselling. Booking counselling does not include an assessment, and this page does not describe therapy approaches.
• The pace is set by you, not by the clinician. You decide how much to share and when.
• What you discuss is confidential, within limits that your clinician will explain. The confidentiality section below sets these out in more detail.
• Clinicians work within their individual scope of practice. Not every clinician at the clinic conducts ADHD assessments, and availability must be confirmed.

The supplied clinic information does not confirm ADHD assessment clinician availability, age eligibility, appointment format, duration, report format, referral requirements, assessment-specific fees, or wait times. Those details need to come from the clinic directly, and the questions further down this page are written to help you ask for them.

Signs Attention and Organization Difficulties May Be Affecting You

People who look into an assessment often describe some mix of the following. This is not a checklist, and it is not a screening tool. Each of these experiences is common in the general population and can arise for many reasons.

• Starting several things in a morning and finishing none of them
• Losing the thread in conversations, then feeling embarrassed about asking someone to repeat themselves
• Deadlines that only become real in the final few hours, followed by an exhausting sprint
• Keys, wallets, and phones that disappear on a weekly basis
• Restlessness that makes sitting through a meeting or a meal feel physically uncomfortable
• Saying something before you have decided whether to say it
• Long stretches of intense focus on something interesting, next to real difficulty starting something dull
• Tiredness that seems out of proportion to the day, because keeping organized takes constant effort
• A sense that your results do not match the effort you are putting in

Recognizing yourself in several of these does not mean something is permanently wrong with you, and it does not amount to a diagnosis. Attention and organization difficulties respond to context, and they can shift with circumstances, support, and understanding. A conversation with a clinician is the way to find out what is worth exploring further.

How the Process Works Here

The steps below describe how getting started works at Wholesome Psychology generally. The structure of an ADHD assessment specifically is not confirmed in the information available for this page, so treat step three as the point where the details get settled.

• Find your clinician. Use the Match Tool or read individual profiles on the Our Therapists page. The administrative team can also help by phone at 780-904-4880.
• Book a first appointment. First appointments include a discussion of confidentiality, informed consent, and what you are hoping to work out.
• Confirm scope before anything begins. Ask what the service includes, how long it takes, what it costs, what documentation results from it if any, and whether the clinician's scope of practice covers your question.
• Build the plan together. Whatever the service, the plan is co-created. Your priorities shape it.
• Review as you go. Progress and direction are reviewed regularly, and plans change when your needs change.

General counselling appointments run 50 minutes, typically weekly or every second week, adjusted as needed. There is no fixed number of appointments that applies to everyone. Your voice matters at every stage of this, including the decision to stop or change direction.

Evidence and Approaches

An important note on this section. The evidence pack supplied for this page contains verified text for one source only. The NICE and CPA documents were supplied as filenames without accessible text, and the CAMH extract was not usable. As a result, this section describes what the available sources genuinely support rather than presenting therapeutic modality evidence that cannot be traced. Evidence for ADHD therapy approaches belongs on the ADHD counselling page and is not claimed here.

Classification framing (ICD-11)

What it helps with: Understanding the shared terminology a clinician uses when discussing attention difficulties.

Evidence summary: The World Health Organization's ICD-11 lists attention deficit hyperactivity disorder within neurodevelopmental disorders under code 6A05 (World Health Organization [WHO], 2025). ICD-11 also records presentation labels including predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, combined, other specified, and unspecified (WHO, 2025).

Limitations: Classification language describes categories, not people, and it establishes nothing about any individual reader. These labels are not self-screening criteria and cannot be applied to yourself from a webpage.

Clinical guideline background (NICE)

What it helps with: Providing context on how ADHD diagnosis and management are approached in published clinical guidance.

Evidence summary: Guidance on ADHD diagnosis and management has been published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, n.d.). This document was supplied for background review only, and its substantive text was not available for verification, so no specific recommendation, timeline, testing requirement, or care pathway is attributed to it here.

Limitations: No claim about assessment content or process is drawn from this source. NICE guidance is developed for the United Kingdom health system and does not establish Alberta regulatory scope.

Canadian professional and public health context

What it helps with: Placing an individual assessment question in a Canadian frame rather than an international-only one.

Evidence summary: The Canadian Psychological Association ([CPA], 2021) publishes a public fact sheet on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The Public Health Agency of Canada ([PHAC], n.d.) has reviewed how accurately ADHD is identified in administrative health data, which is a different question from an individual assessment. Statistics Canada (n.d.) has reported on prescription medication use among Canadian children and youth.

Limitations: None of these sources supports a claim about assessment quality, diagnostic accuracy, or what any individual should expect. Population-level findings do not transfer to one person's situation.

What to Expect

Answers do not always arrive in the shape people hope for. An assessment conversation may clarify your question, may point toward a different question, or may suggest that a different service fits better. That is a normal range of outcomes, not a failed process.

An assessment does not predetermine an outcome, and no clinician can guarantee a particular conclusion, document, or result. Outcomes vary with the referral question, the information available, your circumstances, and the professional role of the clinician you see.

Several things influence how useful the process feels: how clearly the question is defined at the start, how much relevant history and information is available, and how well you and the clinician work together. Fit matters, and it is reasonable to change clinician or approach at any point. Ask the administrative team for help if that is what you want to do.

The available information for this page does not support any statement about how many appointments an ADHD assessment involves or how long it takes. Please confirm this with the clinic before booking.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share with your clinician is confidential. Psychologists at Wholesome Psychology are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and work within the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Code of Ethics. Records and personal information are handled under Alberta's Health Information Act (HIA) and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), which set out how health and personal information must be collected, stored, used, and disclosed.

Confidentiality is strong, but it is not unlimited. Recognized exceptions include the following:

• Risk of serious harm to you or to another person
• Suspected abuse or neglect of a child, which carries a mandatory reporting duty under Alberta law
• A court order or other legal requirement to disclose

Your clinician will explain these limits clearly at the start of the first appointment, before you share anything personal. They can also explain how information is recorded, how long records are kept, and what consent is needed before anything is shared with a physician, a school, an employer, or a family member.

You are welcome to ask these questions before disclosing anything you are unsure about. Asking first is a reasonable thing to do, and clinicians expect it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to explain my whole history in detail?

You set the pace. A clinician will usually ask about patterns over time, because attention difficulties are understood in the context of a person's history, but you decide what to share and when. If a particular period of your life is difficult to talk about, you can say so, and you can work with present-day patterns instead. Nobody will press you into detail you are not ready to give.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, within recognized legal limits. Your information is protected under Alberta's Health Information Act (HIA) and Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), and your clinician follows CAP and CPA ethical requirements. The exceptions are risk of serious harm, suspected child abuse or neglect, and legal orders. The confidentiality section above sets these out, and your clinician will go through them with you at the first appointment.

How many appointments will this take?

There is no fixed answer, and the information available for this page does not confirm a standard structure for ADHD assessment at this clinic. Some questions are resolved in a short conversation. Others need more time. Ask the clinician directly at the start what they expect for your situation, and ask them to tell you if that changes.

What if the clinician is not the right fit?

Fit matters more than most people expect, and it is not a criticism of anyone to say a match is not working. Call the administrative team at 780-904-4880 or use the Match Tool, and they can help you move to a different clinician. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I do this online?

Virtual appointments are available across Alberta for general services, and the same confidentiality standards apply to virtual and in-person care. Whether an ADHD assessment can be completed virtually, in person, or in a combination of formats is not confirmed in the information available for this page. Please ask when you contact the clinic.

Do I need a referral?

Referral requirements for ADHD assessment are not confirmed in the information available for this page. Some insurers or funding programs have their own requirements even when a clinic does not. Ask the clinic whether a referral or supporting records are needed for the service you are seeking, and check with your insurer separately.

Will I get a written report or documentation?

This is worth asking before you book rather than after. Ask whether a written report or other documentation is available, what it would address, whether there is an additional fee for it, and how long it takes. Documentation for schools, employers, or accommodation requests is not automatically part of an assessment service, and it should not be assumed.

What about medication?

Psychologists in Alberta do not prescribe medication. Prescribing and medication reviews are handled by physicians and nurse practitioners. If medication is part of what you want to explore, that is a separate conversation with the appropriate regulated professional, and your clinician can talk with you about how those pieces usually fit together.

Meet Your Clinicians

Wholesome Psychology's team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Certified Canadian Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist.

Each clinician works within their own scope of practice, and scope differs across credential types. Whether a particular clinician has training and experience relevant to attention, executive function, or neurodevelopmental concerns, and whether they conduct assessments, is something to confirm before booking.

You can read individual profiles on the Our Therapists page, use the Match Tool if you would rather be pointed in a direction, or call the administrative team at 780-904-4880 and describe what you are looking for.

Children and Youth

Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for children, adolescents, and young people. Clinicians working with younger clients use approaches suited to the child's age and stage of development, rather than adapting adult sessions downward.

Caregivers are part of this work. Clinicians involve parents and guardians in supporting the environment around the child, while still respecting the young person's own perspective and privacy as appropriate to their age.

Related pages include ADHD in children and child and youth mental health. Whether an ADHD assessment is available for a particular age group is not confirmed in the information available for this page, so please ask the clinic about age eligibility before booking.

Taking the Next Step

If you would like to find out whether an assessment conversation fits your question, here is how to start.

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist
• Call 780-904-4880 to speak with the administrative team
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy for general information about how the clinic works

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Starting the conversation is enough.

References

• Canadian Psychological Association. (2021). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [Fact sheet].
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (n.d.). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Diagnosis and management.
• Public Health Agency of Canada. (n.d.). Accuracy of administrative database algorithms for autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder case ascertainment: A systematic review.
• Statistics Canada. (n.d.). Prescription medication use among Canadian children and youth, 2012 to 2017.
• World Health Organization. (2025). ICD-11 for mortality and morbidity statistics (2025-01 release): 6A05 Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.