Self Discovery Assessments

Below are 3 distinct assessments.  They are designed to help you gain further self-awareness and self-knowledge.  The more you know about yourself, the easier it is to

• tap into your strengths and values to use as tools for moving forward toward your goals
  
  
• find compensatory strategies if/when needed
  
  
• live a simpler and more fulfilled existence

Breathe.  Take a moment to reflect before proceeding.  There’s a lot to process below.  Feel free to move at your own pace.  Only complete the sections you feel comfortable completing.

Please note:  the information you provide is confidential and will not be shared.

Raw elements are foundational and support structures. Think of these as your needs. These elements need to be in place in order to get your brain and body fully on board with taking action. Raw element deficits can stand in the way of activating your brain and body and/or the ability to see a project through to completion. Think about your brain, your body, your surroundings, what do you need to get and stay inspired for action?

Once your needs have been met, it’s imperative that tasks, actions, projects are in alignment with your values.  These are the qualities that reflect who you are, what you stand for, what fuels your passions.  You’re likely to encounter internal resistance and lack of focus when you’re expected to go against the grain.  Values may fluctuate over time.  Things that may be important to you now, may not be in the future or with the same intensity.  If you’re struggling with a process and your basic needs or raw elements have been met, consider whether the project fits within your value system.  If the value is strong or high importance, it will be more difficult to disregard.  For example, if competence is highly valued, new processes will often cause discomfort and hesitancy.  Whereas, low importance values can be more easily overridden.  Medium is somewhere in between and may take more of a nudge to override.  Below are some value examples.  Reflect upon which values you uphold and the level of intensity or importance.  These will provide clues for sources of action or inaction. 

Do you suspect that you live with adult ADHD? Have other family members been diagnosed with ADHD? Unsure if what you’re experiencing is ADHD or you embody ADHD traits?  Below are a list of symptoms extracted from the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (DSM-5).  If you have not been formally diagnosed, I encourage you to meet with your primary healthcare or mental health practitioner to obtain an ADHD assessment. 

The presentation of ADHD breaks down into 3 categories: Predominantly Inattentive, Hyperactive-Impulsive, or a combination of those 2.  Self-diagnosis is not recommended. There could be underlying conditions causing related symptoms such as anxiety, depression, thyroid issues, sleep deprivation, malnutrition, etc.  However, since adult ADHD is rarely on the top of most MD's minds or even psychiatrists, it may be useful to catalogue the symptoms.  Use this assessment, not as a diagnosis, but as a conversation starter along with anecdotal evidence.

To classify anyone age 17 or older as ADHD, at least 5 of the symptoms should be present.  Note your total.

Again, this is not intended as diagnostic, simply a first step.