A neuropsychologist assesses how the brain is working in everyday terms.

We look at thinking skills such as memory, attention, and problem-solving using structured pencil and paper type tasks. This helps identify patterns of strengths and difficulties, clarify what might be going on, and provide practical recommendations for next steps.

Psychologists / Clinical Psychologists
Psychologists are often trained in therapy and focus on the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions (such as anxiety, depression, or trauma).

Neuropsychologists also consider mental health, but our primary focus is on how the brain is functioning—particularly thinking skills such as memory, attention, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Neurologists
Neurologists are medical doctors who diagnose and manage conditions affecting the brain and nervous system (such as stroke, epilepsy, or Parkinson’s disease).

Neuropsychologists work closely with neurologists, but focus on how these conditions impact day-to-day thinking and functioning. We use detailed cognitive assessment to understand how the brain might be functioning, including changes that may be present even when brain imaging appears normal.

Psychiatrists
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialise in mental health and can prescribe medication.

Neuropsychologists do not prescribe medication. Instead, we assess how cognitive and psychological factors interact, and provide detailed recommendations to guide care, support, and decision-making.

If you’ve experienced a medical event (such as a stroke, illness, or concussion) and are concerned it may have affected your thinking skills, an assessment can help clarify what is going on.

It is also commonly used for older adults who are noticing changes in memory or thinking, including concerns about possible dementia.

In some cases, assessment can also help inform how decision-making can be supported, including around finances, living arrangements, and healthcare decisions.

I work with adults (18+), with particular experience in older adults (65+).

The assessment involves three main parts.

First, a clinical interview is completed to understand your current concerns, along with relevant background information (such as education, work, medical, and mental health history). This helps ensure results are interpreted accurately.

You will then complete a series of structured tasks designed to assess different thinking skills, such as memory, attention, and problem-solving. These may include puzzles, drawing tasks, and remembering information. Some tasks are designed to be challenging, so it is normal to find parts of the assessment difficult.

A feedback session is provided after the assessment to go through the results and discuss recommendations.

A clinical interview takes between 1-2 hours. The formal cognitive testing takes anywhere between 2-6 hours. This is largely dependent on the question being answered.

No—this is a specialist area of assessment and is not something I currently offer.

If you are seeking an assessment for ADHD or autism, I recommend discussing this with your GP, who can help guide you to appropriate services. Alternatively, you may wish to seek out psychologists who specialise in these assessments.