PTSD Assessment & Diagnosis

People usually start looking into PTSD because something hasn’t felt right since a traumatic or deeply distressing experience.

You might be having nightmares, feeling constantly on edge, avoiding certain places or situations, or finding that memories of what happened keep coming back when you don’t want them to. Some people feel jumpy or irritable. Others feel numb, disconnected or like they’re not really themselves anymore.

Sometimes the connection to trauma is obvious. Sometimes it isn’t.

A PTSD assessment gives you the chance to talk through what has been happening with a registered psychologist and work out whether PTSD may be part of the picture, or whether something else could be contributing.

The point isn’t to make you relive everything in detail or force a diagnosis. It’s to understand how the experience has affected you and what kind of support may actually help.

Book your PTSD Assessment

What a PTSD Assessment Involves

  • Confidential Video Consultation

    Your first appointment is a private 50-minute video session with a registered psychologist.

    You can start with what has been difficult since the traumatic experience, rather than feeling like you need to tell the whole story from the beginning.

    Your psychologist may ask about sleep, intrusive memories, avoidance, anxiety, mood, irritability, concentration and how safe or settled you feel in everyday situations.

    They may also ask about how things have changed since the event and whether the symptoms are affecting work, relationships, routines or other parts of your life.

  • Discussion of your experiences

    PTSD doesn’t always look the way people expect.

    For some people, memories or nightmares are the biggest problem. For others, it’s feeling constantly alert, avoiding reminders, becoming easily startled, or struggling to relax even when nothing is obviously wrong.

    You may also feel detached from people around you, lose interest in things you used to enjoy, or find yourself reacting strongly to situations that remind you of what happened.

    We’re interested in the pattern of symptoms and how they are affecting you now.

    It’s also important to look at whether anxiety, depression, grief, ongoing stress or another mental health concern may be contributing to what you’re experiencing.

  • Use of validated assessment tool/s

    Your psychologist may use recognised questionnaires or assessment tools during the process.

    These can help explore PTSD symptoms in more detail and give some indication of how strongly they are affecting you.

    They are not treated as a diagnosis on their own.

    The results are considered alongside what you talk about in session, your history, how long the symptoms have been present and the impact they are having on your life.

    That wider context is what helps make sense of what is actually going on.

  • Feedback and recommendations

    Once there is enough information, your psychologist will talk you through what they have found.

    If the symptoms appear consistent with PTSD, they’ll explain why. If something else seems more likely, or there are several things happening at once, that will be part of the conversation too.

    From there, you can talk about what may help.

    That might include trauma-focused therapy, practical strategies, further assessment, or support from another health professional.

    The aim is to leave with a clearer understanding of what you are dealing with and what the next step could be.

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 FAQs about PTSD assessments

  • It may be worth considering if things haven’t felt right since something traumatic or deeply distressing happened.

    You might be struggling with sleep, feeling constantly on edge, avoiding reminders, having unwanted memories or nightmares, or finding that certain situations trigger a much stronger reaction than they used to.

    For some people, the biggest change is feeling numb or disconnected rather than obviously anxious.

    If these symptoms are starting to affect your relationships, work, sleep or everyday life, an assessment can help you understand whether PTSD may be part of the reason.

  • No.

    Online quizzes and screening tools can sometimes help you recognise symptoms, but they can’t properly explain how trauma has affected you or whether PTSD is the best explanation.

    We may use recognised questionnaires during the assessment, but they are only one piece of the process.

    The assessment happens online. It isn’t an online self-test.

  • Video appointments allow you to speak with a psychologist from somewhere private and familiar.

    For some people, that can make talking about trauma feel a little easier than travelling to an unfamiliar clinic.

    You’re still speaking directly with a registered psychologist throughout the assessment. The online format simply changes where the conversation takes place.

  • Your psychologist will explain what came up during the assessment and what they think may be going on.

    If PTSD appears to fit, you can talk about treatment options and what kind of support may be useful.

    If the symptoms seem to be better explained by something else, that will be discussed too.

    The next step may involve therapy, further assessment, practical strategies or support from another health professional.

  • For many people, a PTSD assessment can be completed effectively through video consultation.

    What matters is whether your psychologist can gather enough information to understand your symptoms, history and how the trauma has affected you.

    If something comes up that needs further assessment or another kind of appointment, your psychologist will talk that through with you.

  • Most PTSD assessments take place across two or three appointments of around 50 minutes each.

    Some people may need more time, especially if there are other mental health concerns involved or the symptoms are more complex.

    If that happens, your psychologist will explain what else needs to be explored.

  • A formal diagnosis may be provided where it is clinically appropriate and supported by the assessment.

    If you need a written report, we can also talk with you about what is required and whether there is an additional fee.

    Some people want formal documentation. Others mainly want to understand what has been happening and what kind of support may help.

  • Your PTSD assessment will be conducted by a registered psychologist with experience working with trauma and PTSD.

    They will guide you through the assessment carefully, explain what they are looking at and give you space to talk at your own pace.

    If another health professional needs to become involved, they’ll explain why.

  • Choose an available appointment through the online booking system, via the button below.

    You’ll receive a short intake form before your first session so we have some background information before we meet.

    You do not need to know whether PTSD is the answer before you book. That is part of what the assessment is there to help work out.

BOOK YOUR PTSD ASSESSMENT