Welcome to the discussion

I've been thinking about getting a diagnosis for a while now and looking into the various options. I've been worried about how my age and gender might affect whoever I was dealing with. So I emailed Embrace Autism to inquire whether my being a senior who has masked all her life would be an issue for diagnosis and also whether being in PEI would impact qualifying for the tax credit. Here is their response:

"Thank you for contacting Dr. Engelbrecht ND RP and sharing your information with her. I am Hailey, Dr. Engelbrecht ND RP's assistant. Due to the volume of emails she receives on a daily basis, I assist her with replying to the general inquiries from our website. Dr. Engelbrecht ND RP is trained to recognize masking and how autism presents in adult women. I can assure you she would take the time to ensure you are seen, heard, and understood for who you are. Dr. Natalie Engelbrecht ND RP's licence and additional certification in autism allows her to assess and diagnose adult autism. Please note that although the assessment process is conducted virtually, it is the equivalent of travelling to and pursuing a diagnosis in Ontario. She has successfully assessed people worldwide, including in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Finland, the Netherlands, Japan, and other European countries. In addition to autism, she assesses for a number of commonly co-occurring conditions, such as alexithymia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. As a licensed psychotherapist and naturopathic doctor, Dr. Natalie Engelbrecht ND RP is allowed to diagnose in some, but not all places. To cover all regions, we also have a licensed physician/psychotherapist on our team. You can choose to have them conduct an independent review of the assessment, which may be required in some jurisdictions. Attached to this email are two documents on behalf of Dr. Engelbrecht ND RP. These documents have all of the information you need to know if you want to begin the assessment process. They outline the steps involved, costs associated with the assessment process and links you need if you wish to start the process. As this is a private fee for service practice located in Canada, we do not offer direct billing services to insurance companies or government agencies. We are always accepting new patients from around the world for the purpose of assessments. You can start the process today if you wish by clicking the 'Initiate Screening' link on the second document. Please make time to read the attachments, and if you have any other questions, feel free to contact me.

Sincerely, Hailey Revolone (she/her) Medical Assistant to Dr. Natalie Engelbrecht BA MSc ND RP Please send a follow-up email if you do not receive a message back within 72 hours 905-845-4994, https://www.natalie-engelbrecht.com/ https://embrace-autism.com/ "

Edited to add:

Sorry, I asked if I could share everything and I've been asked to delete the documents.

"You are welcome to share your experience, but please do not post the documents in the forum. If anyone is interested in learning more about the process, please let them know they are welcome to reach out to us using the website or to contact me directly at drengelbrecht.assistant@gmail.com. I would be happy to answer any questions that anyone has. Sincerely, Hailey Revolone (she/her) Medical Assistant to Dr. Natalie Engelbrecht BA MSc ND RP ... "

If I decide to continue, I'll post as much as I can so you can see the process.