Some weeks you feel unstoppable, and then the floor drops out for reasons no one can quite name. If those swings carry their own stubborn rhythm, our bipolar disorder evaluations in Madison, WI are built to map that rhythm honestly rather than hand you another quick label. You can reach out directly; no referral is needed to begin.
Each evaluation opens with a baseline of cognitive and executive function, the foundation everything else is read against. From there, your psychologist layers in mood measures and a patient history that tracks how your energy has shifted across years, not just weeks. One licensed psychologist carries the whole process and screens for the conditions bipolar patterns are so often mistaken for.
In younger children, mood shifts are read slowly and with real caution, because so many things look alike this early. Rather than reaching for a label, your psychologist works to understand the whole child, the sleep, the energy, the behavior, and the context, before drawing any conclusion.
In teens, watch for distinct stretches of revved up or irritable mood and energy that swing back into low, flat periods. Sleep and activity can change sharply, impulsive choices show up, and the shifts feel bigger than the ordinary turbulence of adolescence.
In adults, the story is often a long one: episodes of elevated, expansive, or irritable energy that alternate with depression, alongside changes in sleep, drive, and judgment. Many arrive after years of explanations that never fully held together.
Your evaluation starts with an hour long conversation where your psychologist gathers a full history of mood, energy, and behavior from childhood through your current routine. Tracing that cycling over time is what separates bipolar disorder from other mood conditions and points to the right assessments.
Your psychologist assembles a battery of mood and psychological measures chosen for your specific experiences, typically 2 to 6 hours of in person testing spread over one to two days. You take home self report questionnaires, and someone close to you can add their perspective. Signs of ADHD, anxiety, or depression are screened for as they surface.
Every piece, from test data and clinical observations to questionnaire results, is compiled into a detailed diagnostic report. Because accurate differential diagnosis matters so much here, your psychologist weighs episode history and symptom presentation closely, and any co occurring conditions are documented in full.
Typically two to three weeks later, you return for a feedback session. Your psychologist walks you through the diagnosis and lays out individualized recommendations: treatment planning, therapy options, medication considerations, lifestyle strategies, and clear next steps tailored to your situation.
No. A referral is never required to be seen at Core Spring Diagnostics. You are welcome to contact us directly, for any reason at all.
A detailed interview and history, a cognitive and executive function baseline, focused mood measures, and careful screening for the conditions that mimic bipolar patterns, all handled by one psychologist.
Because bipolar patterns overlap heavily with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and trauma, and the right support hinges on reading the picture correctly. A thorough history is what makes that possible.
Yes. We see teens and adults, and with our youngest clients we move cautiously on mood, since many conditions resemble one another early on.
Call our Madison office at (608) 396 4830 and we will help you find a time. There is no wrong reason to reach out.
A plain language report and a feedback session that turn the findings into individualized recommendations and a clear path toward the right support.
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