If the highs, crashes, and everything between have been hard to explain, a bipolar evaluation gives you clarity. We assess children, teens, and adults in Waukesha, mapping the full picture behind the mood pattern. You do not need a referral to book an evaluation.
Every bipolar evaluation here is run by one psychologist from start to finish, no handoffs and no rigid timeline. We start with a cognitive and executive function baseline, then build outward into mood patterns, episodes of elevated energy or depression, sleep changes, impulsivity, racing thoughts, and family history. Bipolar concerns often overlap with anxiety, depression, ADHD, or trauma, which is why this work usually fits inside a broader comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation.
Children with intense mood swings, irritability, disrupted sleep, sudden energy spikes, or impulsive choices that feel out of character.
Teens cycling between depression and elevated mood, taking unusual risks, or struggling to function steadily at school and home.
Adults dealing with ongoing mood instability, energy crashes, impulsive decisions, or strain at work and in relationships.
Your evaluation begins with a one-hour clinical interview where your psychologist gathers a thorough history of mood patterns, energy levels, and behavioral changes from childhood through your current daily life. This conversation is critical for identifying the cycling patterns that distinguish bipolar disorder from other mood conditions and for selecting the right assessments.
Your psychologist selects a personalized battery of mood and psychological assessments designed to capture the full range of your experiences. Testing involves 2 to 6 hours of in-person evaluation over one to two days. You will also be sent home with self-report questionnaires, and someone close to you can complete their own to provide perspective on mood and behavioral patterns over time. If your psychologist identifies signs of other conditions (such as ADHD, anxiety, or depression), those areas are screened for as well.
All testing data, clinical observations, and questionnaire results are compiled into a detailed diagnostic report. Accurate differential diagnosis is especially important with bipolar disorder, so your psychologist carefully evaluates mood patterns, episode history, and symptom presentation. Any co-occurring conditions are fully documented.
Approximately two to three weeks after testing, you return for a feedback session. Your psychologist walks through the diagnosis and provides individualized recommendations: treatment planning, evidence-based therapy options, medication considerations, lifestyle management strategies, and next steps tailored to your situation.
Core Spring Diagnostics uses gold-standard psychological instruments to assess mood states, thought patterns, personality functioning, and co-occurring conditions. The specific battery is tailored to the individual’s presentation, but every evaluation includes a cognitive and executive function baseline and structured screening for ADHD, anxiety, depression, and other commonly comorbid conditions.
Yes, bipolar disorder and ADHD co-occur at rates significantly higher than chance, and they share overlapping features including impulsivity, distractibility, and energy fluctuations. Core Spring Diagnostics screens for ADHD as a standard part of every mood-related evaluation. The cognitive baseline helps the psychologist parse which symptoms belong to which condition and how they interact.
Yes. Bipolar disorder can emerge in adolescence, and it often presents differently than adult-onset bipolar. Teens may show more rapid cycling, irritability-dominant episodes, and school or social disruptions rather than the classic distinct phases seen in adults. The evaluation is tailored to the individual’s developmental stage and captures mood, behavior, executive functioning, and co-occurring concerns together.
After testing and clinical interviewing are complete, the psychologist prepares a comprehensive written report detailing findings, any diagnoses, and individualized recommendations. The feedback session gives you the opportunity to review the results with the psychologist, ask questions, and discuss next steps. Recommendations may include therapy options, community resources, and school or workplace accommodations if relevant.
When bipolar disorder is the primary concern but there are also questions about cognitive functioning, learning, attention, or other areas of mental health, a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation is almost always the better choice. It covers everything a focused bipolar evaluation would while also assessing the broader cognitive and emotional landscape. The Core Spring Diagnostics team can help you determine the right scope during the intake conversation.
Call (414) 387-2100 or use the consultation form on the Core Spring Diagnostics website. The intake team will gather your concerns, explain the evaluation process, and help match you with the right scope of assessment for your situation.
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