Unlock Psychology Ltd - Neurodiversity Assessments and Training

Unlock Psychology Ltd is a clinical psychology practice offering diagnostic assessments for ADHD, autism, and combined ADHD-autism profiles, alongside gender dysphoria assessment, evidence-based therapy and workplace-facing consultation. The practice is based at The Court House in Warwick, with clients drawn from Warwickshire and Birmingham as well as online, and reports that its assessment reports are accepted by NHS services, employers, universities and the DVLA. Alongside its clinical work, the organisation runs training programmes, accredited qualifications, research consultancy and an independent research ethics committee, positioning itself as a multi-strand psychological services provider rather than a single-purpose assessment clinic.

The practice was founded by Dr Alastair Pipkin, a clinical psychologist who holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, is HCPC-registered, and is an accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist with the BABCP. He also holds an Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy and is registered as a specialist in gender dysphoria with the UK Equalities Office. Prior to founding Unlock Psychology, he spent over a decade in NHS clinical and academic leadership roles. He has described his motivation for setting up the practice as a belief that psychological theory and science, applied through high-quality clinical services, teaching and research, can help people understand and unlock their own potential — the stated intent behind the practice’s name.

For assessment specifically, the practice offers full diagnostic pathways for ADHD and autism, either separately or as a combined assessment where profiles overlap, along with shorter consultation and screening appointments for people who want guidance or recommendations without pursuing a formal diagnosis. Diagnostic reports are framed as including practical recommendations for adjustments in the workplace, intended to help both the individual and their manager navigate difficulties arising from their neurodivergence in a work setting — a detail that gives the offer a distinct employment-facing angle alongside its clinical one. The site states assessments follow NICE-compliant guidelines, though it does not set out on its public pages the specific diagnostic instruments or interview protocols used, so prospective clients wanting that level of procedural detail would need to ask directly.

Unlock Psychology describes its clinical stance as neurodiversity-affirming, framing neurodivergence as a natural variation in human functioning rather than a deficit to be corrected, and pairs this with a person-centred, compassion-focused approach to care. This affirming positioning sits alongside — rather than instead of — a conventional diagnostic and therapeutic model: the practice also delivers CBT and compassion-focused therapy for anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma and PTSD, meaning it functions as a general psychology practice with a neurodevelopmental assessment strand, not a neurodiversity-specialist clinic exclusively. Typical waiting times for assessment are stated as two to eight weeks, which is comparatively short set against many independent providers in this space.

Because the practice is led by a single named, HCPC-registered clinical psychologist with a clearly stated professional history, and because assessment, therapy, training and research functions all sit under one organisation, clients can expect continuity between assessment and any follow-on support they might need, such as therapy for co-occurring anxiety or trauma. What isn’t published is the composition of the wider clinical team beyond the founder, or the specific assessment tools used, so anyone assessing fit — particularly employers commissioning workplace-facing reports — may want to confirm directly who within the practice will be conducting a given assessment.