Therapy & Assessment Services

Currently, therapy is designed for teens, young adults and parents.

Neurodevelopmental assessments are designed for individuals aged 6 and up.

See below for more detailed information about our services.

Individual Therapy

Currently, Amy offers therapy predominantly for teens, young adults, and parents, both in-person and online. Her approach is warm, flexible and evidence-based, drawing on CBT, ACT, mindfulness-based approaches, and EMDR to support clients in a way that meets their needs and aligns with their goals.

Amy has experience supporting individuals navigating anxiety and mood challenges, stress and burnout, trauma, neurodivergence, parenting in the context of neurodivergence, social/relational and/or attachment difficulties, and significant life changes.

Amy also has a special interest in working with those:

with lived experience of foster care
in social work roles, particularly working in the child protection sector
exploring questions around faith, identity, and belief systems

Amy is committed to creating a space that feels physically and psychologically safe, inclusive, and culturally sensitive. She also values collaborative care, so when appropriate, and with client consent, may link in with parents, carers, schools, or other professionals to help clients feel supported across the board.

General Assessment Information

Neurodevelopmental assessment services are available for individuals aged 6 and up. We provide assessments for the following:

Cognitive ability, including intellectual disability and giftedness
Educational skills, including specific learning disorders (e.g. dyslexia, dysgraphia)
Autism
ADHD

We believe that assessments, when approached with care and collaboration, can be a therapeutic process in their own right, helping people gain greater understanding and meaning in their experiences. We think that the better people understand themselves (including their strengths and support needs), the better chance they have of seeing themselves in a compassionate light.

Whether you’re curious about exploring neurodivergence or seeking a formal assessment, we’ll work alongside you in a supportive, collaborative way that centres on your unique needs.

Cognitive Assessments

We offer cognitive testing for individuals aged 6–16 using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V). For individuals aged 17 and over, we use the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV). These assessments are considered the gold standard in intelligence testing and can assist in identifying intellectual disability, giftedness, specific learning difficulties, placement in specialised programs, and guiding clinical intervention.

A full cognitive assessment usually involves an intake session, a testing session, a school consultation, and a feedback session. We also provide a comprehensive written report detailing the results and recommendations.

Educational Testing

Educational assessments can help identify areas of learning strengths and difficulty, as well as whether a Specific Learning Disorder is present in young people. Assessment tools can vary depending on the exact referral question, but generally, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V) and the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Third Edition (WIAT-III) are used. The WIAT-III gives a summary of skills in common school subjects like reading, math, written language, and oral language.

The assessment usually requires an intake session, two testing sessions, a school consultation, and a feedback session. A comprehensive report detailing results and recommendations will also be provided.

Please note: If you are specifically seeking an SLD (e.g. dyslexia) diagnosis for a child in primary school, you require at least 6 months of targeted intervention in the area of difficulty before a diagnosis can be formally made.

Autism Assessments

Assessments for autism are about understanding an individual’s social communication style, passions and interests, sensory experiences, self-regulation strategies, adaptive functioning skills and support needs. Autism is developmental in nature, which means we are interested in understanding how traits have presented and evolved across the lifespan.

Assessments include a comprehensive parent interview, questionnaires, direct assessments and teacher interviews. Assessments draw on different tools, including the CARS, MIGDAS and ADOS-2. A feedback session and a comprehensive report will also be provided.

ADHD Assessments

There are three main types of ADHD: inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, or combined. Thus, ADHD assessments explore attention, focus, restlessness, hyperactivity, impulsiveness and emotional regulation, and how brain differences might be impacting everyday life. As with autism, ADHD is a developmental disability, and thus, we are interested in how different traits have presented and evolved over the lifespan.

Assessments for ADHD include a comprehensive parent/individual interview, questionnaires, direct assessments and teacher interviews. A feedback session and comprehensive report will also be provided.

Out of Home Care Support

If you are a foster carer requiring counselling or work with a child in out-of-home care who requires a trauma-informed developmental assessment, please get in touch to see whether we can assist.

We do not provide Family Law Court assessments or assessments ordered by the Melbourne Children’s Court.

Fee Information

A standard 50-minute consultation is $240. However, fees will vary depending on the type of service being provided. More details can be provided upon enquiry.

A few other fee considerations include:

Payment Requirements

Payment is required on the day of appointments. Only visa or credit card payments are accepted unless the payment is being made by a third party (e.g. TAC), in which case bank details will be provided. We do not accept cheques or cash under any circumstances.

Where clients are having difficulties making a payment on the day, they are required to inform Amy as soon as possible to discuss payment options. Subsequent sessions cannot occur until outstanding fees have been paid.

Cancellation Policy

If a client needs to cancel or postpone an appointment, they will need to provide at least 48 hours' notice to avoid a cancellation fee.

Appointments cancelled within 24-48 hours will incur a 25% cancellation fee. Appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice will incur a 50% cancellation fee. Non-attendance, or 'no shows', are required to pay the full fee for their appointment.

Medicare Rebates

Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP)

Medicare rebates are available for psychological treatment by registered psychologists under the Australian Government's Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative. Under this scheme, individuals diagnosed with a mental health condition can access up to 10 individual sessions per year with a partial rebate of $98.81. You can access a referral from your GP.

Helping Children with Autism (HCWA)

Under the government-funded Helping Children with Autism (HCWA) initiative, Medicare rebates are available for assessment and treatment services for children and young people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. This plan is only available for those under 25 years old. Under an HCWA plan, clients are eligible for a partial rebate of $98.81.

This plan provides the following:

4 appointments for private diagnosis referred by a paediatrician or psychiatrist to a psychologist, speech pathologist, occupational therapist, audiologist, optometrist, orthoptist or physiotherapist. This is called the ‘Helping Children with Autism Increased Access to Diagnosis’.
20 sessions with a psychologist, speech therapist, occupational therapist, audiologist, optometrist, orthoptist or physiotherapist. This is called the ‘Helping Children with Autism Treatment Plan.’

Before a psychologist can undertake assessment or treatment under the HCWA initiative, the young person must have been referred by a paediatrician or consultant psychiatrist.

Health Care Cards

A reduced fee is available for clients who have a Health Care Card. Please contact us for more information should you have access to a healthcare card.

ADHD Assessments

Assessments for ADHD include a comprehensive parent/individual interview, questionnaires, direct assessments and teacher interviews. A feedback session and comprehensive report will also be provided.

NDIS

We are not a registered NDIS provider. The clinic is currently only accepting NDIS clients on self-managed NDIS plans.

Auburn Road Psychology Ltd Pty acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging and express a commitment to ongoing efforts to engage in culturally safe practice with First Nations and culturally diverse clients.

We also acknowledge and respect the individual and collective contributions of those with a lived and living experience of neurodiversity, disability and mental illness and are committed to creating an inclusive space for people from all backgrounds.

ABN 22 690 057 900