Therapy & Assessment Services

Currently, Auburn Road Psychology offers therapy for children (10+), teens, and adults, both in-person and online. Our clinicians are warm, flexible and evidence-based, drawing on CBT, ACT, self-compassion and mindfulness-based approaches, and EMDR to support clients in a way that meets their needs and aligns with their goals.

Collectively, our clinicians have a range of experience supporting individuals with:

• anxiety and mood challenges
• stress and burnout
• trauma and vicarious trauma
• OCD
• neurodivergence
• parenting in the context of neurodivergence
• selective mutism
• social/relational and/or attachment difficulties
• significant life changes
• experiences with out-of-home care
• explorations of faith, identity, and belief systems

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

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.

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 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.

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. 

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. 

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.