As a neurodivergent (AuDHD) Psychologist, Andrew has a deep understanding of the profound impacts on neurodivergent individuals that are not: identified, supported and/or accommodated. Andrew’s neuro-affirming practice provides diagnostic assessment/s for Autism and ADHD for clients aged 8yo and above.
You are not broken, you are diverse
It is not about fixing, it is about understanding and embracing diversity and developing supports and accomodations in an, at times, unaffirming neurotypical world.
Andrew has consulted with ND colleagues as well as received feedback from clients for the past few years to help inform his processes, screening tools and assessments. He continue’s to refine his practices, we have a lovely physical environment that is accessible, different methods for clients to reach out and we are mindful of our approach throughout the process as well as use of language in person and in reports.
Andrew approaches these assessments in a warm, sensitive and structured manner. His assessments include:
- diagnostic interviewing of client’s and, where appropriate, partners or family members;
- subjective and standardised self-reported testing;
- objective visual, auditory and attention assessments;
- developmentally histories noting evidence/s of cognitive or behavioural difficulties;
- assessments for co-morbidities;
- provision of verbal feedback and an information pack for clients and family members and;
- advice in terms of pathways beyond assessments
ADHD
Many clients have sought out assessments for ADHD for reasons that include:
- difficulties with inattentiveness and distractability to hyper focus
- time blindness
- procrastination to hyperactivity to crash cycles
- emotional dysregulation
- feeling ”driven like a motor”
- impulsiveness
Autism
Autism is not what people think and for a multitude of reasons that include masking, assimilation and, camouflaging women, girls and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) can often present quite differently to men and boys. This can result in misdiagnosis or non diagnosis with females being four times less likely to be diagnosed compared to males. For these reasons, seeing someone who specialises in what are often subtle and nuanced female and AFAB presentations is vital.
Many clients have sought out assessments for Autism for reason that include:
- previous diagnosis of mental illness ie BPD or BPAD but suspecting they might be Autistic
- exhaustion after prolonged social engagements
- obsessional interests
- struggling with change/s
- hypo or hyper sensory sensitivities
- repetitive behaviours
- family members being diagnosed/ identifying as Autistic and suspecting similar behaviours/ways of thinking /feeling.
