Therapy
I provide brief and ongoing therapy addressing a range of struggles associated with being on the autism spectrum and associated conditions. I have specialist training and experience delivering evidence-based therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). I also have special interest in neuroscience and mindfulness.
The psychological treatments I offer are individually tailored to address a wide range of difficulties including:
Emotion recognition difficulties
Social skills and communication difficulties
Emotion management difficulties (anxiety, depression, anger)
Behavioural difficulties
Parenting difficulties
Relationship difficulties
Problem-solving skills
Executive functioning difficulties
Read below if wanting to know more about the therapeutic approaches I take and some of the programs I am accredited to offer.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use problems, marital problems, eating disorders, and severe mental illness. CBT has been shown to lead to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life and has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of psychotherapy kindred to CBT that helps people focus on the present and move forward from overwhelming, difficult emotions. Unlike Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), the goal of ACT is not to reduce the frequency or severity of unpleasant internal experiences like upsetting cognitive distorsions, emotions, or urges. Rather, the goal is to reduce your struggle to control or eliminate these experiences while simultaneously increasing your involvement in meaningful life activities (i.e., those activities that are consistent with your personal values).
Some of the evidence based therapeutic programs I am offering, include, but not limited to:
8-12 years old
Secret Agent Society
This evidence based, award-winning program, uses an engaging so-called Secret Agent theme to teach kids social and emotional skills in a fun way. Designed and demonstrated to be effective for children on the autism spectrum, this program is delivered to children aged 8 to 12 with identified social and emotional goals, including ASD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety disorders. It addresses:
Emotion recognition skills
Emotion regulation (particularly anxiety and anger) skills
Social skills
Problem Solving skills
For Kids, Teens & Young Adults
peers
Developed at UCLA, the Program or the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) is world-renowned for providing evidence-based social skills treatment to children, adolescents, and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, and other socio-emotional problems. It addresses:
Social skills
Emotion and Intention recognition skills
Relationships skills
Communication skills
For Parents
Triple P Program
The Triple P Positive Parenting Program is one of the most effective evidence-based parenting programs in the world, backed up by over 35 years of research. Triple P gives parents simple and practical strategies to help them build strong, healthy relationships, confidently manage their children’s behaviour and prevent problems developing. It helps parents:
Raise happy, confident children
Teach appropriate behaviours and deal with challenging ones calmly and constructively
Setting rules and routines that are respected and followed by everyone
Consider your own needs as a parent
Having confidence in your own role as a parent
4-8 years old
Transporters
Developed by the Autism Centre of Excellence at Cambridge, The Transporters program is a tool designed to help children (aged 4-8 but also older) who struggle with social skills because of neurodiversity (ASD), anxiety or any other reasons, learn to identify emotions and the facial expressions that go with them. It is a very engaging program using animated vehicles with real human faces. It addresses:
Emotion recognition skills
Communication skills
Please contact us to discuss your therapy needs, suitability, protocol and fees.
Rebates:
Private Health Rebates are available. In order to determine your rebate.
NDIS
Familiar with the NDIS framework and expectations for both participants and providers.