Support for children with ADHD, and for the people raising them

I have a particular interest in supporting children with ADHD and their families. Part of that comes from my work: over fifteen years as a psychologist in schools and in a multidisciplinary private practice, alongside teachers, speech pathologists and occupational therapists. Part of it comes from home. I parent alongside ADHD and I'm part of a neurodivergent family, so I know what the good days look like, and the hard ones.

ADHD is not a behaviour problem to be trained out of a child. It is a difference in how attention, energy and emotion are regulated, and it comes with real strengths as well as real challenges. My aim is to help your child understand themselves, to build practical skills that fit the way their brain works, and to help you feel more confident and less alone in the day-to-day.

What ADHD support can look like

• Helping your child recognise and manage big feelings, frustration and overwhelm
• Practical strategies for routines, transitions, homework and mornings that actually suit your child
• Working on worries and anxiety, which often sit alongside ADHD
• Building confidence and self-esteem, especially after a hard year at school
• Friendship skills and navigating social situations
• Understanding ADHD together, in language your child can use

For younger children, sessions are play-based and short enough to hold their attention. For older children, we work more directly on skills and understanding, always with their interests in the room.

Support for parents

Parenting a child with ADHD asks a lot, and much of the most useful work happens with parents. I offer parent sessions on their own, or alongside your child's sessions, covering things like emotion coaching, setting up the home environment, managing the moments that go wrong, and looking after yourself in the process. I am also an accredited facilitator of Tuning in to Kids, an emotion coaching program for parents (see Parenting support).

You don't need a diagnosis to start

Many families I meet are still waiting for an assessment, sometimes for a year or more. You don't have to wait to get support. Therapy can begin based on what your child is experiencing now, and a GP can prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan on that basis too. If it would be helpful, I can write an observation summary for your paediatrician or assessing clinician. I've written more about this in Supporting your child while you wait for an assessment.

Working with your child's school

With your consent, I can liaise with your child's teacher, school counsellor or learning support team, and help you ask for reasonable adjustments in the classroom. Having worked in schools for a long time, I know what is realistic to ask for and how to ask.

Sessions are in person at Suite 5, 220 The Entrance Road, Erina, or by telehealth anywhere in Australia. Medicare rebates apply with a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP, and I see children under self-managed and plan-managed NDIS plans. Fees and rebates are listed here. If you would like to talk through whether I might be a good fit for your child, please don't hesitate to get in touch.