by vcp | 1 Jan 2026 | assessment, therapy
Sometimes a prospective client might be interested in seeing me for both an assessment and therapy. However, this comes with some tricky ethical issues for me as a Psychologist and you as a client. Explanation of Dual Role: Assessment and Therapy As your psychologist,...
by vcp | 1 Jul 2024 | adhd, faq
DISCLAIMER: Not a pharmacist, not medical, I do not prescribe. This is informational only to help you know what medications may be presribed to you, in Australia, if you are an ADHDer and you and your physician (usually psychiatrist and/or paediatrician &...
by vcp | 1 Jan 2024 | adhd, assessment, autism, faq, neurodivergence, psychology, research, therapy
Essentially, neuroaffirming psychology services focus on supporting and validating individuals’ diverse neurological experiences. Instead of attempting to “fix” or alter someone’s neurology, neuroaffirming approaches emphasise acceptance and...
by vcp | 5 May 2026 | faq, funding, mental health, therapy
Under Better Access, Medicare (MBS) rebates can only be used when someone has a diagnosable mental disorder. In practice, though, referrals don’t always line up with this. Psychologists will sometimes receive referrals for concerns that don’t meet the criteria for a...
by vcp | 29 Apr 2026 | assessment, autism, faq, research
I recently wrote about the “severity level” specifier in the DSM-5-TR definition of autism (Levels 1, 2 and 3). This post looks at a different term that is starting to appear more often — “profound autism.” The term “profound autism” was popularised in 2021 by the...
by vcp | 6 Apr 2026 | mental health, parenting, research
The April school holidays are fast approaching and I know in my family, screentime can really escalate when school is out. Disclaimer: I am not a gamer. So I want to thank my friend Maree for helping me by reviewing this post which has drawn on several sources (cited...
by vcp | 31 Mar 2026 | assessment, autism, faq
I am writing this post in response to a recent forum discussion where an individual disagreed with the autism level assigned by their diagnosing clinician. As part of diagnosing Autism, clinicians are able to add “specifiers” to the diagnostic label. These...
by vcp | 18 Mar 2026 | funding, mental health, psychology, therapy
Accessing psychology supports can be expensive. I’d like to promote the SCU Clinic which operates continuously on the south end of the Gold Coast (Airport, Coolangatta) in addition to Coffs Harbour and Lismore campuses. Private Practice is unable to offer...
by vcp | 8 Dec 2025 | autism, parenting, Uncategorized
Thriving, Not Just Surviving the Holiday Season I’m all about pattern recognition and I’ve noticed a common theme as the end of the year approaches. When the end of year calendars fill up with family, work, and social events, many of the neurodivergent people I...
by vcp | 1 Dec 2025 | autism, neurodivergence, research
As we approach the holiday season – with its summer sun, increased social demands, and shifts in our daily rhythms – it’s that time of year where what is meant to be a time of relaxation often becomes a source of profound stress. The very essence of the holidays...
by vcp | 3 Nov 2025 | autism, neurodivergence
From the moment you arrived in this world, your body became an instrument of perception, a living symphony of signals, vibrations, and sensations. Yet somewhere along the way, society reduced this beautiful orchestra to just five neat categories: sight, sound, taste,...
by vcp | 27 Mar 2025 | adhd, autism, funding
I’m definitely no political commentator, but as a brief round up of the latest budget and the impact to Psychology and related Mental Health and Medication supports that are of interest to me (and clients): Source: the summaries as emailed to members of AADPA...
