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 | 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 | 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 | 2 Jul 2024 | adhd, assessment, autism, faq, neurodivergence, psychology
Staying in my lane Assessment and diagnosis is a tricky beast to navigate at times, and it can be super confusing to know who is the professional (in Australia) who is trained to assist versus who is accepted as a diagnostician by the funding bodies (looking at you...
by vcp | 29 Mar 2024 | adhd, assessment, autism, psychology
Navigating Autism and ADHD Diagnoses In recent years, the number of individuals seeking assessments for Autism and ADHD diagnoses has been on the rise. Some might argue that this increase is indicative of over-diagnosis or even a passing trend driven by social media,...
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...
