Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely. It can be hard to untangle where challenges are coming from—sometimes struggles at home are influenced by school pressures, and relieving those can help. Other times, the challenges may be playing out at school but have their roots in home dynamics or your child’s unique way of thinking, processing, or interacting with the world. I take a whole-system approach, meaning I consider how your child, family, and school environment interact; if home is the driver that’s where we will do our work.

That said, certain concerns—such as eating disorders, personality disorders, trauma, substance use, OCD, selective mutism, or self-harm (like cutting or other forms of non-suicidal self-injury)—fall outside my area of expertise. If those are the primary concerns, I’d be happy to help guide you toward the right kind of support.

Most of the time, kids already know something's not working. Is your child already telling you about their school challenges in some way? Maybe they think a teacher is always picking on them. Maybe they think math is stupid. Use their words to show them that you see what's going on and that you believe them. Then explain that even though their teachers and school are pretty wonderful, there's something they don't quite understand about the problem - that's why it feels hard. I'm a special kind of helper who works with kids and teens to help make things better. We're going to work it out together.

In our first sessions, caregivers and I will spend time thinking about how to talk to their child about the process so they feel that this is empowering, purposeful and for them. You'll be supported.

It’s helpful to have a letter from the person who recommended you to my clinic, but this isn't necessary unless you want to claim a Medicare rebate to offset the cost of some of your sessions.

All adult sessions (parents, caregivers, teachers) are held online. You can join from a convenient location without having to worry about the commute or parking.

Your child's sessions will be face-to-face in a discreet, warm, non-clinical setting in Maroubra (eastern suburbs of Sydney) NSW where your child has access to a secure garden for play breaks and other therapeutic approaches.

I’m a 5-minute walk from several bus lines and have ample on-street parking. There is one small step between the street and the office.

There’s no waiting room however parents and caregivers are welcome to tour the premises and then wait in a nearby café or park.

My street address is provided after the first parent/caregiver meeting to maintain privacy and security.

I don’t offer one-off crisis management appointments to new clients unless I have room in my calendar for follow-up appointments. That said, we will do our best to accommodate you. Please fill out our contact form and we will let you know when the soonest opening will be.

There are a number of free services that can help while you wait. Refer to our Crisis Support page for further information.

All adult sessions (parents, caregivers, teachers) are online.

Children and teens tend not to engage well online, so must be able to attend face-to-face sessions in Maroubra, Sydney, NSW.

All testing occurs face-to-face.

Results are usually ready 2 weeks after testing is finished.

Most well-engaged families who commit to regular sessions and have a clear goal will see positive change within six to ten sessions. I will assess progress at the end of each session to ensure we are on the right track.

I advocate for the child. I'm not the person you turn to if you are wanting to bolster your side to make a point to the other team. In my experience, that adds to stress and never helps the child. Bring me on board if you are wanting to help bring everyone on the same page in understanding what this child needs and a realistic support plan. I can be retained by the school or parents, but ultimately the service is the same.

If you are self-managed, you may be able to use your NDIS funds for our services. You will need to pay for your appointment at the time of your session and then submit a claim to the NDIS for reimbursement. It is your responsibility to ensure that our services align with your NDIS plan goals and that you have sufficient funding available.

Unfortunately, if you are plan-managed or NDIA-managed, you cannot use your NDIS funds for our services.

I teach time management and organisational systems but I don’t offer tutoring for academic subjects or ongoing organisational support. If you require high-quality, specialised tutoring for a child with learning needs, I recommend the SPELD NSW Referral Database.

If you have a tutor, I can meet with them to help them understand your child’s needs and monitor their progress.

I don’t provide opinions about specific schools, but I will help make your school the best fit possible. If you feel a change of school is needed, I can support the transition.

I can come and meet your team to offer practical, evidence-based solutions to help students who are struggling in the classroom or playground. After consultation, I create hypothetical scenarios that capture the kinds of challenges you are seeing and then help your team understand what is at the root of the problems and work out how to solve them. Solutions are created collaboratively so they work in your setting and are intended to be ideas that can be immediately put into action.

To get the most out of these sessions, and because approaches change based on the students' age, I recommend that these be held with staff at the year group or stage level rather than the entire faculty. These hours can contribute towards NESA’s PD requirements.