Sydney Psych Assessments

09/08/2026

As psychologists, we are trained to look for patterns. But when a child enters our clinic, there is a subtle trap we must all actively guard against: diagnostic myopia. While parents come to us with this specific question in mind - does my child have ADHD, or do they have dyslexia?-
The result? When we rush to label surface-level behaviour without considering the whole ecosystem, our clinical recommendations fall short. We risk diagnostic overshadowing, where a prominent trait blinds us to co-occurring challenges.
Our clients don't just need a diagnosis. They need a clinician willing to look at the whole picture to uncover the answers they didn't even know they were looking for.

09/08/2026

What It Feels Like Living with Undiagnosed ADHD

“It took every ounce of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual strength to live my life — until I finally met someone who listened to my story.” We would love to hear your stories - even if you post anonymously.

25/07/2026

10/05/2026

Maybe today didn’t begin the way you hoped it would.
Maybe your child forgot. Maybe they remembered, but the day still felt hard. Maybe there were meltdowns, silence, tension, or words that hit more deeply than expected.

Maybe you’ve spent years giving everything you have to motherhood — quietly, fiercely, endlessly — without much recognition, and days like today can make that feel especially heavy.

Maybe you’re thinking about your own mom today. Missing her, grieving her, or grieving the relationship you wish you could have had. Maybe it’s complicated. Maybe it’s all of those things at once.

Maybe your journey to motherhood included loss. Or maybe you’re raising children who carry loss themselves, making days like this feel more tender than celebratory.

Whatever today feels like for you, it’s valid. It all belongs here.

Motherhood isn’t always flowers, cards, and smiling family photos. Often, it looks like showing up on the hardest days. Staying grounded while someone else falls apart. Loving deeply through slammed doors, shutdowns, and exhaustion. Choosing patience, repair, and connection over and over again — even when nobody sees how hard you’re trying.

That kind of love is extraordinary.

And even if today doesn’t feel like a celebration, it doesn’t mean you haven’t earned one.

09/05/2026

Every day should be Mother's Day but today we should stop, take a deep breath and reflect on the often unappreciated labour of women.

Day after day, so many women devote themselves to the endless responsibilities that keep a family together — preparing meals, caring for children and elders, maintaining homes, and offering constant emotional support. These acts may not come with titles, recognition, or a paycheck, but they are the foundation of every strong and loving household.

What is often dismissed as “nothing” is, in truth, everything. It is the work that nurtures families, sustains lives, and creates places of comfort, care, and belonging. Though unpaid and often invisible, it is invaluable.

This artwork is a tribute to the resilience, patience, sacrifice, and quiet strength of women everywhere. It challenges the idea that staying at home means doing little, and instead recognises the immense dedication it takes to hold everything together.

To every mother, sister, daughter, wife, and caregiver — thank you.
Your work may go unseen, but it is deeply meaningful and endlessly valuable. You are the silent strength behind every home.

The statue often described as a mother carrying the weight of everything is typically titled "El Esfuerzo" (The Effort), "La Carga" (The Burden), or "La Mujer que Nunca Hizo Nada" (The Woman Who Never Did Anything).

Happy Mother’s Day 💐

23/04/2026

ADHD isn’t just a childhood condition—it often continues into adulthood, and many people go undiagnosed for years. Getting an earlier diagnosis (even later in life) can be life-changing. ADHD is more than "being distracted".

Common conditions linked with ADHD

😟 Anxiety disorders
Many adults with ADHD also experience anxiety. Constant overwhelm, missed tasks, or feeling “behind” can fuel chronic worry.

🌧️ Depression
Living for years with undiagnosed ADHD can lead to low mood, burnout, and reduced self-esteem. Treating ADHD often improves depressive symptoms, too.

🔥 Substance use disorders
Some adults turn to alcohol or drugs to cope with restlessness or emotional dysregulation. This is sometimes called “self-medication.”

😴 Sleep disorders
ADHD is strongly linked with issues like insomnia, delayed sleep phase, or restless sleep—making focus even harder during the day.

🍽️ Eating disorders
Impulsivity and dopamine regulation differences can contribute to binge eating or irregular eating patterns.

💓 Physical health conditions
Adults with ADHD may have higher rates of:
• obesity
• cardiovascular risk factors
• chronic stress-related conditions

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CaKiLiRhw/

17/04/2026

Spending time living with a nomadic Mongolian family has been one of the most humbling and eye-opening experiences of my life—not just as a traveler, but as a psychologist.

Out here on the steppe, far from structured schedules, screens, and modern distractions, parenting looks very different… and yet, in many ways, profoundly familiar.

Children are given an incredible amount of freedom. From a young age, they contribute meaningfully to daily life—herding animals, helping with chores, and navigating their environment with confidence. There’s trust here. Deep, quiet trust. Parents don’t hover, but they are always present.

What struck me most was the balance between independence and connection. Discipline isn’t loud or reactive. It’s subtle, consistent, and rooted in respect. Kids learn by observing, by doing, and by being included—not by being controlled.

There’s also a powerful sense of emotional resilience. Life here is unpredictable, shaped by nature, and children grow up understanding that challenges are part of existence, not something to be avoided at all costs.

As a psychologist, it made me reflect on how culture shapes what we define as “good parenting.” There’s no single formula. But there is something universal in the way children thrive when they feel trusted, valued, and connected to something bigger than themselves.

I’m leaving with more questions than answers—and a deep appreciation for the many ways families around the world raise strong, capable, and grounded humans.

17/04/2026

volunteering experience with a nomadic Mongolian family. Lots to share about differences and similarities. Posting full video upon my return.

28/01/2026

Listening to a great talk by the International Dyslexia Association on changes to the definition of dyslexia.
🧠📊 Research shows that while certain risk factors are associated with dyslexia (e.g., family history, language processing differences, trauma/stress and visual problems), they do not act in isolation.

🔬✨ Evidence consistently demonstrates that resilience factors—such as early identification, structured literacy instruction, responsive intervention, and supportive learning environments, growth mindset and lower frustration to failure—mediate both the impact and severity of dyslexia.

📚🌱 When these protective factors are in place, outcomes improve significantly, highlighting that dyslexia is shaped not just by risk, but by response.