Axis Within Psychology

30/09/2026

Have you ever wondered whether ADHD might explain why attention, organisation or everyday tasks feel harder than they seem to for other people—but felt unsure what an assessment actually involves?

Clients often ask me what happens during an adult ADHD assessment, and whether it’s worth looking into.

An assessment can help you make sense of patterns you may have noticed for years: what you find difficult, what comes naturally to you, and which strategies or supports might actually help. It can also clarify whether ADHD is part of the picture.

An ADHD Assessment may help you:

✨ Understand longstanding patterns in attention, organisation, energy and emotional regulation
✨ Recognise your cognitive strengths and support needs
✨ Develop practical strategies for work, relationships and everyday life
✨ Identify environmental changes or workplace or study adjustments that may help
✨ Access our established psychiatric referral pathway to discuss medication following a formal ADHD diagnosis, where clinically appropriate

So, what actually happens? I’ve explained each step here:

↗ https://www.axiswithin.com.au/adhd-assessment-brisbane

Appointments are available in New Farm, Brisbane, and via telehealth across Australia.

24/09/2026

You’re getting everything done ✅

You’re also mentally rewriting that email, planning three steps ahead, feeling guilty for resting and wondering whether you’ve done enough 🫠

High-functioning anxiety can be difficult to recognise precisely because you’re still functioning—sometimes exceptionally well. But appearing capable and feeling okay are not the same thing.

If achievement feels less like satisfaction and more like temporary relief, it may be worth looking at what is driving the pressure.

I explore this pattern—and ways to respond to it—in my latest resource.

**Read the full article via my website - https://www.axiswithin.com.au/resources/high-functioning-anxiety

08/09/2026

“I just don’t feel like myself.”

For many women, this can be one of the hardest parts of perimenopause to explain.

Changes in sleep, mood, memory, concentration and emotional capacity can affect more than daily functioning. They can leave you questioning your confidence, competence and sense of who you are.

Hormones may be one part of the picture, alongside stress, physical health, mental health and the demands of everyday life.

For Women’s Health Week, I’ve written about why this experience can occur, how reduced capacity can become a cycle of increased self-pressure and exhaustion, and what may help you feel more supported.

Read the full blog via the link in bio:

https://www.axiswithin.com.au/resources/perimenopause-not-feeling-like-yourself

01/09/2026

Mental health doesn't exist in isolation, so why is it so often treated that way? Many women have already tried therapy, changed their diet, worked on their sleep or pushed themselves to establish better routines, yet still feel overwhelmed, exhausted or unable to sustain change.

Before becoming a psychologist, I spent more than a decade working across nutrition, wellness coaching and behaviour change. During that time, I noticed that women were often receiving fragmented support. Nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress and mental health might each be addressed separately, while the emotional patterns underneath—overwhelm, perfectionism, emotional eating, self-sabotaging behaviours or difficulty sustaining change—often remained unresolved.

This experience shaped the way I now work with women. Rather than focusing only on symptoms, I consider how emotional wellbeing, sleep, stress, nutrition and eating patterns, physical health, hormonal changes, energy levels, motivation and mental load may be interacting.

Many women don't need another person telling them to slow down, take better care of themselves or try harder. When your energy is depleted, knowing what may help doesn't necessarily make it possible to follow through. More often, women need space to understand what is contributing to how they feel and practical strategies that genuinely fit the reality of their lives.

My approach is collaborative, evidence-based and focused on understanding the broader picture so that change feels both meaningful and sustainable.

You can learn more about my approach and the psychological services I provide by visiting the Axis Within Psychology website at www.axiswithin.com.au 🤍

11/08/2026

"I know exactly what I need to do… so why can't I just do it?"

It's one of the questions I hear most often in therapy.

Many people assume procrastination, perfectionism or avoidance mean they're lazy or unmotivated.

In reality, these behaviours often have a very different purpose.

They're usually attempts to protect us from something uncomfortable—fear of failure, criticism, uncertainty, rejection, or getting it wrong.

The problem is that what helps us feel better in the short term often keeps us stuck in the long term.

That's why simply "trying harder" or having more willpower rarely solves the problem.

In my latest blog, I explore:
• Why self-sabotage isn't really sabotage
• The hidden purpose behind procrastination, perfectionism and people-pleasing
• Why insight alone doesn't always lead to change
• A simple question that can help you better understand your own patterns

One of my favourite questions from the article is:

Instead of asking, "What's wrong with me?" try asking, "What am I trying to protect myself from?"

Sometimes that small shift changes everything.

You can read the full article here:
🔗 https://www.axiswithin.com.au/resources/self-sabotage

I'd love to hear your thoughts—have you ever recognised yourself in these patterns?

02/08/2026

Welcome to Axis Within 🩶

If you’re visiting for the first time, here’s a little peek inside my consulting room at New Farm Wellness Centre...

Creating a space that feels calm, comfortable and welcoming has always been important to me, and I’m so pleased to now be consulting from this beautiful location.

At Axis Within, I provide psychological therapy and assessments in a calm, supportive and neuroaffirming space, with particular interests in women’s mental health, ADHD, autism, anxiety, perimenopause and life transitions.

I look forward to welcoming you here.

📍 New Farm Wellness Centre
187 James Street, New Farm

29/07/2026

Do you describe yourself as a “perfectionist”? 🙋‍♀️

Do you overprepare for meetings, repeatedly check your calendar or stay late to make sure nothing has been missed?

Do you appear highly capable at work—while privately feeling exhausted from trying to keep up?

These strategies can support professional success. But maintaining them can also contribute to chronic stress and workplace burnout.

What looks like capability on the outside may require an enormous amount of effort behind the scenes.

You may think of these patterns as perfectionism, but for some women, anxiety or previously unrecognised ADHD may also be part of the story.

Perfectionism can develop as a way of compensating for challenges with attention, organisation, working memory or time management.

What if perfectionism isn’t simply about having high standards—but about working twice as hard to keep everything together?

Read the full article to explore the connection between ADHD, perfectionism, anxiety and burnout in women:

Learn why ADHD and perfectionism often occur together, how they contribute to anxiety, burnout and procrastination, and how therapy can help break the cycle.

22/07/2026

Hands up if you've always described yourself as a perfectionist. 🙋‍♀️

Maybe you've even worn it as a badge of honour.

After all, being a perfectionist helped you succeed.

UNTIL IT DIDN'T.

Something I hear all the time is:

"I've always managed somehow... but lately, everything feels harder."

These are successful, driven women. They're organised, reliable and the person everyone depends on. Yet behind the scenes, they're working twice as hard just to stay on top of everyday life.

They often say to me, "Anna, I spend 20 minutes rewriting an email before sending it." They stay back at work to "just finish one more thing," even though everyone else has already gone home. They make endless lists, double-check their calendar, reread reports and still worry they've forgotten something important.

From the outside, they appear organised and capable. Inside, they feel like they're constantly trying to keep up. 😮‍💨

They assume it's just perfectionism. Or anxiety. Then perimenopause arrives, everything suddenly feels even harder, and they begin to wonder what's changed.

For some women, perfectionism is a strategy they've developed over many years to support their ADHD or other neurodivergence. For others, anxiety may contribute to the constant checking, overpreparing and fear of making mistakes. And for many women, it may be a combination of both.

The cognitive changes during perimenopause—such as forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, emotional changes and mental fatigue—can make the strategies they've relied on for years that much harder to maintain.

WHAT OFTEN LOOKS LIKE PERFECTIONISM CAN ACTUALLY BE YEARS OF COMPENSATION —learning to overprepare, double-check everything and work twice as hard to avoid forgetting things, missing deadlines or making mistakes.

If this resonates with you, I've written a free resource exploring why so many high-achieving women attribute their struggles to perfectionism or anxiety, how ADHD can sometimes be part of the picture, and why these patterns often become harder to manage during perimenopause.

You can read it at axiswithin.com.au/resources/adhd-perfectionism or via my website at

🩶 axiswithin.com.au

09/06/2026

Did you know research suggests unmanaged perimenopause symptoms may have a significant impact on women's career progression and earnings?

Recent global economic data published in a landmark 2025 research paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and the CESifo Network found that women experiencing unmanaged perimenopause symptoms experience a measurable 10% drop in earnings over the following four years.

They didn't lose their professional capability.

They lost the support structures that allowed them to perform at their best.

Faced with cognitive fatigue, sleep disruption, and limited workplace flexibility, many highly experienced women reduce their hours, step back from leadership opportunities, or leave the workforce altogether.

Yet the economic data captures only part of the story.

For women whose identity and confidence have long been tied to their intellectual performance, the sudden experience of brain fog, memory lapses, or reduced cognitive efficiency can feel deeply confronting. Many respond by over-preparing, over-functioning, and pushing through exhaustion until burnout becomes inevitable.

The organisational cost is substantial.

Research published by the Mayo Clinic in 2023 estimated that unmanaged menopausal symptoms cost employers billions annually through lost productivity, absenteeism, and healthcare expenditure.

These are often women at the peak of their careers, holding leadership expertise, institutional knowledge, and professional judgement that can take years to replace.

Forward-thinking organisations are beginning to recognise that supporting women through this transition is not simply a wellbeing initiative—it is a talent retention strategy.

Companies including Adobe, Bank of America, and Bristol Myers Squibb have introduced menopause-specific workplace support, education, and flexible work practices designed to help experienced employees remain engaged and productive.

Supporting women through perimenopause is not about lowering expectations.

It is about creating workplace environments that allow talented people to continue performing sustainably during a significant life transition.

If you are an executive leader, HR professional, or business owner:

What do you see as the biggest barrier preventing organisations from better supporting women through perimenopause?

Is the conversation becoming more visible, or does it remain largely taboo in your workplace?

29/07/2022

Nobody wants to live in the kitchen when trying to eat healthily, so developing a quick, efficient meal system can be a game-changer.

But there are tricks to meal prepping, to avoid the common mistakes and pitfalls I see when it comes to meal prepping like a pro. So I put together a Meal Prep Cheat Sheet for you! 👇🏼

How To Meal Prep Like A Pro: My 3 Step Process (And Common Mistakes To Avoid!)

👉🏼 bit.ly/3oW4auV

Do you have a meal prepping trick that’s a winner in making quick, tasty and healthy meals? C’mon over to my Empowered Women’s Health Group (link also in my bio!) and share it with us!

With all my love,

X

Anna