Autism First Psychology offers neurodivergent-affirming therapy and assessment that honours the unique strengths, challenges, and lived experiences of Autistic, ADHD, PDA and 2E individuals. Being neurodivergent is not something to be fixed, but rather understood, supported, and embraced. The focus of therapy is on cultivating self-aware
Autism First Psychology offers neurodivergent-affirming therapy and assessment that honours the unique strengths, challenges, and lived experiences of Autistic, ADHD, PDA and 2E individuals. Being neurodivergent is not something to be fixed, but rather understood, supported, and embraced. The focus of therapy is on cultivating self-awareness, reducing stress and anxiety, and fostering a stronger sense of identity, agency, and wellbeing.
With extensive training in neuro-affirming assessment and a wide range of therapeutic modalities, I integrate evidence-based, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approaches into both therapy and assessment. Whether working one-on-one in ongoing sessions or preparing formal diagnostic reports, I aim to reflect each client’s neurotype, communication style, and support needs with respect and accuracy.
Therapy is not about encouraging masking or conformity to neurotypical expectations. Instead, it supports clients in living authentically, developing practical strategies, and navigating a world that often misunderstands or overlooks neurodivergent needs. Areas of focus may include sensory regulation, emotional resilience, burnout recovery and prevention, identity development, executive functioning, and unmasking—always guided by compassion, curiosity, and collaboration.
Whether seeking assessment or therapeutic support, the aim at Autism First Psychology is to provide a safe, validating space where clients can better understand themselves, explore what supports their wellbeing, and build a life that aligns with their values and neurotype.
At Autism First Psychology, psychosocial health is understood as deeply interconnected with physical, emotional, cognitive, and sensory well-being. This understanding guides therapy that supports clients to live in alignment with their neurotype. For neurodivergent individuals, particularly those who are Autistic or have ADHD, tradition
At Autism First Psychology, psychosocial health is understood as deeply interconnected with physical, emotional, cognitive, and sensory well-being. This understanding guides therapy that supports clients to live in alignment with their neurotype. For neurodivergent individuals, particularly those who are Autistic or have ADHD, traditional approaches to mental health often overlook the foundational elements that support regulation, connection, and quality of life.
The approach is holistic and client-centered, considering all aspects of a person’s life that influence their ability to function and thrive. Therapy is not limited to emotional support; it also involves exploring and enhancing areas such as:
• Sleep and rest cycles
• Nutrition and interoceptive awareness
• Movement and body-based regulation
• Sensory needs and environmental adaptations
• Daily routines and executive functioning strategies
• Social, relational, and identity-based wellbeing
These elements are not treated as afterthoughts—they are seen as integral to emotional regulation, cognitive clarity, and overall psychosocial health. By weaving together these domains in a way that honours each person’s neurotype, therapy becomes more than just a space to process feelings; it becomes a space to design a sustainable life that supports the nervous system, builds capacity, and promotes long-term wellbeing.
Many neurodivergent individuals have experienced trauma—whether from early life experiences, invalidating environments, sensory overwhelm, or the cumulative effects of navigating systems not designed to support their needs. For Autistic and ADHD individuals, trauma often arises not only from specific events, but also from chronic misattu
Many neurodivergent individuals have experienced trauma—whether from early life experiences, invalidating environments, sensory overwhelm, or the cumulative effects of navigating systems not designed to support their needs. For Autistic and ADHD individuals, trauma often arises not only from specific events, but also from chronic misattunement, repeated misunderstanding, masking, social exclusion, or being required to suppress core parts of themselves to be accepted.
At Autism First Psychology, trauma-informed care is a foundational part of the therapeutic process. Every session is approached with sensitivity to the ways trauma can shape emotional regulation, identity, sensory processing, relational safety, and overall wellbeing. Therapy is paced collaboratively and flexibly, respecting each client’s unique nervous system, boundaries, and readiness.
I draw on and adapt evidence-based approaches that are particularly well-suited to neurodivergent clients, including Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). These modalities allow for gentle, structured exploration of past trauma while supporting nervous system regulation and promoting a greater sense of internal safety. Parts work through IFS, in particular, can be especially empowering for clients who have long felt fragmented or disconnected from aspects of themselves burdened by masking or survival-based adaptations.
The focus is never on “fixing” trauma responses but on creating space for healing, integration, and self-trust. Clients are supported to reconnect with their inner resources, build emotional resilience, and reclaim autonomy over their healing journey in a way that feels authentic, safe, and aligned with their neurotype.
Develop a stronger sense of self-worth and embrace who you are in a supportive, validating space. Therapy is collaborative and evidence-based, focusing on self-acceptance, reducing stress, and finding strategies that work for your unique mind.
Work towards your goals, improve emotional regulation, and create a fulfilling life with personalised coaching sessions. Support is tailored to your unique needs, helping you build confidence and practical skills for everyday functioning.
Explore career options, identify workplace supports and accommodations, and develop a career plan that aligns with your unique profile. Sessions focus on navigating challenges, advocating for your needs, and finding fulfilling work that suits your unique skills and interests.
Understand your communication style, social preferences, and sensory needs to reduce the impact of stress on your health and well-being. By identifying what works best for you, therapy can help create strategies for a more balanced and sustainable life, minimising the likelihood of burnout.
Learn to distinguish between dysregulation and the experience of anger , gaining a deeper understanding of your emotional responses. Develop practical techniques to regulate emotions, improve communication, and express needs in a constructive way. Strengthen relationships while creating strategies that work with your neurodivergent wiring.
Whether self-diagnosed, late-diagnosed, or seeking a diagnosis, gain deeper insight into your unique autistic profile. Understanding your strengths, challenges, and needs can provide invaluable clarity, reduce the risk of autistic burnout, and support you in living an authentic, affirming life.
Trauma therapy supports healing from experiences such as PTSD, childhood abuse, sexual assault, and the lasting effects of growing up misunderstood, undiagnosed, or unsupported. Many neurodivergent individuals face trauma related to masking, chronic invalidation, sensory distress, and struggling to meet neurotypical expectations. Evidence-based approaches, including Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), provide a safe space to process these experiences. Therapy focuses on restoring a sense of safety, improving emotional regulation, and developing coping strategies that align with individual needs.
Explore the underlying factors contributing to addictive behaviours, including the impact of trauma, emotional dysregulation, and unmet neurodivergent needs. Therapy provides a compassionate, non-judgmental space to develop healthier coping strategies, improve self-regulation, and work towards recovery in a way that aligns with your neurotype and lived experience.
Grief can be complex, especially for neurodivergent individuals who may experience and process loss differently. Therapy provides a supportive space to navigate the emotional, cognitive, and sensory impacts of grief. Whether mourning a loved one, a lost relationship, or the loss of identity that can come with late diagnosis. Sessions focus on honouring your experience, finding ways to process emotions, and integrating grief into your life in a way that feels meaningful to you.
Exploring cultural identity can be a deeply personal and sometimes complex journey, especially for neurodivergent individuals who may experience belonging, connection, and identity in unique ways. Therapy offers a supportive space to navigate the intersections of culture, neurodivergence, and personal identity—whether you are reconnecting with heritage, processing experiences of discrimination, or finding ways to honour your authentic self within your cultural community. Sessions focus on self-understanding, empowerment, and embracing identity in a way that aligns with your values and lived experience.
Therapy offers a safe, affirming space to explore gender, sexuality, and identity in all their complexity—without judgment, pressure, or expectation.
This might include support with:
Sessions can also provide space to explore non-traditional relationship structures—such as kink, polyamory, or relationship anarchy—in a way that’s respectful and sex-positive.
Whether you're embracing authenticity, healing from harm, or simply wanting to better understand yourself, therapy is guided by your pace and your needs. Together, we can work toward deeper self-understanding, connection, and the freedom to live in alignment with who you truly are.
Parenting as a neurodivergent person—or raising a neurodivergent child—comes with unique challenges and strengths. Therapy provides a supportive space to explore parenting approaches that align with your values, sensory needs, and capacity. Sessions can focus on understanding your child’s neurodivergence, managing sensory and emotional regulation (both yours and theirs), reducing overwhelm, and creating a family dynamic that fosters connection and well-being. Whether navigating school systems, advocating for support, or simply finding ways to parent in a sustainable way, therapy is tailored to the needs of neurodivergent families and parents.
Assessment is more than ticking boxes—it’s a process of deep reflection and discovery. For many, this is the first time their story is seen in full. My job is to connect the dots and help you make sense of your experience through a neurodivergent lens.
Assessments are structured but relaxed. They feel like a conversation, not a test. I use gold-standard diagnostic tools combined with trauma-informed, strengths-based, and neurodivergent-affirming frameworks. Everyone is nervous at first—this is normal. Most people find the process surprisingly validating once we begin.
I specialise in assessing:
• Adults and teens (16+) who have masked or camouflaged for years
• Individuals who have been misdiagnosed or misunderstood (e.g., BPD, CPTSD, Bipolar)
• 2E (Twice Exceptional) clients—those with co-occurring strengths and disabilities
• People with complex presentations, including PDA, trauma, or sensory sensitivity
• Clients exploring Autism and/or ADHD for the first time, especially later in life
Bookings Now Open
If you’re seeking clarity, self-understanding, or a formal diagnosis for Autism, ADHD, or both—I offer comprehensive, affirming assessments via Telehealth.
Appointments are held on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday mornings (AEST – Brisbane time).
Please complete the contact form below to get started. I’ll respond with available dates and guide you through next steps. If you have a preferred day or time, let me know and I’ll do my best to accommodate.
Before the Assessment
You might feel:
• Nervous, uncertain, or overwhelmed
• Afraid of “getting it wrong” or “not being autistic/ADHD enough”
• Like you’re faking it—even if you’ve struggled for years
This is incredibly common, especially among those who’ve masked or internalised their differences for a long time. There is no rIght way to be autisic. You’re allowed to question, explore, and take up space in this process.
After the Assessment
You may feel:
• Relief and validation
• Grief for your younger self
• Confusion, joy, anger, freedom—or all of the above
Diagnosis is not an endpoint—it’s a shift in perspective. It can bring clarity, but it also stirs up emotions. Many people need time to integrate this new understanding of themselves. Follow-up sessions are available if you’d like to debrief or discuss your next steps.
Language Matters
I use identity-first language (e.g., autistic person) because it’s preferred by much of the neurodivergent community and by me.
Terms like “ASD” and “high/low functioning” are avoided as they are outdated and do not reflect lived experiences. Reports are written in affirming, respectful language without a deficit lens.
You’re not broken. You are wired differently, and understanding how can change everything.
Neurodivergent Identity and Self-Discovery
This journey is personal. For some, a diagnosis brings long-awaited relief. For others, it challenges everything they thought they knew about themselves. Wherever you land, it’s valid.
Neurodivergent identity is not about labels—it’s about understanding your brain, needs, boundaries, and brilliance. My role is to help you meet yourself with compassion and clarity.
Autism
• Clinical interview (MIGDAS), screeners for functional capacity, (WHODAS), PDA, alexithymia, interoception, sensory, and autistic burnout scale
• Includes a brief screener for ADHD
• Duration: 2.5–3 hours
• Includes full diagnostic report and 15 - 30 minute discussion summary
• Cost: $1800
ADHD
• Clinical interview (DIVA), executive functioning screeners, plus co-occurring conditions
• Duration: 2–2.5 hours
• Includes full diagnostic report and 15 minute discussion summary
• Cost: $1200
Please Note:
You do not need a formal ADHD assessment from a psychologist to pursue a trial of stimulant medication. A psychiatrist will need to conduct their own assessment (out of pocket costs vary from $650 - $1200) to determine whether medication is appropriate.
Autism + ADHD (Combined Assessments)
• Integrated interview and screeners for both profiles and co-occurring conditions
• Duration: 3–3.5 hours
• Includes full diagnostic report and 30 - 45 minute discussion summary
• Cost: $2200
Optional follow-up session (50 mins): $235 - 24/25FY (Medicare rebate available with MHCP)
Important Note Regarding NDIS Applications
If you are considering applying to become a participant in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), please be aware that while I can prepare assessment reports with the NDIS framework in mind, the final decision regarding eligibility rests solely with the NDIS. Eligibility is not determined by diagnosis alone but by the presence of permanent and significant functional impairments that impact your ability to participate in everyday life. If applying, please let me know so I can ensure that the report appropriately addresses the areas of functioning most relevant to their criteria.
Complete the contact form with your details.
To help me guide you through the next steps, please let me know:
I’ll be in touch with available dates and next steps soon. You’re welcome to write as much or as little as feels comfortable—there’s no “right” way to do this.
Once we confirm your appointment, you’ll receive a welcome email with:
• A basic intake and digital privacy and consent form (please complete within 7 days)
• Information about the process and your assessment fee
I’ll email you 2 weeks before your assessment to reconfirm your appointment. This is your chance to cancel or reschedule without incurring a fee. Once I receive your response I will email your online questionnaires and screeners. They will take a few hours to complete and need to be returned at least one week before your appointment. These help me prepare a tailored, focused interview. Please try not to stress about getting all your responses ‘perfect’ - as we will have plenty of time to go over all the key areas together. Be prepared for some of the questionnaires to have items that lack clarity and sometimes context - which I understand is super annoying, just give it your best shot.
• Conducted via a secure video link (sent in the booking confirmation email)
• Duration: 2–3.5 hours depending on the type of assessment
• We’ll take short breaks if needed—let me know your preferences
• At the end, I’ll give you a short verbal summary of whether you meet diagnostic criteria
• You may receive a second set of screeners within a few days—these help complete the picture
• Please return them within 1 week
Reports are detailed (15–25 pages) and include:
• Diagnostic outcomes (if applicable)
• Explanation of traits and how they present
• Recommendations for accommodations, supports, and next steps
• Reports are usually completed within 2–4 weeks depending on complexity and admin flow
• If you need a one-page diagnosis letter or support letter for work, school, or study, these can be included at no extra cost
Assessments are a significant investment of time and energy. Fees reflect not just the appointment itself, but the hours of preparation, interpretation, and report writing that follow.
• An invoice for 50% of the assessment fee will be emailed 14 days prior to your appointment and must be paid to confirm your appointment.
• On completion of your report an invoice will be emailed. Full payment is due before your report can be released.
Payment methods:
• Preferred: Direct bank transfer (no processing fees)
• Credit card/link (1.8% online processing fee)
Optional follow-up sessions (50 minutes, $235-2024/2025 FY) are available after your report is finalised. These can be rebated with a Mental Health Care Plan (current rebate is $141.85).
I know life happens. Here’s what you need to know:
• You may cancel or reschedule up to 14 days before your appointment with no fee
• Cancellations within 14 days of your appointment incur a $300 administration fee
• This fee also applies if:
• Required pre-assessment forms are not returned on time and your appointment is delayed
Please note: If you fail to attend your scheduled appointment you forfeit your 50% assessment fee. This structure in place to ensure fairness to other clients on the waitlist and to honour the preparation work that goes into each assessment.
Stef (she/her) is a late-diagnosed AuDHD (Autistic/ADHD) clinical psychologist, a proud lesbian, and a passionate advocate for neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ communities. She provides telehealth therapy and assessments for adults across Australia, with a special focus on supporting neurodivergent individuals—including those with PDA profiles, sensory differences, and co-occurring mental health or trauma histories.
Stef is also 2E (twice-exceptional), meaning she experiences both giftedness and disability—something that deeply shapes her understanding of how intelligence, creativity, and executive dysfunction can co-exist. She brings a lived understanding of the complexities and contradictions that often come with navigating the world as a neurodivergent person. As both a clinician and NDIS participant, Stef is intimately familiar with the challenges of accessing support systems that weren’t designed with us in mind.
Her approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in authenticity. Stef supports clients to build self-understanding, unmask safely, regulate emotions, and develop practical strategies for managing daily life—all while honouring their unique neurotype and identity. She holds space for grief, anger, joy, and growth, and believes that healing happens not by fixing what isn't broken, but by creating environments where people can finally be themselves.
Based on the Gold Coast and working exclusively via telehealth, Stef offers a compassionate, affirming space where neurodivergent adults—especially those who are late-diagnosed, PDA, LGBTQIA+, or navigating burnout—can feel seen, supported, and empowered to create meaningful change.
When he’s not brumating, Jasper can often be found perched on Stef’s shoulder, keeping a close eye on client wellbeing. He has a particular fondness for woodies, super worms, capsicum, and long contemplative stares out the window. Known for his expert-level bombastic side-eye, Jasper brings a quiet but undeniable presence to therapy sessions.
Lottie takes her role at Autism First Psychology very seriously. Her most important job? Ensuring client privacy and confidentiality by keeping a vigilant watch and alerting Stef to any potential threats (real or imagined). Small but mighty, Lottie is dedicated to maintaining a secure and supportive environment—one bark at a time.
Coming Later in 2025: Embodying Autism by Sarah Bergenfield and Martha Sweezy
Autism and The Predictive Brain by Peter Vermeulen (ebook)
An article with a neuroscience explanation of Autism.
Does autism arise because the brain is continually surprised? | Science | AAAS
An affirming website with screening tools for Autism, ADHD, Alexithymia, Pathological Demand Avoidance, and more.
AI tools if you need a brain buddy to help with task initiation, memory, motivation, meltdown management, or emotional regulation.
ChatGPT
Goblin for task breakdowns, tone checking, and goal planning—built for neurodivergent brains.
Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity : Price, Devon: Amazon.com.au: Books
Late Bloomer: How an Autism Diagnosis Changed My Life : Bastow, Clem: Amazon.com.au: Books
A touching post about unmasking.
https://poweredbylove.ca/2023/07/22/shifting-my-unmasking-from-revealing-to-unearthing/
An excellent Australian podcast featuring many guests with lived experience, hosted by Monique Mitchelson and Dr Michelle Livock.
ND Woman Podcast
Two part excellent episodes on IFS and Autism. On IFS Talks with guest Sarah Bergenfield.
IFS & Autism – IFS Talks, Part 1
IFS & Autism – IFS Talks, Part 2
