Life Psychology Australia A practical guide
Support that takes your way
of being seriously.
It means shaping therapy around your needs, strengths and priorities. What’s difficult deserves care, and how you think, feel and experience the world matters in that work.
For autistic adults, ADHDers and people still exploring their neurotype, that can start with a simple question: what would make everyday life work better for you?
Our sessions are for adults 18+, online. We offer supportive therapy; formal autism and ADHD diagnostic assessments aren’t provided.
In a session
The approach becomes meaningful in the small decisions you and your therapist make together. These are examples of what you might explore.
A busy workplace, switching between tasks, or getting through a social day. You might look at the demands around you, the effort they take and changes that could make things more manageable.
For example: noticing which parts of the day leave you depleted, then choosing one demand to adjust.
You might want more time to find words, a clearer explanation, or a different pace. Your language for your identity matters too. Preferences are something to discuss throughout the work.
For example: letting your therapist know that a pause helps you think before answering.
Your focus might be a difficult routine, a relationship, anxiety, or making sense of a recent identification. Goals can reflect what matters to you, including the support you need.
For example: finding a way to explain a need to someone close to you.
Changing or hiding your natural responses to meet other people’s expectations can take effort. You can explore what masking means in your life, including comfort, safety and choice. You decide what you want to discuss.
Finding your fit
“Affirming” is a useful starting point. A conversation about how a therapist works can tell you more.
You don’t need to arrive with a list. One thing that would help you feel understood is enough to begin.
Questions you could ask a therapist
With any practice, ask about particular arrangements before booking. Written summaries, advance agendas and other adjustments need to be agreed, rather than assumed.
Ask us about what you needThe thinking behind it
Neurodiversity describes the variation in how human minds work. An affirming approach respects that variation and recognises that people can also have substantial disability and support needs.
The ideas have grown through neurodivergent advocacy, lived experience and research. In therapy, they inform how goals, communication and the environment are considered with the person.
Neurodiversity-affirming describes an approach to care. Evidence for treatment depends on the particular method, concern and person.
Clinical guidance supports adapting psychological therapies for autistic adults with co-occurring mental health concerns. Australian ADHD guidance also supports ADHD-focused cognitive behavioural interventions for adults. These are different bodies of evidence; a finding about autism doesn’t automatically apply to ADHD.
Read the guidance and source notesPeople use different words for their experiences. You can say which language you prefer.
At this practice
Our sessions are for adults aged 18 and over, by secure telehealth across Australia.
These are supportive therapy sessions. We don’t provide formal autism or ADHD diagnostic assessments.
No formal autism or ADHD diagnosis is needed to book supportive therapy with us. You can be diagnosed, self-identified or still exploring.
Medicare and NDIS each have separate eligibility and funding requirements.
Yes. Being neurodivergent doesn’t mean your neurotype has to be the main topic. You can ask about support for the difficulty that brought you here.
Our Neurodiversity Support page explains the work you might explore with Zoe. If you’re unsure whether it fits, ask us first.
Telehealth sessions can reduce travel and let you attend from a familiar place, but they won’t suit everyone. Privacy, connection quality and communication needs matter.
Tell us about anything that could make attending difficult. We can discuss the fit and what arrangements are possible before you book.
Private sessions are available without a GP referral. Medicare sessions require eligibility and an appropriate referral; NDIS support must meet the conditions of your plan, with relevant funding available.
The practice accepts self-managed and plan-managed NDIS funding. We are not an NDIS-registered provider and cannot accept NDIA-managed funding.
See fees and booking charges, check referral requirements or get help choosing a funding option.
Read a little further
Sources checked 19 September 2026. These resources inform the explanation above; they don’t establish the effectiveness of every service described as affirming.
Principles in the Australian assessment guideline, recognising both strengths and support needs. This is assessment guidance, rather than a trial of therapy.
This UK guideline’s recommendations 1.6.2–1.6.3 address adaptations to psychological interventions for coexisting mental health concerns.
Australian guidance on ADHD-focused cognitive behavioural interventions, with the evidence and its limitations.
These papers concern autism. They offer concepts and accounts of lived experience, rather than proof that a particular therapy works or that the findings apply to ADHD.
Zoe SemmlerClinical PsychologistGet to know Zoe
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