Autism Assessment & Affirming Support
Understanding yourself, or your child, a little better
Reviewed by Elizabeth Giles Registered Psychologist at Cadence Psychology This page has been prepared and reviewed by Elizabeth Giles, a Registered Psychologist with over 20 years’ experience across school, TAFE, and private practice settings, working with autistic and potentially autistic children, adolescents, and adults.
A Different Way of Experiencing the World
Autism isn’t a deficit to be corrected; it’s a different way of processing, experiencing, and relating to the world. For some people, understanding this difference through assessment brings genuine relief and clarity. For others, the goal isn’t a formal diagnosis at all, but practical, affirming support for the challenges that come with navigating a world not built with neurodivergence in mind.
At Cadence Psychology, with clinics in North Sydney and Pymble, we take an affirming approach, working with each person’s strengths, not just their difficulties.
Autism in Adults
Many adults reach their thirties, forties, or later before recognising signs of autism, often after a child’s diagnosis prompts them to reflect on their own experiences. Common signs adults describe include:
- Sensory sensitivities to sound, light, texture, or environment
- Social exhaustion, or needing significant recovery time after socialising
- A strong preference for routine and difficulty with unexpected change
- Deep, focused interests that others may not always understand
- Difficulty with unwritten social rules, despite intellectually understanding social norms
- A lifelong sense of being “different”, often alongside anxiety or low self-esteem from years of masking or trying to fit in
Autism in Children & Teens
Autism can present very differently from child to child, and often looks different in girls, who are frequently under-identified. We commonly see:
- Differences in social communication or connecting with peers
- Strong, specific interests pursued with real depth and focus
- Sensory sensitivities to noise, textures, food, or clothing
- Difficulty with change or transitions between activities
- Big emotional responses, particularly when overwhelmed or overstimulated
- Masking, particularly in girls — appearing to cope at school, then struggling significantly at home
We work collaboratively with parents and, where appropriate, schools, to build a genuinely supportive environment around your child.
How a Psychologist Can Help
Our approach centres on understanding and support, not “fixing”:
- Psychoeducation, helping you or your child understand autism as a difference, not a deficit
- Practical strategies for managing sensory sensitivities, routine changes, and overwhelm
- Support for co-occurring anxiety, which is common among autistic children and adults
- Building self-understanding and self-advocacy, particularly valuable for adults processing a late-in-life recognition
- Parent support and school liaison, where appropriate and with consent, to ensure consistent understanding across your child’s environments
- Emotional regulation strategies tailored to how your child specifically experiences and expresses big feelings
Our Convenient Locations
Autism Assessment & Support in North Sydney
Our private rooms in the North Sydney CBD are a short walk from North Sydney Station, accessible for clients from Chatswood and St Leonards.
Autism Assessment & Support in Pymble
Our calm, sensory-considerate clinic in Pymble offers a private setting for families across the Upper North Shore, including Turramurra and Gordon.
Online Psychology (Australia-Wide)
Telehealth support, which some autistic clients find more comfortable than an in-person setting.
Start Understanding Yourself, or Your Child, Better
Whether you’re seeking clarity for yourself or support for your child, we’re here to help you find it.