A Mind of your Own: Psychology, Education and Support

28/02/2026

Today is Rare Disease Day.

While each condition may be uncommon, together rare diseases affect many individuals and families in our community. The journey to diagnosis and support is often complex, exhausting and isolating.

At A Mind of Your Own, we recognise the strength it takes to navigate rare and complex conditions. You deserve to be heard, understood and supported.



Contact us: amindofyourown.com.au

28/02/2026

****Top Fringe Show****

Relatable content for the work we do and support we provide.

So It Was ADHD This Whole Time

There is a very specific moment many women have.

You are scrolling. You see a post about ADHD. You laugh. Then you stop laughing.

Because it is not just relatable. It is painfully accurate.

The colour coded planner you forgot to open.
The last minute adrenaline productivity.
The 55 tabs open in your brain at all times.
The lifelong feeling of being capable but somehow inconsistent.

You were not disruptive. You were overthinking. Masking. Trying very hard to keep up.

A late diagnosis can feel like someone finally turning the lights on. There can be grief for the years spent self criticising. There can be relief in realising you were never lazy or broken.

Just wired differently. And finally, understood.

Contact us for support and understanding:
www.amindofyourown.com.au

Check out:

28/02/2026

This is cool! My kids love the museum

27/02/2026

How fabulous! We have most of these books in clinic

A local counselling service has been able to deliver much‑needed neurodevelopmental resources to children and young people, thanks to support from the City of PAE’s Quick Response Grant program.

Project 18 recently received the grant to help address a growing gap faced by families following a diagnosis of Autism, ADHD or other neurodevelopmental conditions.

The grant enabled the local service to purchase a collection of child‑friendly books and journals, many written by lived‑experience authors, to help young people better understand their diagnosis in reassuring, accessible ways.

While diagnoses continue to increase, many families experience long waits for reports, recommendations and formal supports, often at a time when reassurance, clarity and child‑friendly information is crucial.

The titles are used in counselling sessions and taken home, giving children and caregivers a shared language to reduce fear, build confidence and strengthen connection.

The City of PAE’s Quick Response Grant program provides up to $500 for not‑for‑profit organisations and community groups to respond to immediate needs and opportunities that benefit the community, to make a real difference when timing matters most.

Local not‑for‑profit groups and community organisations interested in applying for support can visit the City of PAE website for guidelines and application details. Grants are available year‑round and are assessed promptly to ensure organisations can respond to immediate needs.

If you'd like to borrow similar resources, you can also reach out to our City of PAE Libraries

25/02/2026

**** We have immediate availability for autism assessments and combined autism/adhd assessments! ****

Payment plans via instalments available

Contact us for more information - admin@amindofyourown.com.au or via our website - www.amindofyourown.com.au

Picture credit - Neurowild

24/02/2026

***Blog Post***

Autism, Empathy, and Emotion: Separating Myth from Reality

We are proud to share a new piece from Alex Cartney, Therapeutic Youth Mentor at A Mind of Your Own.

In his role, Alex works alongside young people in practical, relational, and strengths based ways that extend beyond the therapy room. Her recent article explores two of the most common myths about autism

• Autistic people lack empathy
• Autistic people do not experience a full range of emotions

These assumptions are still widespread, but they are not supported by research or lived experience.

Empathy is not a single skill. It includes feeling with someone, understanding their perspective, and expressing care in socially recognised ways. Many autistic people experience deep emotional empathy, though they may express it differently to neurotypical expectations. When empathy is judged only by eye contact, tone of voice, or facial expression, autistic expressions of care can be overlooked.

Autistic people experience the full spectrum of human emotion including joy, anger, love, grief, excitement, and fear. What may differ is how emotions are processed, regulated, or expressed. Emotional intensity or shutdown is not a lack of feeling. Often it reflects a nervous system managing overwhelm.

At AMOYO, we take a neuroaffirming approach. This means moving away from deficit narratives and toward understanding autism as a natural variation in how people experience and respond to the world.

When we challenge myths, we reduce shame.
When we listen to lived experience, we build connection.
When we understand difference, we create safer spaces.

If you would like to connect with Alex or learn more about our therapeutic mentoring supports, please reach out.

*full blog post on website

Contact us at: www.amindofyourown.com.au

24/02/2026

Welcome Lisa! She has availability from mid March

Exciting news! We are welcoming another new clinician ❤️

Lisa is a Registered Psychologist with extensive experience supporting individuals across the lifespan. She began her career in the UK National Health Service, working across adult mental health, forensic, and family court settings, supporting individuals and families navigating complex systems. Since completing her clinical training in 2017, Lisa has specialised in working with people with disability, using a developmentally informed and context-aware approach.

Lisa has strong expertise in autism and ADHD assessment across the lifespan. She uses an integrative therapeutic approach drawing from CBT, DBT, and ACT, and is committed to providing individualised, collaborative, and neuro-affirming support. Lisa also brings lived experience as an autistic and ADHD clinician, which enriches her understanding of neurodivergence, identity, and barriers to care.

Availability: Lisa has capacity for autism/adhd diagnostic assessments (for children and adults) and therapeutic interventions (for children and adolescents) in 2026.

Enquire now to book in with Lisa: admin@amindofyourown.com.au

24/02/2026

Welcoming our first team blog post!

The Double Empathy Problem

Why can communication sometimes feel hard between autistic and non-autistic people?

For many years, autism was explained as a “lack of empathy.” But research — particularly the work of Dr Damian Milton — has helped shift this understanding.

The Double Empathy Problem suggests that misunderstandings between autistic and non-autistic people are not one-sided. They happen because people experience and express empathy differently.

It’s not that autistic people lack empathy.
It’s that communication styles can differ.

Autistic people may communicate more directly or literally.

Non-autistic people may rely more on tone, implied meaning, or unspoken social rules.

When those styles meet, there can be a mismatch.

The key idea?

It’s a two-way difference — not a deficit.

Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with the autistic person?”

We might ask, “Where is the communication mismatch happening?”

This shift matters. It reduces blame. It increases understanding. And it reminds autistic young people that they are not “less than” — just different.

At A Mind of Your Own, we work from a neuro-affirming lens. That means helping children, families and schools understand communication differences, not pathologise them.

Understanding goes both ways. And all communication styles are worthy of being understood.

If you’d like to learn more about the Double Empathy Problem, let us know — we’re always happy to share resources.

— Luke

Provisional Psychologist
A Mind of Your Own

www.amindofyourown.com.au

*full blog post with references on the website

18/02/2026

Some free seminars that look great for our families

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1257655649801906&set=a.597968219103989&type=3rn

This week’s events are a chance to learn from and alongside other families, while growing skills, confidence and knowledge together.

Here’s what’s coming up this week, plus a look at some of our upcoming webinars and workshops for the term.

🔹 EVENTS THIS WEEK⁠ ⁠

🔸 Understanding School IEPs: Webinar
📅 Mon, 16 Feb | 8:00pm
Individual Education Plans (IEPs) can be an important support at school, yet many families find the process unclear or inconsistent. In this webinar Kim Waldron from Early Ed joins us to share what makes an effective IEP, how the process works, how to feel more confident partnering with your child’s school and what to do if a plan is not working.
🔗Register to attend live or receive recording: https://events.humanitix.com/webinar1602x

🔸 Rediscovering Yourself: Daytime Virtual MyTime
📅 Tue, 17 Feb | 12:00pm
As parents and carers, we carry so many responsibilities and it’s easy for the other parts of who we are to slip into the background. In this session we’ll talk about identity, joy and the things that make you feel like you and explore gentle ways to nurture your own interests and wellbeing.
🔗Register: https://events.humanitix.com/mytimeonline1702x

🔸 Healthy Mothers Healthy Families: Workshop
📅 Tue, 17 Feb | 7:30pm or Wed, 18 Feb | 12:00pm
Do you wish you had more balance in your life, and time for your own well-being? Healthy Mothers Healthy Families is an evidence-based program that supports mothers of children with disability to create a healthy lifestyle that fosters their own well-being, alongside a healthy, happy family life.
⁠🔗 Register: https://collections.humanitix.com/hmhf

🔸Under 8 Years: Seeing the Signs of Overwhelm: Virtual Autism MyTime
📅Wed, 18 Feb | 8:00pm
Many children show signs of overwhelm long before they reach their limit. This session is a chance to talk about the small shifts in behaviour or energy that can signal when a child is nearing their limit. We’ll look at what overwhelm can look like in everyday moments and how we can support our children with connection and understanding.
🔗 Register: https://events.humanitix.com/virtualmytime1802

🔸Connect & Chat: Virtual MyTime
📅Thu, 19 Feb | 7:30pm
Are you looking to connect with other parents and carers who really understand what it’s like? This group is a space to share experiences, ask questions, and find support.
🔗 Register: https://events.humanitix.com/virtualmytime1902x

🔹 UPCOMING WEBINARS

🔸Autistic Burnout in Children⁠ - Autism Webinar
📅Wed, 25 Feb | 8:00pm⁠
🔗 Register to attend live or receive recording: https://events.humanitix.com/aw2502

🔸When Words Are Misunderstood⁠ - Receptive Language Webinar
📅Thu, 26 Feb | 8:00pm⁠
🔗 Register to attend live or receive recording: https://events.humanitix.com/rlwebinar2602
⁠
🔸Understanding Adjustments & Supports at School⁠ - Webinar
📅Mon, 2 Mar | 8:00pm⁠
🔗 Register to attend live or receive recording: https://events.humanitix.com/webinar0203

🔸Practical Strategies for Burnout
📅Wed 11 Mar | 12:00pm
🔗 Register to attend live or receive recording: https://events.humanitix.com/infosession1103

🔹UPCOMING INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS ⁠

🔸Partnering with Your Child’s School ⁠
📅Mon, 23 Feb | 8:00pm⁠
🔗 Register: https://events.humanitix.com/partnerships2302
⁠
🔸Advocacy at School⁠
📅Mon, 16 March | 8:00pm or Thu, 26 March | 10:00am⁠
⁠🔗 Register: https://collections.humanitix.com/advocacy
⁠
📌 See the full event calendar at: https://belongsidefamilies.org.au/humanitix-events/
👩🏻‍💻 All sessions are FREE and online. Times shown in NSW / AEDT. 🧡

13/02/2026

At the fabulous Neuronuture Conference 2026: Supporting Autistic Children and Families

12/02/2026

This is a fabulous initiative ❤️