Services

Individualised therapy for children, young people and adults

Gentle client-led therapeutic support from a trauma informed and culturally safe, flexible and integrative approach – working with individual needs and preferences.

Children: Amanda works from a child-led approach. This means that therapy may not look like your usual session – there is no expectation that the child will participate in set activities or a curriculum (although invitations may be made). A child’s autonomy and consent are a core part of the therapeutic process. Most children are inundated with expectations every day, many of which require significant masking and energy – it is extremely therapeutic to have quality focussed time to just “be” themselves in connection with a therapist (ideally with a comparable neurotype for co-regulation and modelling). Through child led journeys, relationship is built, and the therapist can identify and respond to strengths and challenges in a therapeutic way, as they the arise naturally in session. Sometimes parents /carers are involved and sometimes not. Psycho-education and support is woven in through parent sessions as needed.

Young people: Amanda’s philosophy remains the same when working with teenagers and young adults – the journey must be led by the individual. Teenagers and young adults may prefer a mixture of talk, EFT Tapping, creative therapies, play and more formal activities/strategies, or lean toward one or more approaches. Social navigation, consent and healthy relationships, anxiety, gender identity, sexuality, family dynamics, self advocacy, sensory awareness, school supports are some of the things we might end up covering in sessions – It all depends on what is important to the young person. Confidentiality is clearly discussed and where necessary, parents and other supporters can be included with the young person’s consent.

Adults: Like children and young people, Adults need to be able to negotiate their therapeutic path. Neurodivergent adults have often lived a life of masking, being misunderstood, and lacking in genuine consent or autonomy when it comes to our needs being met. For this reason its extra important that therapy is approached in a client-led way (even if this means the client asks the therapist to keep them focussed on a particular topic in a session!). Talking through things, creative therapies, EFT tapping, gaming, formal worksheets/activities, play and sandtray are some of the ways Adults like to work through things in therapy.

Amanda provides support for adults experiencing a variety of challenges including mental health concerns, trauma, parenting challenges, gender and sexuality stuff, family relationships issues, post separation and family court, workplace challenges, and neurodivergent identities and self advocacy.

Sessions may be in person, via Zoom, or in a gaming platform (such as Minecraft or Social Cipher).

Parenting coaching and support for neurodivergent families

Caring for a family with different neurotypes, profiles and support needs usually involves a lot of ‘learning on the job’ because mainstream approaches don’t tend to work in Neurodivergent families, especially those who share a PDA profile. Support that takes account of the whole family and community relationships without judgement can make a huge difference in outcomes for Neurodivergent people.

Exploration of neurodivergent identity (including gender and sexuality)

Regardless of where you are on the journey – professional peer support can help you understand where you come from, how you best function, and what you need. The themes of identity, trauma, cultural safety, consent, autonomy, self advocacy and self care are relevant to all of us, regardless of how we got to this point in our journey, or what our preferred modes of communication are. Neuro Nurture values Cultural Safety, trauma aware practice and is a LGBTQIA+ safe service.

Key worker support for people with multiple stakeholders / complex needs

Social workers can help with translating complex systems, supporting advocacy, developing a support plan, as well as assisting collaboration between stakeholders.

Amanda has experience working in crisis housing, domestic and family violence, intergenerational trauma, educational advocacy, community cultural development, youth arts, refugee settlement, financial literacy, mental health, medical systems and NDIS systems.

She is an experienced NDIS Support Coordinator – so has a working understanding of how Neurodivergence fits into the NDIS.

Peer connection and support groups

Groups for parents and carers, young people and children are being planned for late 2023 / early 2024.

Professional development and supervision

Neurodiversity and Neurodiversity affirming practice aren’t usually taught in school or university. Neuro Nurture supports social workers, teachers, psychologists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, early childhood professionals and anyone else who needs information, reflective practice or formal supervision.

Reports

Social workers are perfectly placed to write effective and targeted reports for schools, paediatricians, other allied health or the NDIS – including summarising and integrating all other reports and assessments to paint a clear picture for the reader. Neuro Nurture will also soon offer Functional Capacity Assessments (neurodivergence and psychosocial disabilities fit within the social work scope for this).

Neuro Nurture

Amanda Karo, BA/MSW

Amanda@neuro-nurture.com.au

0402 148 657

Brisbane, QLD, Australia