ABOUT AMANDA
Professional Background
Amanda has spent her career working alongside neurodivergent children, adolescents, young adults and families.
With 16 years of teaching experience in education and 7 years working in counselling roles, she brings a distinctive combination of educational, therapeutic and neurodivergent understanding to her work.
Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience as an autistic and ADHD professional (AuDHD), and as the parent of a neurodivergent child, Amanda provides neurodivergent-affirming support and consulting for adolescents, adults, families and professionals.
Areas of Interest
Amanda works with neurodivergent adolescents, young adults and adults, with particular interest in:
Autism, ADHD and combined AuDHD (Autism + ADHD)
School Can't (formerly known as School Refusal)
Persistent Demand for Autonomy (PDA) (also known as Pathological Demand Avoidance)
Twice Exceptional profiles (2E)
Sensory Processing & Sensory Regulation
Neurodivergent Identity Exploration and Development
Late Identification of Neurodivergence & Navigating Life Post-Diagnosis
Parent & Caregiver Support
Advocacy, System Navigation & Collaborative Support
Supporting Families Through Education
Having worked extensively within a wide variety of both government and independent schools, Amanda understands the realities many families face when navigating attendance concerns, wellbeing processes, learning adjustments, school communication and external supports.
Her background allows her to communicate effectively across education, allied health, medical and family systems to support more collaborative and practical care.
Amanda’s Approach
Clients and parents often describe Amanda as compassionate, insightful, funny and easy to talk to, with many sharing that they finally feel understood without judgement.
As a neurodivergent professional herself, Amanda understands the unspoken sense of recognition and connection that many neurodivergent people experience when interacting with someone who genuinely “gets it”. This often helps clients feel more comfortable, understood and able to engage authentically in the support process.
Amanda is particularly known for her ability to:
Connect with clients through authentic and respectful conversation
Support parents feeling overwhelmed or unsure how to navigate systems and supports
Engage clients who may struggle with traditional therapy environments
Explain neurodivergent experiences in accessible and validating ways
Create spaces where clients feel understood, supported and empowered
Outside of Work
Amanda loves spending time both with her daughter and rescue animals — including two ex-laboratory research dogs who now spend their days demanding walks, snacks and snuggles, and a blue-tongued lizard who is entirely convinced he is a fearless dragon.
Out in nature is where Amanda feels most grounded. Whether it's exploring bush tracks, spending time in the garden or heading to the beach to soak up some sunshine and listen to the waves, she finds the natural world restorative and values caring for the environment and the creatures who share it.
With a background in Industrial Design alongside Visual Arts teaching, she also loves a good hyperfocus on all things creative, including painting, 3D modelling, digital art, laser cutting and textiles.
Amanda is also a self-confessed movie and TV series tragic who will almost inevitably end up down an IMDb rabbit hole midway through watching something. Her music tastes are equally eclectic, ranging from progressive metal through to classical music — often within the same playlist. On repeat. For months.