ANNETTA BOUIUS
Clinical Psychologist
SERVICES
Psychological Services
Therapy
Talking about your private life with someone you don’t know can be scary. Clinical Psychologists provide a confidential service and will always talk to you about what this means when we first meet.
Annetta uses a warm and, where appropriate, humorous approach to helping people of all ages find the right solution for their needs. She specialises in making difficult concepts easy to understand and life-changing strategies fun.
Annetta can offer various other therapeutic options, including solution-focused brief therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), reflective talking therapy, mindfulness and somatic therapies.
Annetta largely works from a strengths-based approach. This approach assumes that people are generally resourceful and resilient when faced with difficult situations. It is client-led and focuses on uncovering the strengths people bring to a problem or crisis and helps them to use these to manage current difficulties.
The number of sessions people need depends on several factors. Annetta will discuss your goals, the estimated number of sessions required, and a process for reviewing progress.
It is difficult, however, to be specific about time frames for treatment, particularly for people with neurodiversity, who sometimes need more time and different ways of presenting information to support understanding.
Autism Assessment
In addition to a diagnosis (where indicated), a full diagnostic assessment aims to help people understand various factors contributing to their day-to-day experiences, including:
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What your sensory profile is, and what it means for your day-to-day experience, including your mental health
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Whether you engage in masking and to what degree
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Whether you experience alexithymia (difficulty connecting to and naming emotional experiences)
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Whether you experience difficulties reading and interpreting others' facial experiences and to what degree
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For an additional cost, you may also wish to explore strengths and weaknesses in executive functioning (organisation, short-term memory capacity, attention, etc.), ADHD assessment, and/or gain an understanding of any mental health difficulties.
What does an Autism Assessment Involve?
The assessment has four steps.
Step 1:
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You will be asked to complete several questionnaires at home before the first appointment.
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Bring together any relevant documents and school reports (if available).
Step 2:
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The assessment usually involves one or two appointments that typically take 1 ½ - 2 hours (a second assessment meeting may be required to complete the assessment). We talk through your past and present experiences, assess for Autism symptoms, take a developmental history, and ask questions on specific areas of how you function in your daily life and your relationships.
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It can be helpful to have a person who knows you well (e.g., a parent, brother, sister, or partner) attend the first consultation to assist with gathering important information about your early developmental history and understanding your characteristics. I can meet with that person over a Zoom or telephone call if preferable.
Step 3:
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A follow-up session may be required to complete the assessment.
Step 4:
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I will then score the questionnaires and write up the report with the information gathered if someone warrants a diagnosis of Autism.
Please note: Sometimes, a person’s problems are complicated, and the above process may not be appropriate. I will discuss this with you at the time.
ADHD Assessment
Do you have more trouble planning, organising or remembering things than most people? Are you always on the go, bored or restless, forgetful and/ or never organised enough to get things done on time? These may be signs that you have ADHD.
Annetta offers assessment for adult ADHD (age 18+). She does not prescribe or provide special authority numbers for ADHD medication. This has to be done by a psychiatrist. While clinical psychologists and psychiatrists can both diagnose adult ADHD, only psychiatrists can prescribe stimulant medication as these are controlled substances and must receive a special authority code from a psychiatrist.
What does assessment for ADHD involve?
As several different disorders look like and co-exist with ADHD, the process of an assessment is to establish if there are any other explanations for your symptoms, in addition to getting clear information on what your symptoms are and how they impact you.
It is important to note that there must be evidence of ADHD symptoms during childhood for a diagnosis. School reports and information from people who knew you well during childhood are helpful for establishing this.
The assessment has four steps.
Step 1:
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You will be sent several questionnaires, which you will be asked to answer at home and return before your appointment.
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Bring together relevant documents and school reports (if available).
Step 2:
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The assessment usually involves attending one or two appointments in my practice rooms. Typically, the assessment takes around 2 ½ hours (a second assessment meeting may be required to complete the assessment). We talk through your past and present experiences, assess for ADHD symptoms, take a developmental history, and ask questions on specific areas of how you function in your daily life and your relationships.
-
It can be helpful to have a person who knows you well (e.g., a parent, brother, sister, or partner) attend the first consultation to assist with gathering important information about your early developmental history and understanding your characteristics. With your consent, I can meet with that person over Zoom or telephone if preferable.
Step 3:
-
A follow-up session may be required to complete the assessment.
Step 4:
-
I will then score the questionnaires and write up the report with the information gathered if someone warrants a diagnosis of ADHD.
Please note: Sometimes, a person’s problems are complicated, and the above process may not be appropriate. I will discuss this with you at the time.
Adult ADHD Self Report Screening Scale
If you think you may have ADHD the following questionnaire can be used as a starting point to help you recognize the signs/symptoms of Adult ADHD.
It is not meant to replace consultation with a trained healthcare professional as an accurate diagnosis can only be made through a clinical evaluation.
