Ruth is a Clinical Neuropsychologist and the Director of Mindkit, a neurodivergent-led psychology practice. She consults from the Northside Natural Health rooms in Brunswick and by telehealth across Australia.

Her work is focused on comprehensive assessment, including neuropsychological evaluations, as well as assessment for autism and ADHD. Neuropsychological assessment answers a specific question about how a person thinks, learns, remembers and functions, and produces a written report that the person and their treating team can use.

Ruth holds AHPRA endorsement in clinical neuropsychology and is a Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Neuropsychologists. She completed her Master of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) at the University of Melbourne. She went on to work within a large regional hospital mental health directorate as its sole neuropsychologist, and has previously worked in private practice supporting a diverse range of neuropsychological presentations. She regularly presents at conferences both nationally and internationally.

Assessments

Neuropsychological assessment

A neuropsychological assessment measures cognition directly. Standardised testing covers memory, attention, processing speed, language, visual and spatial skills, and executive function, and the results are compared against people of the same age and background. People come for this

assessment when something has changed, or when they want an accurate account of their cognitive profile.

Ruth assesses questions including:

• Memory change, cognitive decline and dementia.

• Concussion, traumatic brain injury and acquired brain injury.

• Learning differences such as dyslexia and dyscalculia.

• Intellectual disability.

• The cognitive effects of long COVID.

• Cognitive difficulties following stroke, epilepsy, movement disorders and other neurological conditions.

• Cognitive difficulties following burnout, chronic illness, or a period of poor mental health.

Autism and ADHD identification

Ruth identifies Autism and ADHD in adults and young people, either separately or as a combined assessment. The process accounts for camouflaging, for co-occurring difficulties, and for the different ways Autism and ADHD show up across ages, genders and cultural backgrounds.

Every identification assessment produces a written profile with a comprehensive description of a person’s traits, as well as practical recommendations for home, work, study and daily life, and a feedback session to talk the findings through.

Screening assessment (Autism and ADHD)

A single session for people who want a clearer picture without committing to a full assessment. Questionnaires are completed beforehand and the results are worked through together in the session. A screening assessment does not produce a diagnosis and is not suitable as evidence for NDIS purposes.

Functional capacity assessment and NDIS evidence

A functional capacity assessment describes what a person can do, what they cannot do without support, and what support would change that. It covers daily living, communication, social interaction, learning, mobility and self-management. Ruth writes these as standalone assessments and as an addition to an identification or neuropsychological assessment, and the reports are prepared to address NDIS access requests and plan reviews.

Psychological assessment for diagnostic clarification

Questions Ruth assesses include bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders, along with the differentiation between conditions that overlap.

Gender-affirming assessment

Assessment and supporting documentation for people seeking gender-affirming medical care.

Disability Support Pension supporting evidence

Reports written to address the impairment tables used in Disability Support Pension claims, including the tables that require the assessment to be made by a psychologist rather than a medical practitioner.

Medico-legal and court reports

Assessment and reporting where the question is being asked by a court, a solicitor or an insurer.

What an assessment involves

The shape is the same across assessment types, and the length varies with the question being asked.

1. A free 15-minute consultation call, so you can ask questions and decide whether to go ahead.

2. Questionnaires completed online before the first appointment, covering your history and current functioning.

3. A clinical interview, in person in Brunswick or by telehealth.

4. Standardised testing, where the assessment type requires this.

5. A conversation with someone who knows you well, with your consent, where that information would assist in the formulation.

6. A feedback session where the results and recommendations are explained in full.

7. A written report.

Therapy, coaching and support

Therapy at Mindkit draws on approaches including cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, EMDR, schema therapy, parts work and somatic therapies, adapted for neurodivergent people. ADHD coaching is delivered by a coach credentialed through the International Coaching Federation. Support work covers the day-to-day: appointments, forms, body doubling and building routines.

Practical details

• Location. In person at Northside Natural Health, 81 Holmes Street, Brunswick, and by telehealth across Australia.

• Who we see. Adults and young people ages 7 and up.

• Referrals. No referral is needed to book an assessment privately. Referrals from GPs, psychiatrists, other specialists and NDIS support coordinators are accepted.