Family therapy for neurodiverse families.
Australia-wide by telehealth. In person around McLaren Vale. All ages — most of my clients are between 4 and 50.
Self-identified is valid. Formal diagnosis isn’t required.
Current waitlist is around 8 weeks — worth joining now, not when things boil over.
Therapy that already understands neurodivergence.
Many neurodivergent people spend the first stretch of any therapy explaining themselves — the stimming, the shutdowns, the sensory load, the cost of eye contact. Here, that part is already done. We get it, we live it, every day.
I work with individuals, families and groups. Often it starts with one person — a child who is melting down, a mother who has just recognised herself in her child’s diagnosis — and grows to include the people around them. The whole family system matters, because one brain never operates alone in a house.
Who’s in the room? Whatever works.
Younger children
We work together — child, parent or caregiver, plus me. The family is part of the work from day one.
As they grow
Young people decide who is in and who is out of their sessions. It can change session to session.
Adults & families
By Zoom anywhere in Australia, or in person — home and community visits up to 30 minutes from McLaren Vale.
No couch. No small talk quota.
Come as you are — stim, pace, fidget, bring the dog. Cameras can be off when they need to be. We name the experience first, then work the practical tools: mapping stress behaviour, spotting the cues before meltdown, building routines that fit your actual brain.
You won’t be told to try harder. You’ve done that for years.
Three steps, no hoops
Join the waitlist
A short form — who’s involved, what’s going on, how you’d like to work.
We find the time
When a spot opens, we lock in a time that works for your family.
First session
We start where the need is. Cameras off is fine. Bring whoever needs to be there.
Fees, upfront
Social work line item, capacity building.
Telehealth
Zoom, Australia-wide. Familiar room, your own sensory setup, no travel load.
Home visits
Up to 30 minutes from McLaren Vale — two-way travel cost, billed in 10-minute intervals.
Funding
Private, NDIS self-managed or plan-managed. Mental Health Care Plans aren’t accepted.
Referrals
Self-referral is fine. Professionals can use the referral form.
Joanne Hatchard
- Master of Social Work, University of South Australia
- Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), Edith Cowan University
- Accredited social worker — AASW member 438252
- Additional training: EFT, Art Therapy, Play Therapy, Lego Therapy
- And the lived kind: a neurodivergent woman raising a neurodivergent son
Questions, answered straight
Do I need a diagnosis before we start?
No. Self-identified is valid. Plenty of my clients are exploring the question, not holding the certificate.
Can you see just my child?
We start where the need is. With younger children a caregiver is part of the work; as young people get older they choose who joins. Therapy that sticks usually involves the family system.
What funding can I use?
Private, NDIS self-managed or NDIS plan-managed. Mental Health Care Plans aren’t accepted.
How long is the wait?
Around 8 weeks. Join the waitlist and use the time — the free ND Life Alignment Quiz is a solid place to start.
Is telehealth as good as in person?
For most neurodivergent clients it’s better — familiar room, own sensory setup, no travel load. In person is there if you’re near McLaren Vale.
Two ways to start
Join the therapy waitlist — around 8 weeks, worth holding a place. Not ready for 1:1? The free ND Life Alignment Quiz takes five minutes and gives you a clear next step.