FAQs

No. Fees are listed here because needing to contact a service just to find out the basics can be a barrier, especially for autistic, ADHD and AuDHD people doing their own tentative or exploratory research before reaching out.

Fees are mostly as listed but may vary if an assessment is more complex, requires additional tools, school consultation, NDIS-focused reporting, or extra liaison.

Autism and ADHD commonly co-occur, a profile often known in the neurodivergent community as AuDHD. According to Lau-Zhu et al. (2019), ADHD presents in 30-80% of autistic individuals and autism presents in 20-50% of people with ADHD. Missed/late diagnoses have been found to lead to poorer quality of life for autistic individuals and the high overlap warrants investigation of the internalised or masked presentation of autism.

At Spicy Psychology, autism and ADHD are usually assessed together because they can hide, mask or complicate each other. Exploring both can help create a clearer and more useful understanding of the whole person.

Where autism or ADHD has already been formally diagnosed, a more targeted assessment may be appropriate.

If neither has been formally explored before, Spicy Psychology prefers an AuDHD assessment so that both autism and ADHD can be considered thoughtfully. The overlap of both is estimated to be between 

That's ok! Many people are unsure where to start.

You can start with an enquiry, and Spicy Psychology can help clarify the most appropriate pathway.

Yes. Assessment fees include written feedback and report preparation unless otherwise stated in your quote.

Reports are designed to be clear and practical, with recommendations that support self-understanding, advocacy, accommodations, treatment planning and more compassionate ways forward.

No. A cognitive assessment explores a person's learning and thinking profile, such as verbal reasoning, visual-spatial thinking, working memory, processing speed and problem-solving.

Cognitive assessment may help identify intellectual disability, giftedness, twice-exceptional profiles, cognitive strengths, learning disabilities (like dyslexia or discalculia), and support needs. It can be completed on its own or alongside an AuDHD assessment where appropriate.

Yes. Assessment fees may be paid in staged instalments across the assessment process or in one payment upfront.

A $500 deposit is required to secure an assessment booking, with remaining payments due at agreed points before appointments and before release of the written report.

Comprehensive AuDHD and cognitive assessments are usually privately billed and are generally not eligible for Medicare rebates.

Some Medicare rebates may apply in limited circumstances, particularly for eligible children and young people referred through specific complex neurodevelopmental condition pathways. Medicare rebates do not usually cover the full cost of comprehensive private assessment.

NDIS-funded psychology services may be available for self-managed and plan-managed participants where the service is consistent with the participant’s NDIS plan, goals and funding category.

NDIS funding does not guarantee coverage of diagnostic assessment. Participants, nominees or plan managers are responsible for confirming whether a service can be claimed from their plan before booking.

NDIS-related reports may be available where appropriate. These reports generally focus on functional impact, support needs, goals, progress, barriers and recommendations.

NDIS-focused functional reporting may incur additional fees because it can involve extra assessment, interpretation, documentation and liaison.

Therapy, parent consultation, family therapy and secure online video(game) therapy are planned to be available from March 2027.

Approximate expected therapy fees are listed on this page so that people can plan ahead. Fees and rebate information will be confirmed before regular therapy appointments become available.

Yes. Secure online video(game) therapy and gamer therapy are charged at the same rate as in-person therapy.

Online therapy is not considered a lesser version of support. It is another way of meeting people where they are at and increasing service accessibility for neurodivergent clients.

Yes, where clinically appropriate. Some young people may be able to access secure online video therapy from their bedroom, couch, or another familiar space.

Support may also include parent consultation, carer support, family therapy, Minecraft-supported sessions, or a flexible combination of approaches depending on the young person’s needs and capacity.

A referral is not usually required to make an enquiry or book a privately billed assessment.

A valid referral may be needed if Medicare rebates are available for a particular service or pathway. Spicy Psychology can clarify this during the enquiry process.

No. Spicy Psychology is not a crisis or emergency service.

If life is in immediate danger, please call 000 or go to the nearest emergency department (ED). If you are feeling suicidal or worried you might not stay safe, please use the Help page for crisis and support options.

Please provide at least 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment.

Late cancellations or non-attendance may attract a cancellation fee. Spicy Psychology understands that disability, burnout, illness, shutdown, caring responsibilities and life events can affect attendance. Please get in touch as early as possible if you need to discuss an appointment.

Spicy Psychology cannot prescribe ADHD medication. In Australia, medication is prescribed by medical practitioners, such as psychiatrists, paediatricians or appropriately authorised GPs.

If your main goal is medication, it may be more time and cost effective to speak with your GP first about medical ADHD pathways via a paediatrician or a psychiatrist.

Psychologists in Australia can diagnose ADHD and provide an assessment, formulation, report and recommendations that may support conversations with a prescribing professional. However, prescribing decisions sit with the medical practitioner, and an assessment at Spicy Psychology does not guarantee medication or a prescription.

Many paediatricians are happy to prescribe medication on the basis of an extensive report by a psychologist. Psychiatrists may accept the report or be inclined to do an assessment themselves, however, our reports are extensive and shouldn't warrant further investigation. See here and here for the current prescribing laws in Victoria.