Psychological assessments in Newcastle
Understanding yourself, your child, or a loved one can sometimes begin with getting the right assessment.
At Life Matters Psychologists, we provide thoughtful, evidence-informed psychological assessments for adults, adolescents and children, helping people better understand how they think, learn, relate, regulate emotions, and navigate everyday life.
Whether you’re exploring concerns related to ADHD, autism (ASD), learning, behaviour, attention, emotional wellbeing, or cognitive functioning, our aim is to provide clarity, understanding and practical next steps.
We support individuals and families across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and the wider Hunter Region, with both in-person and Telehealth options available.
Assessment types
We provide a range of psychological assessments for adults and children, helping individuals and families better understand learning, behaviour, attention, emotions, communication and day-to-day functioning.
Our assessments aim to provide greater clarity, understanding and practical next steps, whether concerns are recent or have been present for many years.
ADHD Assessments
ADHD can affect attention, focus, organisation, emotional regulation, follow-through and more.
Some people seek assessment because everyday life feels harder than it should. Others are supporting a child or adolescent experiencing challenges at school, home or socially.
We provide psychology-led ADHD assessments for adults, adolescents and children.
Autism (ASD) Assessments
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can present differently from person to person and across different life stages.
People may seek assessment due to sensory sensitivities, social fatigue, communication differences, emotional overwhelm, or a long-standing sense of feeling different or misunderstood.
We provide psychology-led Autism (ASD) assessments for adults, adolescents and children.
Other Psychological Assessments
We also provide a range of assessments to better understand cognitive, behavioural, emotional and learning-related concerns.
Assessments may explore areas such as learning, executive functioning, emotional wellbeing, school-related challenges and developmental concerns.
If you’re unsure what type of assessment may be appropriate, our team can help guide you.
The process
The assessment process varies depending on the concerns being explored and the type of assessment required. Our team will guide you through what is involved and help determine the most appropriate pathway.
1
Identify your needs & desired outcome
Browse our assessment types and think about what you or your loved one are looking for, or what might have been recommended by your GP.
2
Contact our Assessments team
Call our Assessments admin team to discuss your options and ask any questions, or fill out our online enquiry form if you prefer.
3
Attend a Pre-Assessment session
At this session, our psychologist will gather the background information they need to determine what pathway is best for you.
4
Recommendations & suggested package
After the Pre-Assessment we’ll liaise with the psychologist and update you on which package is right for you.
5
Assessment, report & feedback
The full assessment process begins, including several sessions, a feedback session and a report. This will take place over a few weeks.
Next steps: Call 02 4965 3530 to talk to our specialised Assessments Team, or complete the pre-assessment form online
“Assessments are about understanding ourselves better and the report is a useful tool to help us navigate life with more clarity and find the support we need.”
- Mady Samali
FAQs
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Our most common assessment types are for:
ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
Learning Difficulties
Behaviour Difficulties
Behaviour Support Plans
Mental Health Conditions (e.g., Anxiety, Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
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We can provide assessments for:
Learning and development challenges and strengths
Intellectual disability
Conduct and oppositional disorders
Inattentiveness
Hyperactivity
Sensory sensitivity
Social communication problems
Career & vocation
Personality trait challenges & strengths
and more
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A psychometric measure is a tool used by psychologists and other mental health professionals to quickly gather information about a person’s mental health symptoms.
What makes a psychometric measure different from a general set of questions, is that they have been tested extensively to ensure that they are reliable (i.e. measure what they are measuring consistently) and valid (i.e. have been demonstrated to actually measure what they say they measure).
Responses on psychometric measures are tested on a large representative sample. This provides a normative data set which indicates what the “average” individual scores on the measure, and also what scores should be considered particularly high or particularly low within the population.
Psychometric measures are very useful for making diagnoses as they provide specific information about how an individual compares to their peers.
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A Medicare rebate can apply to some services if they are completed by a clinical or registered psychologist.
We have a dedicated Assessments team who can provide more information on whether you’re able to obtain a rebate on your assessment. Don't hesitate to reach out for more info.
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Generally, a report can be processed within 3-4 weeks of receipt of the completed assessments. You will be informed if there is an unexpected delay.
The report will be provided in PDF format after your Feedback Session.
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The report will contain the results from all the assessments completed, together with some background information.
For each of the assessments, the scoring will be compared with that of a relevant normative sample. This means for a child, the score will be compared to scores from other children of the same age and sex.
The report will provide some information about what diagnoses may be relevant to you on the basis of the scoring alone. Some general recommendations in different environments and further treatment options will also be provided. If you have a current treating psychologist at Life Matters Psychologists, they will include their observations in the report.