Written by Alyssa Cvetkovski When making decisions about whether someone may or may not receive a diagnosis, psychologists (and many other professionals) rely on a manual called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM; 5th Edition, Text Revision). The DSM contains detailed descriptions of key characteristics for different presentations and is an important tool used for ensuring accurate diagnosis.   However, the current DSM diagnostic criteria for autism is what some might describe as “deficit-based”. This means that when evaluating whether a person may or may ..read more

Written by Brianna Pawlowicz The new year can often be a very exciting and joyful time, However it can simultaneously be a daunting, sad, lonely time for a lot of us. We have created a list of tips we think are important to remember at this time. 1. Reflect! Think back to 2023, what brought you joy? what challenged you? What were you proud of? Reflecting on the year that was, can help us to set goals that are meaningful and in line with our personal values. Let’s ditch the basic, broad and unattainable resolutions. It is important if you wish to set goals that you make them specific, importan ..read more

Internalised autism, what’s that? Autism is widely recognised as being a spectrum, with no two autistic people being the same. Thanks to ongoing psychological research and disability advocacy work, there is now a better understanding about the autistic experience for different people. We are now more aware that people can be autistic and not “look” autistic! However, some autistic people’s experience still happens more on the inside than it does on the outside. We call these profiles internalised, or non-stereotypical autism. Sometimes this is known as “female autism” due to the high frequenc ..read more

When someone is struggling it can be difficult to know what to do, but the first step is being aware that they are not okay in the first place. The warning signs that tell us if someone is struggling emotionally can vary from small changes in their behaviour, to quite obvious cries for help. Both signs need to be taken seriously, however, it is often the smaller changes that can go unnoticed. What are they saying? When someone is struggling they might: Verbally express that they cannot cope Share feelings of loneliness, hopelessness or helplessness Become more critical of themselves or others ..read more

Anger is one of the most recognisable and powerful emotions that we experience. It is a healthy emotion that is useful, as it can lead to change and help us understand ourselves and our values. However, when we’re angry, with our heart pounding, muscles tensing and feeling overwhelmingly hot, it is easy to believe that anger is an unpleasant emotion. People have the assumption that anger is the same as aggression, but this is not the case. Anger is a healthy emotional experience; aggressive behaviour is not. Coping with anger should not lead to threats or violence. Anger evokes a physiological ..read more

Executive functioning plays an important role in our ability to navigate daily task and co-ordinate goal-oriented behaviour. These abilities are controlled by our pre-frontal cortex which is located at the front of our brain.  Executive functioning difficulties are often referred to as executive dysfunction and this is a common challenge for many autistic children and those with ADHD. This may look like the following in the classroom or at home  Speaking over others in conversation  Difficulty focusing or hyper focusing and having difficulty moving away   Difficulty ..read more

My knowledge is valuable and not common sense Parents, carers and teachers want to learn from me. The theories, strategies and recommendations I speak about are evidence based and not common knowledge. Whilst the general idea may have been heard of with the growing awareness of child development and mental health, I am needed to assist with its implementation, monitoring and tweaking. It is okay if I repeat myself in sessions and if it takes time for change to take place. It took me seven years of studying and thousands of hours of hands-on experience to acquire my knowledge. Seeing the effect ..read more

A disproportionate number of those who identify as LGBTIQA+ experience poorer mental health outcomes. Although many LGBTIQA+ Australians live healthy and happy lives, research has shown that a number experience poorer mental health outcomes and have a higher risk of suicidal behaviours than their peers. Stigma, Prejudice and Discrimination Often, these mental health outcomes are directly related to experiences of stigma, prejudice, discrimination and abuse on the basis of being LGBTIQA+. Mental Health Outcomes 63.8% of LGBTIQA+ young people aged 14 to 21 reported having ever been diagnosed wi ..read more

https://solutionpsychology.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/October-Exam-Prep-Top-Tips-2.mp4 With end of year exams approaching, many students are encouraged to begin exam preparation. This can be overwhelming and daunting for some, as students are required to re-visit three terms of learning. Throughout October we posted a new exam preparation top tip each day. Our tips range from organisation to planning to how to approach different question formats on exams. A huge credit to our Provisional Psychologist on placement from Monash University Natalie Mizzi who put these wonderful posts toget ..read more

A well-known and supported framework of emotional intelligence is one by Daniel Goleman (1995), which proposes five elements of emotional intelligence including: Self Awareness Self Regulation Motivation Empathy Social Skills These are all skills that can be learned and developed. A huge credit to our Provisional Psychologist on placement from Monash University Natalie Mizzi who put these wonderful posts together. The post Top Tips: Emotional Intelligence appeared first on Solution Psychology ..read more