Dr Tiffany Gerlich
Clinical Psychologist & Clinical Neuropsychologist
Therapy and assessment for children, adolescents and adults, with endorsements in clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology. Dr Gerlich's profile
Children & adolescents · Southport, Gold Coast Psychologists for children and young people, starting with understanding.
Psychologists and clinical neuropsychologists for children and adolescents, from infancy to 18. Some families come for an assessment that answers a specific question about development, learning, autism or ADHD; others for therapy when a child is anxious, low or struggling to cope. We work alongside your paediatrician, GP and school.
Not sure where to start? Email enquiry at brainandmind.com.au with your child's age and what you have noticed, and we will suggest the right first step.
- In person in Southport
- Telehealth for interviews, feedback and some therapy
- No referral needed for private care
- Medicare for therapy with a mental health treatment plan, and for some assessments referred by a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist
For paediatricians, GPs and psychiatrists
Every referral is acknowledged on receipt and reviewed by a psychologist before booking. Reports and letters return to you, and urgent findings are phoned through.
What to refer
- Anxiety, low mood, and behaviour and emotional regulation difficulties, for psychological therapy; attach a mental health treatment plan where Better Access rebates are wanted
- Developmental assessment, birth to 3½ years (Bayley-4)
- Autism and ADHD: the allied health assessment for your diagnostic formulation
- Specific learning disorder, intellectual disability and giftedness, with reports for school adjustment and verification
Medicare
Therapy: Better Access with a mental health treatment plan from a GP, paediatrician or psychiatrist, up to ten sessions a calendar year with a GP review after six.
Assessment: item 82000 applies when a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist refers for a suspected complex neurodevelopmental disorder. It covers up to eight services, shared across the allied health professions involved, with your review after the first four; treatment then uses item 82015. A GP referral alone does not attract these items, and they do not apply to ADHD on its own.
How to refer
Online referral form or email. Tick "call me before booking" to discuss a case with a clinician first.
Secure clinical messaging is being set up; until then the online form is the secure route.
Four areas of care
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0 to 3½years
Early development →
Early development
Play-based developmental assessment for babies and toddlers who are not reaching milestones as expected, were born early, or have a condition that can affect development, and the support that follows.
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2½ to 16years
Learning and school →
Learning and school
Assessment where learning is harder than expected: dyslexia and other specific learning disorders, intellectual disability and giftedness, with reports that schools can act on.
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Childrenand adolescents
Emotional wellbeing and behaviour →
Emotional wellbeing and behaviour
Therapy for anxiety, low mood, anger and difficulties with self-regulation, with parents involved; an assessment is added only if a specific question arises.
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Preschoolto 18 years
Autism and ADHD →
Autism and ADHD
Guideline-informed diagnostic assessment with your paediatrician or psychiatrist, and support for your child and family after a diagnosis.
Concussion in children and adolescents is on our concussion page; assessment after a more serious brain injury is on our brain injury page.
Therapy and assessment for children
Therapy and assessment both start by understanding your child at home, in the family and at school. What follows depends on what we find.
Therapy, with understanding built in
When a child is anxious, low, angry or finding it hard to cope, therapy is usually the right first step. The first sessions build the picture: what is happening, what keeps it going, and what your child and family want to change. A separate assessment is suggested only when a specific question, such as learning or attention, would change the plan.
Assessment, with a plan for what comes next
When the question is specific, a formal assessment answers it: whether development is on track, why learning is harder than expected, whether autism or ADHD explains what you are seeing. The report is written so that you, the school and your child's doctors can act on it, and the feedback appointment covers what happens next, including therapy when that is the right next step.
What to expect at the start
Tell us what is happening
Use the appointment form or email us with your child's age and what you have noticed. We reply within two working days with the right first step: a first appointment, a written estimate for an assessment, or a suggestion of who else to see.
A first appointment with you
Parents come first for a young child; a teenager usually joins from the start. We cover your concerns, your child's history and what you hope will change. In person or by telehealth.
Time with your child
Therapy sessions run 50 minutes, usually weekly or fortnightly, in Southport or by telehealth where it suits the young person. Assessment sessions are longer, with breaks: play for infants and toddlers, puzzle- and game-like activities for children, more conversation for adolescents.
Making sense of it together
In therapy, a shared plan we review as we go, with a letter to your GP where you were referred. After an assessment, a feedback appointment and a written report with recommendations for home and school, sent with your consent to your GP or paediatrician and talked through with the school.
Who you will see
Two clinicians work across the child and adolescent service. Qualifications and AHPRA registration are on the team page.
Elie Walsh
Psychologist · Clinical Neuropsychology Registrar
Therapy and assessment for children, adolescents and adults, with a focus on autism and ADHD, attention and learning, sleep, and concussion in young people. Elie Walsh's profile
Fees and funding
Private
No referral is needed. Fees are based on clinician time at $250 to $290 an hour. An assessment is quoted individually with a written estimate before booking; most involve six to fifteen hours in total, including scoring and the report, and the booking fee is credited to the total. Fees and policies.
Medicare
Therapy is rebated under Better Access with a mental health treatment plan from your GP, paediatrician or psychiatrist: up to ten sessions a calendar year, with a GP review after six. Assessment is rebated only with a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist referral for a possible complex neurodevelopmental disorder, such as autism, or an eligible disability: up to eight services, shared across the allied health professions involved. The items do not apply to ADHD on its own.
NDIS
We work with plan- and self-managed participants. The NDIS funds therapy and assessment that describe and address functional needs, not assessment whose purpose is diagnosis. Under 9 the early childhood approach applies, and children under 6 do not need a diagnosis to be considered for developmental delay.
Common questions
Does my child need an assessment before therapy?
No. Therapy begins with understanding what is happening, and for most families that is all the assessment the work needs.
Does my child need a referral?
Not for private care. A mental health treatment plan from your GP, paediatrician or psychiatrist is needed for Medicare rebates on therapy. A referral from a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist is needed for the Medicare items that apply to some neurodevelopmental assessments. A GP or school referral is always welcome.
Is there a Medicare rebate?
For therapy, yes, with a mental health treatment plan. For assessment, only in the consultant paediatrician- or psychiatrist-referred cases described under fees and funding above.
Will you talk to my child's school?
With your consent, yes. Teacher questionnaires are part of most assessments, and in therapy we can speak with the school about supporting the plan.
Tell us what is happening
Your child's age and what you have noticed is enough to start. We reply within two working days with the right first step.
Prefer to start by email? Write to enquiry at brainandmind.com.au. Referring doctor or school? Make a referral. Phone enquiries are welcome during business hours on 0452 452 262.
Sources
MBS Online, Better Access items for psychological therapy and Complex neurodevelopmental disorder and eligible disability items; Autism CRC, National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism in Australia; Australian ADHD Professionals Association, Australian evidence-based clinical practice guideline for ADHD.