Dr Tiffany Gerlich
Clinical Psychologist & Clinical Neuropsychologist
Therapy with children, adolescents and their parents, with the assessment skills to recognise when a learning or attention question is part of the picture. Dr Gerlich's profile
Emotional wellbeing & behaviour · children and adolescents · Southport, Gold Coast Help for a child or teenager who is anxious, low or struggling to cope.
Psychological therapy for children and adolescents. Parents take part, and with your consent we work with the school. We start by understanding what is going on for your child, and we tell you if a learning or attention assessment would help more.
Looking for an assessment? See learning and school, or autism and ADHD.
- Children and adolescents
- In Southport, or by telehealth where it suits the young person
- No referral needed for private care
- Medicare rebates with a mental health treatment plan
For GPs, paediatricians and schools
Mental health treatment plan referrals for children and adolescents are welcome. You receive a letter after the initial course of sessions and when the plan is reviewed, and we tell you if we think a formal assessment would change it.
What to refer
- Anxiety, worry, panic or school refusal
- Low mood, irritability or withdrawal lasting weeks rather than days
- Anger, outbursts and difficulty with emotional regulation at home or school
- Adjustment to a diagnosis, a learning or developmental profile, illness or family change
- Behaviour with unclear causes, where you want parent and teacher information before choosing therapy, school support or assessment
Medicare
Better Access rebates apply 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.
The Better Access items fund therapy, not a stand-alone assessment. The complex neurodevelopmental disorder items are described on our autism and ADHD page.
How to refer
Online referral form or email, with the treatment plan attached; every referral is acknowledged on receipt.
Is this the right place to start?
Families come to us when
- Worry, sadness, irritability or withdrawal has lasted for weeks and is affecting school, friendships or family life
- Anger or outbursts are frequent, intense for the child's age, or hard to manage at home or school
- A child is avoiding school, struggling with friendships, or adjusting to a diagnosis, a learning difficulty or a change at home
- Parents want to understand what is driving behaviour before deciding between therapy, school support and further assessment
A different step may help more
Where autism or ADHD is the specific question, our autism and ADHD assessment answers it directly. Where schoolwork is the main difficulty, our learning assessment works out why. If there is immediate risk to your child or others, contact your GP, the nearest emergency department, or call 000. If your child or teenager needs someone to talk to now, Kids Helpline provides free, confidential support around the clock on 1800 55 1800.
How therapy with children and teenagers works
A first conversation with you
Parents come to the first appointment; a teenager usually joins from the start. We cover what is happening, when it began, and what has already been tried.
Understanding before advice
The first sessions build the picture of what is keeping the difficulty going. With your consent, parents and teachers complete standardised questionnaires, because children often behave differently at home and at school. This is the assessment inside therapy.
Working on it, in a way that fits your child's age
Play, drawing and parent-supported strategies for younger children; skills-based approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy for older children and teenagers, adapted to how they think. Sessions run 50 minutes, usually weekly or fortnightly.
Reviewing together
We check progress with you and your child, adjust the plan, and write to your GP where you were referred. If a question such as learning, attention or autism comes up, we explain which assessment would answer it and what it would change.
Who you will see
Two clinicians provide therapy for children and adolescents. Qualifications and AHPRA registration are on the team page.
Elie Walsh
Psychologist · Clinical Neuropsychology Registrar
Therapy for anxiety, low mood, stress and adjustment with children, adolescents and adults, including adjustment after a diagnosis or injury, and sleep and circadian health. Elie Walsh's profile
Fees and funding
Private
No referral is needed. Sessions are 50 minutes, charged at the clinician's hourly rate of $250 to $290. Payment is made before the appointment, and where a Medicare rebate applies we process it within two business days. Fees and policies.
Medicare
With a mental health treatment plan from your GP, paediatrician or psychiatrist, Better Access rebates up to ten sessions a calendar year, with a GP review after six. The rebate differs for clinical and registered psychologists; the current figures are on the fees page.
NDIS
Therapy can be funded where it is a reasonable and necessary support in a participant's plan. We work with plan- and self-managed participants.
Common questions
Will I be in the room?
For younger children, much of the work happens with you, and parent sessions are part of the plan. Older children and teenagers usually have time on their own, with you involved in planning and review. We work this out together at the first appointment.
How many sessions will my child need?
It depends on what is happening and what you want to change. Some difficulties respond to a brief, focused piece of work; others need longer. We review progress as we go and tell you what we expect.
Why is my child so angry? Should we see a psychologist?
Frequent anger or outbursts are usually a sign of something underneath: anxiety, frustration with learning, difficulty with attention and self-regulation, poor sleep, or a response to change at home or school. If the outbursts are frequent, intense for your child's age, lasting weeks, or affecting school and family life, it is worth seeking help. Therapy begins by working out what is driving the behaviour, so that the response fits the cause.
What are the signs my child needs to see a psychologist?
Worry, sadness or irritability that lasts for weeks rather than days; behaviour that is hard to manage across settings; withdrawal from friends or activities; school refusal; big changes in sleep, eating or energy; or a school raising concerns about attention or conduct. Any one of these is a reason to talk to your GP or to contact us.
Request an appointment
Tell us your child's age and what is happening. We reply within two working days with a first appointment, or with a suggestion of a better first step if that is what we think.
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; Kids Helpline, free and confidential counselling for young people aged 5 to 25.