I'm Sarah, an Autistic ADHD
psychologist.
I provide affirming adult autism assessments and consultations
because I know what it's like to be misunderstood, overlooked,
and finally recognised.
How I Got Here
I am late-diagnosed AuDHD, but I grew up with other disabilities that shaped every part of my life. For years, those disabilities overshadowed what was really going on (known as "diagnostic overshadowing" in fancy terms). I know intimately what it feels like to not be recognised, supported, or able to accept yourself with compassion.
That experience is exactly why neuroaffirming work matters so much to me. Autistic people have staggeringly high rates of trauma, often from years of being misunderstood, dismissed, or told they're "too much" or "not enough." I won't add to that.
I became a psychologist in 2015 and started my career in the remote Kimberley, WA, working in education settings with First Nations communities. I learned early on to be flexible, curious, and anticolonial in my approach. There were barely any "standard" assessments or approaches for the cultural groups I worked with, so I had to learn to assess differently, to listen more deeply, to hold space for ways of being that don't fit the textbook. I relied on clinical supervision with experienced psychologists, and listening and learning from lived experience of those people in community whom I served.
In some ways, that's exactly what autism assessment requires. Most standardised tools aren't affirming. Most weren't written by or co-designed with autistic people. So I've learned to truly listen to the person in front of me and make sense of their internal experience more than any checklist.
My approach
My Philosophy: People Over Protocols
I do a lot of professional learning through peer supervision,
consultation with autistic colleagues, and lived experience voices.
I attend conferences like the Neurodiversity Affirming Therapy
Conference Australia and Yellow Ladybugs. I read textbooks,
preferably those written or edited by autistic people, like Is This Autism?
by Donna Henderson (highly recommend if you want to learn more about
less stereotypical autism presentations).
I've trained in MIGDAS interviewing and other assessment approaches, but here's the truth: tools matter less than philosophy.
What matters is:
✓ Creating space for people to be themselves, not perform what they think autism "should" look like
✓ Understanding my own biases
✓ Recognising that there's no "one way" to be autistic
✓ Deep internal work to unlearn what I was taught about "normal"
My assessments feel like two people sitting on a couch having a conversation about life. Not a cold clinical interview across a table.
That's intentional.
Speaking & Training
I regularly present at conferences and deliver training to
organisations across Australia on topics including neurodivergence,
perinatal mental health, trauma, and affirming practice.
Organizations I've presented for include:
✓ Australian College of Midwives
✓ Yellow Ladybugs
✓ Perinatal Training Centre
✓ Mental Health Professionals Network
✓ Neuroinclusion
✓ Australian Childhood Foundation (International Childhood Trauma Conference)
✓ Women's Health and Wellbeing Service
✓ WA Country Health Service (Midwifery)
My niche: Perinatal Period + Autism (/disability)
Why Perinatal Psychology Matters in Autism Assessment
I'm a perinatal psychologist, which means I work with parents, pregnancy, and the early years of family life. While I assess adults at all life stages, my perinatal training gives me a unique lens.
Here's why that matters:
The postnatal period is incredibly demanding on autistic and ADHD parents (and others with disabilities).
Sleep deprivation, sensory overload, loss of routine, constant touch, unpredictable demands, social expectations, it's a perfect storm. Many parents don't realise they're autistic until they're lost in the demands of early parenthood.
But here's the thing: Is it postnatal depression? Postnatal anxiety? Perinatal OCD? Is it neurotype?
Often, it's more than one single answer. And sometimes, what looks like a perinatal mood disorder is actually autistic burnout or ADHD overwhelm that's been misunderstood. I am able to differentiate between them because I understand both.
Currently, I'm only offering autism assessments (not ongoing therapy) while I navigate early parenting myself as a neurodivergent and disabled parent. I'll be reopening my books for perinatal therapy in 2026, Fridays only in Byford WA. You're welcome to email me directly to see about future appointments.
Who I Work With
I primarily work with:
✓ Self-identified autistic/ADHD adults who want formal autism assessment
✓ Parents and those planning parenthood who are questioning their neurotype
✓ Highly masked adults (especially women and people socialised as female) who've spent decades camouflaging (often without realising)
✓ People who've been diagnosed with BPD, anxiety, bipolar, or other conditions that never quite fit or didn't answer the entire picture
✓ Trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse adults (with humility as a cis person)
✓ Anyone who wants an assessment that feels human, not clinical
✓ I work with people across Australia via telehealth. Mondays & Fridays only (AWST/Perth time).
What Drives My Work
✓ Neuroaffirming practice - I won't pathologise who you are or your experiences
✓ Trauma-informed lens - I understand how years of being misunderstood shape us
✓ Cultural humility - My work cross culturally has taught me to hold curious space for difference
✓ Anticolonial approach - Standard assessments aren't designed for everyone, and that's a problem I actively work against
✓ Gender-affirming practice - Autism and gender diversity often co-occur, and I won't make you choose which part of yourself to explore
✓ Lived experience + clinical expertise - Both matter. I bring both to every session.
My Credentials
Background & Training:
✓ Registered psychologist since 2015 (AHPRA: PSY0001942702)
✓ 10 years clinical experience
✓ Additional training in perinatal psychology and adult autism assessment
✓ Member of: Centre for Perinatal Psychology, League of Autistic Psychologists
and Affirming Colleagues (LOAPAC), AAPI, AAIMH
✓ Regular attendee of ongoing training, conferences, supervision and peer consultation
✓ Trained in MIGDAS interviewing and trauma-informed assessment approaches
A Few Personal Notes
I'm a mum, a disabled person navigating the world, and someone who loves axolotls an unreasonable amount (you might spot one tattooed on me in photos).
I send clients cute and funny stickers that I think they would personally like in the mail after assessments as transition objects, something tangible to hold onto as you begin this new chapter of understanding yourself.
My assessments aren't rigid or scripted. They're conversations. Real ones.
If that sounds like what you need, I'm here.
Ready to Work Together?
Have questions before booking that haven't been answered here or on my FAQ page? Email me at hello@sarahharrower.com and I'll aim to respond within a week.