My name is Bianca Bennett and I am a registered psychologist, living in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. I have worked as a psychologist in settings such as Workers Compensation, Department of Families and Community Services - Ageing, Disabilities and Home Care, NSW Department of Education, Australian Independent GPS Schools and private practice. I am also an accredited Family Dispute Practitioner and Mediator providing consultation to legal firms and individuals. I have worked in schools for the past 7 years, and continue to do so, providing face-to-face counselling with young people, working with families, working with class teachers and learning and support educators. I have written a number of programs for classroom work, year group intervention and staff wellbeing. I am accredited in providing group work for: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Resourceful Adolescent Program (Adolescent and Parent) RAGE (Recognising Anger and Guilt Emotions) Youth Mental Health First Aid Teen Mental Health First Aid Seasons for Growth In counselling sessions I work with a focus on functionality, that is working alongside the client to learn strategies to address, manage and resolve the aspects of their life that are not serving them or functioning well. I utlise various therapeutic modalities including: cognitive behavioual therapy (CBT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), solution focused brief therapy (SFBT) along with narrative and schema work. I aim to build my clients skills in emotional identification and regulation, interpersonal skills and productive/adaptive coping skills. I have a strong basis in psychometric assessments which assist in measuring a clients skills and abilities including: cognitive skills, academic skills, general functioning and behaviour. Assessment can be used to explore, support or rule out a diagnosis and provide guidelines for intervention via ongoing counselling sessions or involving other health professionals. An assessment (not a test!!!) includes a range of activities designed to measure cognitive skills such as verbal processing, visual processing, visual problem solving, working memory and processing speed as well as curriculum based skills such as reading (including comprehension), writing, spelling and maths. Assessments of concentration/attention and other behaviours can also be included. Once complete the results of the assessment/s are clearly outlined in a written report which can then be used to guide professionals to provide the best support possible. My focus is a strengths based approach to assist clients in building up their own personal strengths and targeting areas for improvement such as concentration problems that interfere with performance, impulsivity leading to social issues and learning difficulties that may impact educational performance or engagement. Psychometric assessments can be used to screen and assess for: intellectual disability, giftedness, barriers to learning and learning difficulties, ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety, oppositional disorder or conduct disorder. Psychometric assessments available include, both face to face assessments and online questionnaires: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fifth Edition (WISC-V) Wechsler Individual Achievement Test - Third Edition (WIAT-III) Children’s Memory Scale (CMS) Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in adults & young people (DIVA-5 & Young-DIVA-5) Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales–Self-Report: Long Version (CAARS–S:L) Conners’ Comprehensive Behaviour Rating Scale, ages 11-18 years (CBRS) Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Adult & 11-18 years (BRIEF-A & BRIEF-2) Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) Ritvo Autism Spectrum Asperger Diagnostic Scale – Revised (RAADS-R) Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) Personality Assessment Inventory, adult and adolescent (PAI & PAI-A) Further information on each assessment can be provided upon request. All assessments include comprehensive intake interview, face to face testing using the latest iPad technology, comprehensive reporting including recommendations and a face to face feedback session post-assessment. Medicare rebates are available for counselling sessions with the provision of a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from your GP. Rebate from medicare is $89.56 per session for up to 10 sessions per calendar year, review with GP required after the sixth session for an additional 4 sessions. Private health rebates also available, please check with your health fund. Clients who qualify may also been seen via PCCS/Access Plus