Neuropsychological assessment of neurodivergent adults presents a particular challenge: the field's traditional deficit-focused frameworks sit uneasily alongside neurodiversity-affirming principles that increasingly inform best practice. While recent literature has addressed affirming approaches to autism and ADHD diagnostic assessment, less attention has been paid to interpreting and communicating neuropsychological test findings in ways that honour neurodivergent identity while providing useful guidance for clients, families, and support systems.
This presentation addresses the gap between cognitive test data and meaningful, affirming recommendations. When an autistic adult presents with a significant processing speed weakness relative to other cognitive domains, or an adult with ADHD shows variable attention on formal testing, how should clinicians interpret these findings? How can results be translated into practical accommodations that work with the person's neurology rather than attempting to remediate it toward neurotypical norms?
Drawing on clinical experience in a neurodiversity-affirming private practice specialising in autism and ADHD assessment, this presentation offers a framework for moving from test scores to lived experience. Key elements include: understanding what cognitive profiles tell us about how a neurodivergent person processes information; reframing findings as differences requiring environmental accommodation rather than individual remediation; connecting neuropsychological results to concrete workplace, educational, and daily living supports; and writing reports that satisfy funding body requirements while affirming neurodivergent identity.
De-identified case examples will illustrate affirming interpretation of cognitive findings. The commonly observed processing speed weakness in autistic adults is often reported as a deficit, but research suggests it may reflect a cognitive style prioritising accuracy and deliberation over speed. This reframe leads to different recommendations: rather than targeting processing speed for remediation, clinicians can recommend extended time allowances, reduced time pressure in workplace tasks, and explicit permission to work at one's own pace. Similarly, variable cognitive profiles in autistic and ADHD clients can be understood as reflecting genuine strengths alongside areas requiring support, rather than simply inconsistent performance.
The presentation also addresses practical tensions: the language requirements of NDIS and other funding bodies that rely on deficit-based criteria; communicating findings to referrers trained in traditional models; and incorporating clients' own expertise about their cognitive experience into the assessment process.
This is primarily a clinical practice presentation aimed at providing attendees with immediately applicable approaches for neuropsychological assessment work with neurodivergent adults, informed by emerging research on strengths-based neuropsychological approaches and aligned with the conference theme of centring neurodivergent people's rights to assessment that respects their identity.

Psychologists are at risk of burnout, which often arises not from effort alone but from prolonged stress activation without adequate recovery. This presentation provides psychoeducation and practical strategies to help professionals understand the mechanisms of burnout, drawing on research on stress physiology, emotion regulation, and performance in high achievers. The framework aligns with the Psychology Board of Australia’s Code of Ethics, emphasising reflective practice, deliberate self-care, and active monitoring of cognitive and emotional responses, essential for maintaining professional competence, preventing harm, and sustaining ethical clinical practice. The session also aims to enhance psychologists’ capacity to identify, assess, and provide support for neurotypical and neurodiverse clients experiencing stress or early signs of burnout.

Through a strengths-based lens, participants will explore how prolonged stress activation affects cognitive functioning, emotional regulation, and behaviour. Practical strategies for recognising early warning signs of burnout, supporting recovery, and fostering resilience will be presented, including structured reflective practice and emotion regulation techniques tailored to psychologists, high-performing individuals, and neurodiverse populations. Case examples will illustrate how these approaches can enhance both clinician well-being and client outcomes, providing a clear pathway from psychoeducation to practical application.