Developmental Concerns
About developmental concerns
Development in childhood follows broad patterns, but every child moves through milestones at their own pace. When a child is not reaching developmental milestones, or when their behaviour or communication seems significantly different from their peers, it can be difficult to know whether to act and where to start.
Early identification and support can make a meaningful difference. Level Up Psychology works with children and families to understand what is happening, provide appropriate assessment, and connect families with the right supports.
Developmental concerns can include
- Speech and language delays: Limited vocabulary, difficulty forming sentences, or challenges being understood.
- Social development: Difficulty connecting with peers, limited interest in others, or challenges reading social cues.
- Motor development: Delays in gross or fine motor skills affecting movement, coordination, or handwriting.
- Behavioural differences: Significant tantrums, rigidity, difficulty with transitions, or behaviour that is hard to understand or manage.
- Emotional development: Difficulty identifying or managing emotions appropriate to developmental stage.
- Possible autism or ADHD: Signs that may indicate a neurodevelopmental condition that has not yet been identified.
Our approach
We take time to understand the child in the context of their family, environment, and history before drawing conclusions. Where assessment is indicated, we conduct thorough evaluations and provide clear, actionable reports. We work closely with families, early childhood educators, and other health professionals throughout the process.
When to seek support
- Your child is not reaching developmental milestones and you are not sure whether to be concerned.
- Teachers or carers have raised concerns about your child's development or behaviour.
- You have noticed differences that have been difficult to get answers about.
- You want assessment to clarify whether a diagnosis is appropriate and what supports would help.
How we help
- Developmental and neurodevelopmental assessment for young children.
- Parent consultation and guidance on supporting your child at home.
- Collaboration with schools, early childhood services, and other health providers.
- Connection to appropriate community supports and services.
Clinicians that can support with Developmental Concerns
Aisling McKenna (she/her)
Psychologist | Clinical Registrar Wednesday Thursday Friday Frankston Mount Waverley Online English 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $255 per hour
Aisling is committed to supporting adults in navigating life's challenges and fostering personal growth. She takes a collaborative, client-centred approach, working closely with individuals to tailor therapy to their unique needs and goals. Aisling has experience in both hospital and community settings, where she has supported clients facing a wide range of mental health challenges, including relationships, addiction, anxiety, and personality disorders.
Aisling completed a Masters in Clinical Psychology and remains passionate about helping individuals make meaningful, lasting changes in their lives. She utilises evidence-based therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness practices, always aiming to empower clients in their journey towards a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Dr. Ally Marinucci (she/her)
Educational and Developmental Psychologist | Clinical Psychologist | Board Approved Supervisor Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Frankston Mount Waverley Online English 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $285 per hour Assessment: $455 per hour Supervision: $200 per hour
Ally works with children, teenagers and young adults experiencing mental health, social, emotional or learning difficulties. Ally is passionate about helping clients thrive, and takes a neurodiversity affirming approach. She believes in providing a collaborative space and identifying strengths to promote mental health and wellbeing. Ally is experienced in conducting psychoeducational assessments and providing psychological intervention. She utilises ACT, DBT, CBT and mindfulness approaches within her practice and fosters a warm and empowering environment to help clients learn and grow.
Ally has completed a Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) combined with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program at Monash University. Her PhD focused on mental health literacy, and how to incorporate preventative approaches for mental health into the education curriculum to meet the needs of young people. Ally is a member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc and the Australian Educational and Developmental Psychology Association.
Angela Loo (she/her)
Educational and Developmental Psychologist Monday Mount Waverley Online English Mandarin Cantonese 6-8 years old 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old Counselling: $270 per hour Assessment: $425 per hour
Angela is passionate about collaborating with children, teenagers, and young adults to discover their strengths and co-create ways to navigate areas of challenge. She takes a neuroaffirming approach, tailoring support to each person’s unique needs while empowering them to build confidence, advocate for themselves, and make meaningful choices. Angela strives to collaborate with families and schools, believing that working together creates a firm foundation for well-being. Angela uses a flexible, strengths-based approach and incorporates various therapeutic modalities, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in her work. Angela is mindful of and understands the need to account for clients’ cultural backgrounds to understand and tailor the support to meet clients where they are at.
Outside of work, she finds joy in sharing quiet moments with her cats, enjoying a good cuppa, playing some light-hearted games, and rewatching her favourite shows. Angela completed her Master of Educational and Developmental Psychology at Monash University. She has experience working in schools and private practice.
Aoife Bearsley (she/her)
Educational and Developmental Psychologist | Board Approved Supervisor Monday Tuesday Frankston Mount Waverley Online English 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $270 per hour Assessment: $425 per hour Supervision: $180 per hour
Aoife is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist with a Master’s degree in Educational and Developmental Psychology from Monash University, as well as a Master’s degree in Publishing and Editing, with research projects focused on the impacts of childhood trauma on executive functioning. Aoife works across the lifespan using a person and family centered approach to tailor interventions and support to the individual’s unique needs. She is passionate about education and supporting students, families and schools to enable all young people to thrive. She has therapeutic intervention experience to develop executive functioning and organisational skills, social skills, emotion regulation, self-esteem, and anxiety management skills, as well as experience working with children exposed to trauma. Aoife has also conducted a wide range of psychoeducational assessments for Specific Learning Disorders, Giftedness, Autism, Intellectual Disability and ADHD.
Aoife's Psychology Masters research focused on the impacts of childhood trauma on learning and executive function. She presented at the PACFA Trauma Conference in Sydney in February 2019 on the experiences of teachers working with children exposed to trauma.
Brydie Brooks (she/her)
Senior Educational and Developmental Psychologist | Board Approved Supervisor Thursday Mount Waverley Online English 0-5 years old 6-8 years old 9-12 years old Counselling: $300 per hour Supervision: $210 per hour
Brydie is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist who supports children and their families through a warm, collaborative, family-centred approach. She focuses on building safety, connection, and shared understanding to support each child’s wellbeing and development.
Brydie provides therapeutic and capacity-building support grounded in trauma-informed and neuroaffirming principles. She values neurodiversity and works in ways that respect each child’s nervous system, lived experience, and unique strengths. Her work is play-based and child-led, recognising play as a powerful way for children to communicate, process experiences, and build skills. Brydie partners closely with families and other key supports to develop practical, strengths-based strategies that build confidence, emotional regulation, and meaningful participation at home, kinder or school, and in the community. Brydie brings extensive early childhood experience, having worked as a Kindergarten Teacher, Educational Play Therapist, and in Early Childhood Intervention. She holds a Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) from Monash University, a Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) from the University of Melbourne, and psychology qualifications from Swinburne University. Brydie is registered with AHPRA, is a Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc, a Fellow of the Australian Educational and Developmental Psychology Association, and is a Board Approved Supervisor and Registrar Program Principal Supervisor (Educational and Developmental). Outside of work, Brydie enjoys exploring nature with her family, hiking, and creative hobbies including floristry, sewing, pottery, and art.
Dr. Grace Mackie (she/her)
Educational and Developmental Psychologist | Clinical Psychologist | Board Approved Supervisor Tuesday Wednesday Frankston Mount Waverley Online English 0-5 years old 6-8 years old 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old Counselling: $285 per hour Assessment: $455 per hour Supervision: $200 per hour
Grace enjoys working with young people and their families, helping to highlight both areas of strength and areas of difference to work toward reaching therapeutic goals and self-growth. Grace is particularly interested in autism assessment, WPATH assessment for trans people over 16 years old, working with LGBTQ+ people, and anxiety-related concerns.
Grace has completed the Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) combined with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program at Monash University. Grace’s PhD focused on exploring the mental health and school counselling experiences of transgender young people and psychologists within Australian secondary schools. Grace is a member of the Australian Educational and Developmental Psychology Association (AEDPA) and of the Australian Professional Association for Trans Health (AusPATH).
Hannah Schena (she/her)
Psychologist | Educational and Developmental Registrar Wednesday Online English 6-8 years old 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old Counselling: $255 per hour
Hannah is a Psychologist and Educational and Developmental Registrar. Hannah completed her Master of Educational and Developmental Psychology at Monash University. She has experience working with young people and their families across both school settings and private practice, supporting clients through a range of challenges related to attachment, neurodiversity, interpersonal difficulties, anxiety, and mood.
Hannah draws on evidence-based approaches including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and the development of self-compassion. Her practice is grounded in the belief that the therapeutic relationship is central to meaningful change. She values building strong, collaborative connections with clients and enjoys the depth of counselling and intervention work that allows for genuine personal growth. Outside of work, Hannah enjoys practicing yoga and spending time with her much-loved fur-child, Maple.
Hashara Fernando (she/her)
Psychologist Wednesday Frankston Online English Singhalese 0-5 years old 6-8 years old 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $255 per hour Assessment: $395 per hour
Hashara is a psychologist who uses a neuroaffirming, strength-based approach in her work. She values working collaboratively with families, and liaising with teachers and other health professionals to provide holistic support to young people. She has particular interest and experience in emotional regulation, anxiety, neurodiversity, sleep difficulties, and cognitive assessment. Her therapeutic practice includes cognitive behaviour therapy, play-based therapy, solution-focused therapy, building mindfulness strategies, and emotional regulation skills.
Henrique Salles (he/him)
Clinical Psychologist | Educational and Developmental Psychologist | Board Approved Supervisor Friday Saturday Mount Waverley Online English Portuguese 13-17 years old 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $270 per hour Assessment: $425 per hour Supervision: $180 per hour
Henrique is very interested in insomnia, phobias, social anxiety, ADHD, and helping people engage in fulfilling activities. He is passionate about the benefits of nature-based therapy and offers optional ‘Walk and Talk’ counselling at a nearby nature trail, aiming to increase access for people who feel uncomfortable in traditional counselling settings. Henrique uses evidence-based modalities such as CBT, CBT-I, ACT, and mindfulness. He’s also experienced in developmental, cognitive, and academic assessments including for ADHD, autism, intellectual disability, dyslexia, and other learning difficulties. He is a psychology board-approved supervisor.
Henrique enjoys being actively involved in the field of psychology. He is on the board of directors of the Australian Educational & Developmental Psychology Association (AEDPA), and is on the Australasian Sleep Association's (ASA) Behavioural Management of Sleep Disorders subcommittee. He is a fellow of the AEDPA, and a member of the ASA, the Australian Psychological Society (APS), the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc (AAPi), and Outdoor Health Australia (OHA). He completed a Master’s in Educational and Developmental Psychology at Monash University. When not working, Henrique loves playing chess and soccer, making music, and reading books.
Dr. Jake Kraska (he/him)
Senior Educational and Developmental Psychologist | Senior Clinical Psychologist | Board Approved Supervisor | Principal Psychologist Wednesday Online English 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $335 per hour Assessment: $515 per hour Supervision: $250 per hour
Jake is the principal psychologist at Level Up Psychology. He works as a Educational and Developmental Psychologist and as a Clinical Psychologist. Jake focuses on cognitive behaviour therapy, motivational interviewing and schema therapy in his counselling. Jake is experienced with a range of educational, cognitive, and social-emotional-behavioural assessment tools for testing and diagnosis. Jake is interested in researching how technology can help improve psychology outcomes.
Jake is a Member of the Australian Psychological Society, a Fellow of the APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists, a Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Incorporated, and a Fellow of the Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologists. Jake has completed a Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) where he investigated the impact personality has between the relationship of cognitive ability and academic achievement. Jake also completed a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) investigating the use of computer adaptive testing to measure intelligence.
Louisa Trainer (she/her)
Educational and Developmental Psychologist Saturday Mount Waverley Online English 0-5 years old 6-8 years old 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $270 per hour Assessment: $425 per hour
Louisa has a passion for supporting children and adolescents in their journey of self-discovery and goal achievement. Using CBT, ACT, DBT and mindfulness Louisa tailors treatment plans to meet the unique needs of individuals. By adopting a strengths-based perspective, Louisa fosters a collaborative and empowering therapeutic relationship, ensuring that clients feel heard, validated, and supported throughout their journey.
Louisa is particularly interested in neurodiversity, emotion regulation, and trauma-informed practice. Louisa is also interested in conducting cognitive and academic assessments, to support individuals to understand their learning profile to achieve their academic and occupational goals. Equipped with training in the Sounds-Write program and evidence-based literacy interventions, Louisa is well-versed in recommending and providing targeted support to improve literacy skills and enhance educational outcomes. Louisa enjoys collaborating with teachers and other health professionals to provide support for her clients.
Melissa Lay (she/her)
Senior Educational and Developmental Psychologist | Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician with ANZAED | Board Approved Supervisor Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Frankston Mount Waverley Online English 6-8 years old 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $300 per hour Assessment: $465 per hour Supervision: $210 per hour
Melissa is dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people and adults. She uses therapeutic approaches including CBT (including CBT-E and ERP), ACT, DBT, and mindfulness. Melissa has specific interests in the treatment of anxiety and mood conditions, phobias, obsessive compulsive and related conditions, and body image concerns. Further, Melissa is experienced in conducting neurodevelopmental, cognitive, educational/learning, and mood assessments.
Melissa completed a Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) at Monash University and is a Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc (AAPi) and Australian Educational and Developmental Psychology Association (AEDPA). Melissa is committed to empowering clients to work towards living a rich, full, and meaningful life.
Rachelle Fries (she/her)
Psychologist | Educational and Developmental Registrar Friday Mount Waverley Online English 6-8 years old 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $285 per hour Assessment: $455 per hour
Rachelle enjoys working with people across the lifespan to reach a greater sense of wellbeing. She adopts a collaborative approach that is warm, person-centred, and goal oriented in counselling and assessment. She has experience in multiple settings including schools and private practice.
Rachelle has a special interest in work with women, girls, and international students. Her passion for research and teaching led her to undertake a PhD in applied ethics at Monash University. This research focuses on ethical decision-making in therapeutic work with young people particularly those who may be considered mature minors. She expects to complete the PhD in 2024. Rachelle accepts a variety of referrals including developmental assessment (e.g., Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), psychoeducational assessment (e.g., cognitive assessment, Specific Learning Disorders), and counselling (e.g., anxiety, depression, self-esteem, executive functioning, career, relationships).
Rhoda Lai (she/her)
Psychologist Wednesday Thursday Frankston Online English 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $255 per hour Assessment: $395 per hour
Rhoda has a passion for supporting people across the lifespan in navigating and growing from life's many transitions and challenges by using their strengths and fostering their resilience. She has experience working in schools and enjoys collaborating with teachers and families to support young people's wellbeing and learning.
Rhoda believes that building strong relationships is an important foundation to working with individuals in all capacities, and in the importance of caring for the helpers too. This has led her to pursue a PhD exploring the impact of positive teacher-student relationships on teachers.
Samantha Tsang (she/her)
Psychologist | Educational and Developmental Registrar Thursday Friday Frankston Mount Waverley Online English Cantonese Mandarin 6-8 years old 9-12 years old 13-17 years old Counselling: $255 per hour Assessment: $395 per hour
Sam is a psychologist who is passionate about supporting autistic, ADHD, and other neurodivergent children and their families. She takes time to understand each young person's strengths and experiences, and works alongside them to build meaningful and achievable supports. Sam brings a collaborative, neuro-affirming, and strengths-based approach to her work, partnering closely with families and school teams. She believes children thrive when the support system around them recognise their strengths and work together to create environments that truly support them. She also enjoys helping families create environments where young people can grow in confidence and self-understanding.
Sam completed her Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) at the University of Melbourne. She is fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. She values culturally responsive care and aims to create sessions that feel safe and empowering. Outside of work, she enjoys playing tennis and board games.
Sarah Sturton-Gill (she/her)
Clinical Psychologist | Educational and Developmental Psychologist Wednesday Thursday Mount Waverley Online English 6-8 years old 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $270 per hour Assessment: $425 per hour Supervision: $180 per hour
Sarah is a warm, Educational and Developmental Psychologist who works with children, adolescents, adults and families. She combines counselling, coaching and high-quality psychological assessment to help people move through social, emotional and learning difficulties. As a parent of teenagers, she understands the real-world pressures on young people and their families and is passionate about helping them navigate school and work systems with confidence. Sarah takes a collaborative, empowering, person-centred and goal-oriented approach in both counselling and assessment. She is neuroaffirming and provides thorough, evidence-based assessments to clarify profiles and diagnose when appropriate, translating findings into clear, practical plans. A core strength is partnering with families and schools/workplaces to secure reasonable adjustments and build strategies that support learning, wellbeing and everyday functioning.
Sarah's clinical interests include anxiety, depression, self-esteem, executive function and study/organisational skills, school attendance difficulties, and learning challenges. Sarah blends thoughtful psychoeducation with evidence-based therapies (CBT, ACT, DBT), parent coaching and strengths-based skills building. Culturally responsive and tailored in her work, she meets each person where they are. From first contact through to written recommendations, school meetings and ongoing therapy, Sarah provides a seamless service—assessment, formulation, intervention and advocacy—so clients feel understood, supported and equipped to make meaningful progress.
Sean Redpath Diggle
Psychologist Monday Tuesday Mount Waverley Online English 6-8 years old 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old Counselling: $255 per hour Assessment: $395 per hour
Sean is a person-centered psychologist who works with children and young people, especially those with autism and ADHD. Sean is genuinely interested in each young person’s unique interests and experiences and focuses on understanding what matters most to them.
Sean also works closely with parents, supporting families as a whole to create a positive and understanding environment where young people can feel heard and supported.
Sophie Erczmann (she/her)
Clinical Psychologist | Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician with ANZAED Saturday Mount Waverley Online English 6-8 years old 9-12 years old 13-17 years old 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $270 per hour
Sophie is dedicated to empowering individuals to engage meaningfully within themselves, others, and in the world around them. With a collaborative approach, she supports children, adolescents, and adults facing various challenges such as anxiety, depression, anger, low self-esteem, and eating disorders. Sophie also works with exploring the impact of video gaming on individuals' lives, both positively and negatively. Sophie is a Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician.
With experience in facilitating groups, Sophie fosters open communication and a sense of connection within group dynamics. She utilises evidence-based therapies, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness practices. Sophie completed a Masters of Psychology (Clinical), and has researched on how clinicians increase motivation towards change, and on the influence of nature on psychological well-being. Sophie is a Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician.
Tasma Dunn (she/her)
Psychologist | Educational and Developmental Registrar Tuesday Friday Saturday Frankston Mount Waverley Online English 0-5 years old 6-8 years old 9-12 years old 13-17 years old Counselling: $255 per hour Assessment: $395 per hour
Tasma enjoys working with young people and their families in a collaborative manner to help to facilitate understanding, growth, and skill building. She strives to create a trauma-informed and neuroaffirming space so that children and their families feel safe, valued, and heard. Tasma is particularly interested in working with families and schools to foster understanding of children’s unique strengths.
Tasma has completed a Masters of Educational and Developmental Psychology degree at Monash University. Tasma has experience working in schools and in private practice and has supported children and their families experiencing a range of challenges such as anxiety, depression, emotion regulation, and self-esteem. She uses evidence based therapies such as CBT, ACT and mindfulness tailored to each individual and family. Ross Greene’s philosophy of ‘kids do well if they can’ underpins much of Tasma’s approach and she believes working together can help to identify and remove barriers to enable young people and their families to work more effectively towards their goals.
Wren Jablonka (they/them)
Registered Counsellor, Level 2 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Frankston Mount Waverley Online English 13-17 years old 18-25 years old 25+ years old Counselling: $160 per hour
Wren loves working with adolescents and young adults to both identify strengths and overcome challenges. With adolescents, Wren strives to create a safe space that promotes autonomy and empowerment, allowing for exploration and growth. Some specific areas Wren is passionate about include anxiety, mood, LGBTQIA+ clients, and neurodiversity.
Wren has completed a Masters of Counselling at Monash University and is registered with the Australian Counselling Association as a Level 2 counsellor. They employ evidence-based techniques and interventions from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-focused Therapy, and a person-centred approach.