Neuro Diverse Therapist

Evan identifies with people who are on the spectrum and has mild to moderate autism himself.  Evan has had to find strategies that work to succeed in allowing him to work in the Mental Health sector.  Evan has lived a life in a neuro-normative-dominated sector and finds ways to develop the social skills others require in polite society. Evan has a keen interest in working with Neuro-Diverse people, whether they are diagnosed with high-functioning Autism or not. Autism is a spectrum, not black and white. 

Through lived experience, Evan has recognised that if one hundred people line up from least symptomatic to most symptomatic of Autism, only the most symptomatic person will gain a diagnosis.  If you have traits that would put you in the high 80 or low 90 in this lineup, you still have more in common with the person with the diagnosis than with neuro-normative people closer to 50. This is 10-15% of the population.

Symptoms of Autism can easily be confused for mental illness, and through improvements in technology such as fMRI (Functional magnetic resonance imaging), we are gaining acceptance that people are neurologically wired differently. When you are wired cognitively differently from the average, we can learn strategies, hacks, and workarounds to cope with being wired differently, but use the aspects of Autism that are strengths. Evan believes in a strength-based approach and in the area of Psychology that has come to be known as ‘Positive Psychology’.  Life is not all doom and gloom, and we can improve what is already good. 

People have difficulties and anxieties, but the busyness of life can leave little opportunity to work on these. Evan identifies strongly with the concept of the “Aussie Battler”, who believes in the idea of a “fair go”. As a Mental Health Professional, this is my group of special interest. Evan is a product of the working class, and these people are the people I gravitate towards socially, whether at the pub or on the sidelines.  These are hard-working people nobly making sacrifices for their families and community.  They are great at their jobs but may struggle to balance their work life with aspects of home, family, and intimate life.

Epic Psychotherapy is the therapist for battlers and wants to assure you that the environment we deliver our mental health services will be set in a setting that works best for you. We are flexible and happy to offer a time that suits your commitments.