Now booking
Est. 1991 · Caring for the Hills
Youth psychology

Psychology for children, adolescents, and young adults.

Evidence-based therapy delivered by a registered psychologist — onsite at Rosedale, integrated with your GP care. For families navigating ADHD, anxiety, school refusal, emotional regulation, and the everyday weight of growing up.

Your psychologist

Niroshya (Niro) Wanigatunga

Registered Psychologist · Founder, Youth Empowerment Psychology

BSocSc (Psych) (Hons) · GradDipPsych · MAPS

Niro creates safe, collaborative therapeutic environments where young people feel heard and empowered — drawing on CBT, ACT, DBT, Schema Therapy, and Mindfulness to build practical, person-centred strategies for resilience and long-term wellbeing.

Anxiety & depression ADHD support ASD Level 1 Emotional regulation School refusal Trauma (informed) Anger management Self-worth & resilience
Niroshya Wanigatunga

Ages seen

6 to 25

Children, adolescents, young adults

Initial session

90 minutes

Reviews 50 minutes

Medicare rebate

Available

With GP Mental Health Care Plan

Available from

2 June 2026

Now taking bookings

Her approach

Therapy that meets each young person where they are.

Niro draws on five evidence-based modalities, applied with judgment, not from a script. Sessions are practical, person-centred, and tailored to what each young person actually needs.

01

Trauma-informed & strength-based

Therapy starts from what's already strong in a young person, with full awareness that some experiences shape how the nervous system responds to the world.

02

Evidence-based modalities

CBT, ACT, DBT, Schema Therapy, Mindfulness — chosen for the presenting issue, not applied as a one-size-fits-all method.

03

Collaborative & safe

Young people are partners in their care, not passive recipients. Sessions feel like a conversation, not an interview.

04

Practical & person-centred

Strategies that work in real life — at school, at home, in social situations — not just in the therapy room.

What she treats

A broad range of presentations.

Niro works with the issues young people and their families bring to therapy — sometimes named clearly, sometimes harder to articulate. Below is what she sees most often.

Mood & anxiety

Anxiety & depression

Generalised anxiety, social anxiety, panic, low mood, persistent sadness, and the cluster of feelings that doesn't fit a textbook category.

Neurodevelopmental

ADHD support

Therapy alongside medication: executive function, emotional regulation, social skills, school strategies. Often delivered in partnership with your Rosedale GP.

Neurodevelopmental

Autism Spectrum (Level 1)

Support for adolescents and young adults navigating identity, relationships, and self-advocacy alongside their autism diagnosis.

Behavioural

Emotional regulation

Big feelings, sudden shifts, difficulty calming down — the daily reality for many young people, and a meaningful focus area in therapy.

Behavioural

Anger & conduct

Aggression at home or school, defiance, conflict — understanding what's underneath and building different responses.

School & social

School refusal

Working with the young person, the family, and where appropriate the school, to understand and rebuild engagement.

Trauma & identity

Trauma history

Trauma-informed care for young people processing difficult past experiences. Pace and depth set by the young person.

Self & identity

Self-worth & resilience

Low self-esteem, inner critic, comparison, perfectionism — the quieter struggles that shape how young people see themselves.

Coping & behaviour

Substance use

Therapy for young people whose substance use is part of how they're coping. Non-judgmental, harm-reduction informed.

Out of scope

Niro does not provide treatment for eating disorders. If you or a young person you care for is struggling with an eating disorder, your GP can help connect you with specialist services.

Group programs

Structured group therapy, delivered in cohorts.

Two named, evidence-based group programs run by Niro at Rosedale. Register your interest to be contacted when the next cohort opens.

Group program 01

The Cool Kids Anxiety Program

An evidence-based group program developed at Macquarie University, run for over two decades across Australia.

Cool Kids teaches children and adolescents practical, CBT-based strategies to recognise anxious thinking, face difficult situations gradually, and build confidence over time. Parents are involved throughout — the program is designed to work because the family works on it together.

Cohort dates and program details will be confirmed shortly. Register your interest to be contacted when the next cohort opens.

Register interest

Group program 02

Anger Management for young people

A structured group program for adolescents whose anger is creating difficulty at home, at school, or in relationships.

Drawing on evidence-based approaches including CBT, DBT, and mindfulness, this program helps young people understand what triggers their anger, recognise the warning signs in their body, and develop different responses. Practical strategies, peer learning, and a safe environment to practise something new.

Cohort dates and program details will be confirmed shortly. Register your interest to be contacted when the next cohort opens.

Register interest
Integrated care

Psychology and GP care, under one roof.

Most psychology happens in isolation from medical care. At Rosedale, Niro works alongside our GPs — sharing one clinical record, one team, one coordinated plan for each young person.

01

Start with your GP.

For Medicare-rebated sessions, your GP prepares a Mental Health Care Plan — a 20-30 minute consultation that unlocks rebates and sets the clinical direction.

02

Internal referral.

Your GP refers directly to Niro within the practice. No external paperwork, no chasing letters, no waiting for the next system.

03

Therapy begins.

Sessions with Niro, scheduled at a rhythm that suits — typically fortnightly to start, adjusting as care evolves.

04

Shared clinical record.

Niro and your GP share access to one clinical record — so medication changes, therapy progress, and family context don't get lost between two systems.

Fees & rebates

Transparent fees, Medicare-eligible.

Most patients with a GP Mental Health Care Plan receive a Medicare rebate per session. Fees are confirmed at booking; no surprises.

Session type

Fee

Medicare rebate

Initial consultation (90 min)

$280

$96.65 with MHCP

Review session (50 min)

$240

$96.65 with MHCP

Group programs

Confirmed at intake

MHCP eligible

Short-notice cancellation

Full session fee

Not Medicare-rebatable

Common questions

Before you book.

The questions parents and young adults ask most often.

Do I need a GP referral to see Niro?

Not always. You can book directly as a private patient. To access Medicare rebates, you need a Mental Health Care Plan from a GP — which we can arrange in-house at Rosedale.

Does my child need to want to come, or can I just bring them?

It helps if they're at least open to it. Therapy works best when the young person has some readiness — but Niro is experienced at building rapport with reluctant clients. Many sessions start with quiet conversations and build from there.

How many sessions will my child need?

It varies. Some young people benefit significantly from 6-8 sessions; others need longer-term support. Niro will discuss expected timelines after the initial assessment, and revisit this regularly with you.

Are sessions confidential from parents?

For older adolescents, yes — within limits. Niro discusses confidentiality with both parent and young person at the start. Safety concerns and certain mandatory reporting situations are always discussed openly.

Can we do sessions via telehealth?

Yes, where clinically appropriate. Niro offers both in-person and telehealth sessions. The choice depends on age, presenting issue, and what works best for the young person.

My child has ADHD and sees Dr Saini — how does that work alongside Niro?

Seamlessly. Both clinicians share access to your child's clinical record. Medication and therapy progress are visible to each, which means decisions are coordinated rather than parallel. This is the integrated care model in action.

Take the next step

Therapy starts with a single conversation.

Book Niro directly, or speak with your GP about whether a Mental Health Care Plan is right for your situation.

Call to book Book an appointment