Explain psychology support frequency, duration, indirect work and review points in NDIS reports, with a worked example and recommendation checklist.
Skip to main content
View all articles →
Provisional psychologist · Founder of PsychVault · Perth WA
Author
Ethan Smith
Provisional Psychologist & Founder, PsychVault
Perth, Western Australia
~1,400
Internship experience
Provisional
Professional status
Perth
Location
Founder
Role
Areas of practice
AuDHD / PDA profileAutistic individuals (ages 5–21)ADHD & SLD assessmentNeuro-affirming practiceCBT / ACT / DBT / MBTVideo game therapyNDIS & IEP assessmentsGatekeeper trainedLGBTIQA+ affirming practiceGroup interventionsMotivational InterviewingHigh-risk presentations
About
Founder and editorial contact: ethan@psychvault.com.au. Read the editorial policy and business details. Authorship does not mean an article has had independent clinical review.
Ethan H. Smith is a provisional psychologist based in Perth, Western Australia, and the founder of PsychVault. He has completed approximately 1,400 total psychology internship hours across assessment, therapeutic work, group programs, and work with neurodivergent clients and families.
His professional interests include neurodivergence, assessment, video-game-based therapeutic work, clinician development, and the systems surrounding psychology training and registration.
Ethan created PsychVault to make practical psychology resources easier to find, understand, and share. His writing covers internship pathways, supervision, registration, neuro-affirming practice, documentation, and early-career psychology.
Ethan is neurodivergent himself — PDA, AuDHD, dyslexia, and dysgraphia — and approaches neurodiversity as identity, not pathology.
Therapeutic approaches
CBTACTDBTMBTSolution-Focused TherapyMotivational InterviewingVideo game therapy
Delivered individually and in groups, in-person and online.
Assessment toolkit
Cognitive & educational
- WISC-V
- WIAT-III
- Vineland (adaptive functioning)
Neurodivergence & mental health
- Conners 4 (ADHD)
- RCADS · SCAS · EDA-Q
- ASRS · SRS · AQ-child
What he writes about
- The AHPRA 5+1 internship year — logbooks, hours, and what nobody tells you
- Supervision: finding good supervisors, spotting red flags, getting the most from it
- National Psychology Examination prep and strategy
- Neuro-affirming practice and documentation for autistic and ADHD clients
- Clinical practice realities: NDIS, assessments, and building a caseload
Professional development highlights
- Autism for Mental Health Professionals: Foundations — Dr Belinda Ratcliffe (8 hrs, 2022)
- WISC-V & WIAT-III for SLD Diagnosis — Dr Melissa Stephens (2022)
- CBIT & Habit Reversal Therapy — Dr Amy Talbot (2022)
- Attachment, Neurobiology & the New Science of Psychotherapy — Prof Jeremy Holmes (2022)
- Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training — Mental Health Commission (~6 hrs, 2023)
- Ross Greene / PDA Conference volunteer, Optus Stadium (2024)
Neuroscience (degree)
Brain-based foundations for clinical practice & psychoeducation
Edith Cowan University
Clinical Masters coursework
Macquarie University
Centre for Emotional Health — research internship
Written by Ethan Smith
108 articles
Document family help, functional capacity and carer sustainability in NDIS reports, with separate guidance for access evidence and planning.
A guide for psychologists documenting psychosocial treatment history, prognosis and functional evidence, with current guidance and the scheduled 2028 changes.
A practical Australian guide to eating disorder plan referrals, Medicare review milestones, specialist reviews, expiry and coordination for psychologists.
A six-step guide to NDIS psychology funding decisions: check the review pathway, map the stated reasons to evidence and write a focused report addendum.
A practical Australian guide to ADHD assessment scope, competing explanations, cognitive testing, specific learning disorders, formulation and report writing.
Show progress, maintenance and ongoing support needs in NDIS psychology reports, with worked examples, evidence tables and practical wording guidance.
A practical guide to reviewing psychology workload and revenue targets, with examples covering session frequency, discharge, internal referrals and clinical time.
A practical guide to moving from presenting concerns to differential diagnosis, DSM-5-TR or ICD-11 assessment, and a biopsychosocial and cultural 5Ps formulation.
A practical guide for psychologists writing NDIS reports, with a clear structure, functional-impact examples, recommendation prompts and an editable Word template.
Understand October 2026 older-claim checks and the December NDIS 90-day claim window, with practical steps for psychology invoices and reports.
How psychologists can document functional impact, fluctuating needs and informal support while Australia's new NDIS planning approach develops.
How early-career psychologists can respond to concerns about age and experience, and how supervisors can turn difficult client feedback into useful learning.
An Australian parent guide to NCCD school disability funding, reasonable adjustments, teacher aides, IEPs and WA funding arrangements.
A practical Australian guide to psychology supervision agreements, including confidentiality, assessment, records, conflicts, dual roles and exit arrangements.