Kent Psychologist

12/10/2025

Very much looking forward to joining this Q&A on the 12th of November.

27/09/2025

🌟 Free Talk: Supporting Autistic Young People with Becoming Independent 🌟
Are you the parent or carer of an autistic young person who’s preparing to leave home for University, College or independent living? Or maybe you’d like to help your young person grow more independent while still living at home?

It’s natural to feel both hopeful and worried about this transition. This free one hour talk with Dr Sirja van Zyl will give you practical advice and clear next steps to support your young person on their journey.

✨ What we’ll cover:
✔️ Common worries parents have when a young person leaves home
✔️ The key skills to focus on before the move
✔️ Supporting your young person in making friends and settling in
✔️ Managing money and spending
✔️ Understanding what support they’re entitled to
✔️ Staying connected after the move
There will also be time for your questions.
📅 Wednesday, 1st of October. 1pm – 2pm (GMT+1)
📍 online
💡 Open to parents and carers of neurodivergent young people
Booking link in the comments: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1325073774329?aff=oddtdtcreator

25/09/2025

I'm very excited to speak at the Together for Send event tomorrow. Please come and say hello if you are joining us!

“Together for SEND families in Kent” presents:
OUR COMMUNITY EVENT!

Hosted by Laura & Kate in partnership with The SEND Consultancy Group

Join us for an empowering and informative day filled with expert speakers, valuable resources, and supportive connections for SEND families and professionals!

What’s in store?
🎤 6 Incredible Guest Speakers:

📚 Lisa Lloyd – Author, Mum & Influencer: “Raising the SEN Betweeners”

👩‍🏫 Mandy Cook – The Autistic Teacher: “Supporting Autistic Children – Ideas for Home & School including PDA”

🧠 Sirja van Zyl – Clinical Psychologist: “Autistic Burnout”

🗣️ Emily B & Andrew Green – Speech & Language Therapists: “Social Communication, Masking + Live Q&A”

🎓 Shirley Moyse – Educational Psychologist: Live Q&A

When: 📅 Friday, 26th September 2025
Time: 🕘 Doors open 9:15 AM | 🕑 Event ends 2:15 PM
Where: 📍 Lordswood Leisure Centre, ME5 8YE
Tickets: 🎟️ Only £5 – Lunch & refreshments included!

👉 Grab your £5 ticket here:
https://buy.stripe.com/eVa9Bg0kw7f65Nu9AA

PLUS:
🧾 Meet local exhibitors including schools, charities, and SEN-focused businesses.

✨ BONUS: Every attendee gets FREE access to our post-conference EHCP workshop with Laura & Kate!

Come and connect with a community that truly understands.

We can’t wait to see you there!

🎟️ Get your £5 ticket here:
https://buy.stripe.com/eVa9Bg0kw7f65Nu9AA

🌍 www.togetherforsend.co.uk
📧 info@togetherforsend.co.uk

13/09/2025

🌟 Come and join our next free Online Event for Parents & Carers 🌟

Would you like to find out more about tics or Tourette Syndrome?

Join us for an informative and supportive online talk with Dr Sirja van Zyl, where she’ll explain everything you need to know about tics and Tourette's.

What you’ll learn:
- What tics and Tourette Syndrome are
- How tics can change as children grow
- Practical ways to support children at home and school
- When it’s time to seek professional help

🎤 Plus: Get your questions answered directly by Dr Sirja during the live Q&A.

👉 Find out more and register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-tics-and-tourette-syndrome-a-talk-for-parents-and-carers-tickets-993665559437?aff=ebdsoporgprofile&keep_tld=1

Or visit our website: www.kentpsychologist.co.uk

01/09/2025

🌿 Have you been wondering about how to find the right Autism or ADHD assessment for your child or teenager? You’re not alone — many families who reach out to us feel the same way.

After more than 20 years working across both NHS and private assessment services, I’ve put together my top tips on what to look for when choosing an assessment:

🌟 What matters most is finding a clinician you can trust — someone who will take the time to get to know your child as an individual. A good assessment isn’t just about reaching a diagnosis. It’s about understanding your child’s unique strengths, challenges and most importantly what support would be helpful going forward.

🌟 A good assessment should always include experienced and appropriately qualified clinicians.

🌟 To ensure assessments are accepted by the NHS and schools, they should follow NICE guidelines, including the use of the right assessment tools.

🌟 To bring about positive change and a better understanding following an assessment, you should receive a clear, detailed report with recommendations for you, your child and school.

🌟 An assessment is often just one part of your child’s journey. A good assessment should always offer support that goes beyond a diagnosis. This might be a meeting with your child’s school to discuss next steps, parenting support or guiding your child through transitions in their education and move into adolescence or adulthood.

At Kent Psychologist we have developed an assessment service that is thoughtful, person-centred and designed to give you clarity and confidence about the next steps in your child’s or young person’s life.

📞 To book a free phone call and find out whether an assessment is the right next step for your child, get in touch by email or visit our website — we’d love to support you and your family.

Dr Sirja van Zyl, Clinical Psychologist

✉️ info@kentpsychologist.co.uk

🌐

Adult Psychology & Therapy, Autism Assessments, Neuropsychogical Services, Child & Adolescent Psychology, Supervision & Training.

21/05/2025

Come and join us for the next event in our series of free workshops with Dr Sirja van Zyl, Clinical Psychologist.

Are you looking or waiting for an Autism or ADHD assessment for a child, young person or yourself? Or perhaps you are wondering whether an assessment is the right next step, but are not sure how to decide? Feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to begin?

Whether you're a parent, carer, teacher or someone considering an assessment for yourself – you are welcome to join us for this free one-hour talk.

👩‍⚕️ Dr Sirja van Zyl, is a Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years experience in both the NHS and private practice. She has worked extensively with neurodivergent children and young people, helping families and professionals navigate assessments with clarity and confidence.

Dr Sirja believes that access to clear and professional information should be available to anyone. So she has created a series of free talks and workshops.

In this next talk, Dr Sirja will explore:
🔍 How do I know if an assessment is needed?
⚖️ What are the pros and cons of getting a diagnosis?
🏥 How do I find the right service?
📜 What are NICE guidelines and why do they matter?
💬 How do professionals decide whether to give a diagnosis?
🌱 What is a 'neuroaffirmative' approach – and why is it important?
🗣️ How do I talk to a child or teen about the assessment?
🔎 What happens during the assessment, and what follow up support should I expect?

You will also have the chance to ask Dr Sirja your questions during a live Q&A session.

✅ Free to attend | Booking details can be found on our website www.kentpsychologist.co.uk , on Eventbrite and in the comments section below.

Please feel free to share with families, carers, and teachers who may benefit.

15/04/2025

🌟 Free Talks for Parents & Carers of Neurodivergent Children 🌟

We’re excited to continue our popular series of free community talks supporting parents and carers of neurodivergent children with Dr Sirja van Zyl, Clinical Psychologist.

Sirja is an expert in Autism and ADHD assessments and passionate about providing accessible information to create a positive future for neurodivergent young people.

💬 Each session offers a warm, accessible space for learning, sharing, and connection—with plenty of time for questions and conversation.

Topics include practical strategies, emotional wellbeing, and understanding the unique challenges and strengths of neurodivergent kids.

🗓 Spaces are limited to keep things personal and supportive—so be sure to book early!

➡️Booking information and more details about each talk can be found here: https://www.kentpsychologist.co.uk/parent-carer-workshops/. The link can also be found in the comments below as some people can not access this in the post.

02/03/2025

Are you a parent or caregiver looking to better understand how your autistic child can be supprted in school? Then come and join us for this insightful talk. Dr Sirja van Zyl and Louise Hickman will share their joint experience and knoweldge. This workshop will explore:

🔹 The importance of valuing strengths and supporting autistic children to thrive in education.

🔹 Why autistic children may sometimes struggle in school and the unique challenges they often face.

🔹 Early signs to look out for and why these can sometimes go unnoticed.

🔹 How autistic children can be supported in school.

🔹 Working in collaboration with your child’s school to support their development.

The talk includes a Q&A session, so bring your questions and get practical, expert advice on supporting your child’s educational journey.

Dr Sirja van Zyl is a Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years experience of supporting children and young people. After working in the NHS for many years, she now runs an independent Psychology Practice in Kent. Sirja regularly teaches and provides information and education to parents, teachers and clinicians. Sirja has a special interest in neurodevelopmental presentations, including Autism, ADHD and tics and Tourette’s syndrome. She offer private Autism and ADHD assessments and is passionate about supporting families in accessing the right support.

Louise Hickman runs Kent Autism Education Service. She is an Education Specialist who has 30 years experience working within the field of education and special educational needs. She is a qualified teacher, qualified SENCo and holds a Post Graduate qualification in Autism.
Louise started her career teaching science in mainstream secondary schools, then worked as a SEN teacher before being given the opportunity to establish and develop a specialist provision for autistic children and young people which she ran for five years. Following this, Louise worked for Kent County Council’s SEND Service for six years, in a range of senior roles.
Through Louise's own family’s experience she understands the importance of securing appropriate educational provision for your child, including the impact on the child and family when this isn’t in place.

Booking details are here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-sen-support-for-autistic-children-in-school-tickets-1265690828339?aff=oddtdtcreator

31/10/2024

🌟 What Makes Our Autism and ADHD Assessments Different 🌟

If you're a parent or carer looking for the right Autism or ADHD assessment for your child, teenager, or young adult you may feel overwhelmed by knowing where to start. As a Clinical Psychologist I see families every day who simply want to find the best support for their child, yet are faced with confusing information, mountains of paperwork, long waiting lists and a system that feels impersonal.

At our practice, we recognise these challenges and have instead created a supportive environment where each young person is valued as an individual. Here’s what makes our approach unique:

🌱Personalised, Hands-On Assessments
Dr. Sirja van Zyl will be your main point of contact, including the first phone call, the assessment and follow up care. This means she can get to know each child/young person she meets and understand them as a whole person, rather than just focusing on a ‘diagnostic label’. Dr Sirja is supported by an excellent team of highly experienced professionals and leads each assessment.

🌱Clear, Collaborative Process
Dr. Sirja guides you through each step, explaining your options. This means all decisions about next steps are made jointly with you, ensuring you’re informed and comfortable with the process. This includes determining the most beneficial type of assessment and how best to involve your child/ young person. We understand that for most young people we meet their circumstances are complex and decisions should be made based on a thorough understanding of their circumstances, rather than on screening questionnaires or tick boxes, for example.

🌱Warm, Experienced Team
Our team is passionate about supporting children and young people, including those who may be anxious or have complex presentations, such as 'masking'. We are experienced in helping young people feel at ease. Our team includes professionals from a range of disciplines, with each member bringing their own expertise to the process.

🌱Individualised Recommendations
Our goal is to get to know and understand your child or young person as a whole, including strengths and specific areas in which they require support. Our assessment reports are as unique as each person, focusing on their strengths as well as recommendations of support for a truly personalised approach.

🌱Continued Support Beyond Assessment
We offer free follow-up support to ensure your family feels equipped for next steps and can guide you through putting our recommendations into practice. This can for example include school meetings or training for staff teams to support their understanding. Sometimes it is helpful to invite other members of the family for a meeting, so we can answer any questions they may have. It is often also helpful to meet the young person from time to time for review appointments to help them build confidence and self-awareness about their brain style. Plus, we offer free workshops for parents and carers to support ongoing learning and understanding.

🌱Evidence-Based Approach based on NICE guidelines
Our assessments are based on NICE guidelines and use the most appropriate and up to date assessment tools. In her previous NHS role Dr Sirja was involved in reviewing private assessment reports to consider whether they meet NHS requirements. So she has an in depth awareness of the importance of providing assessments of the highest standard.

We’re here to help your child, teenager or young adult reach their full potential, in a way that’s supportive, personalised, and accessible! To find out more and book your free phone call please contact us:

🌐 Via our website: https://www.kentpsychologist.co.uk
✉️ By email: info@kentpsychologist.co.uk
📞 By telephone: 01732 302120

Specialist Autism & ADHD assessments and mental health support across Kent and the South East

09/10/2024

Thank you to Sevenoaks Counselling for inviting me as your guest speaker yesterday. I really enjoyed the thought provoking conversations and fantastic questions from the audience! It was also great to hear more about the much needed service you offer to the local community. Looking forward to more joint projects in the future.

30/09/2024

A workshop for mental health professionals with Dr Sirja van Zyl, Clinical Psychologist