Psychologists

Dr Renata Hadzic

Clinical Psychologist

PhD, D. Psych (Clin), B. Psych (Hons I)

Renata is a clinical psychologist with a passion for working collaboratively with children and their parents to facilitate meaningful and lasting changes. She has a particular interest in psychometric testing, behavioural difficulties such as non-compliance and ‘temper tantrums’, and working with parents to enhance behaviour management skills. Please note that Renata does not provide any assessments or services related to Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Renata completed a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) at the University of Wollongong and a Doctor of Clinical Psychology and PhD at the University of Sydney.

Therapy

Renata has worked with children, adolescents, and adults, across public and psychiatric hospitals, university and research clinics, and in private practice. She places emphasis on the importance of comprehensive assessment and a strong evidence-based approach in guiding treatment. She draws on a variety of evidence-based interventions including Integrated Family Intervention, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).

Renata’s areas of interest include: behaviour management, parenting strategies, disruptive behaviours and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), worries and anxiety, low mood and depression, and school stress and attendance.

She typically sees children aged 4 to 16 years and is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Psychometric Testing

The assessment process begins with a parent interview to discuss the questions, concerns, or difficulties that have prompted testing and obtain a comprehensive history to inform appropriate test selection and the interpretation of results.

One-on-one testing is then completed with your child to assess the specific areas of interest over the course of one or two appointments. Questionnaires, where relevant, are completed online by parents, teachers, and children aged 8 years and older.

The assessment process concludes with a parent feedback session and a detailed report which includes results, implications, recommendations (for example, behavioural support strategies and academic considerations), and diagnostic information where relevant.

Renata offers five main assessments, detailed below.

Intellectual Assessment

An intellectual or cognitive assessment measures a child’s intellectual abilities across a range of domains including verbal ability, visual-spatial ability, working memory, and processing speed. This assessment reveals information about strengths, weaknesses, and performance relative to other children of the same age. This assessment is suitable for children aged 6 years and older.

Educational Assessment

An educational or academic assessment measures a child’s educational achievement across a range of domains including reading accuracy and fluency, reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression, and numeracy. This assessment reveals information about strengths, weaknesses, and performance relative to other children of the same age. This assessment is suitable for children aged 4 years and older.

Intellectual and Educational Assessment

A combined intellectual and educational assessment measures a child’s intellectual abilities and educational achievement across a range of domains, as detailed above. This assessment reveals information about strengths, weaknesses, and performance relative to other children of the same age, and whether academic achievement is in line with expectations or ‘potential’ based on intellectual ability. It can identify giftedness and impairments in reading, writing, or numeracy, and underpin the diagnosis of Specific Learning Disorders. This assessment is suitable for children aged 6 years and older.

Attention Assessment

An attention assessment measures a child’s attentional abilities across a range of domains, including selectively focusing and sustaining attention. It also includes questionnaires that assess difficulties such as poor focus, distractibility, poor attention to detail, disorganisation, trouble sitting still, fidgeting, talking excessively, and interrupting others. This assessment reveals information about strengths, weaknesses, and performance relative to other children of the same age. It can identify impairments in attention; however, a comprehensive assessment is recommended for the diagnosis of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This assessment is suitable for children aged 6 years to 15 years 11 months.

Comprehensive Assessment

A comprehensive assessment measures a child’s intellectual abilities and educational achievement across a range of domains, as detailed above, and assesses for difficulties that can occur in the context of ADHD. This assessment reveals information about strengths, weaknesses, and performance relative to other children of the same age, and whether academic achievement is in line with expectations or ‘potential’ based on intellectual ability. It can identify giftedness and impairments in reading, writing, numeracy, or attention, and underpin the diagnosis of Specific Learning Disorders and ADHD. This assessment is suitable for children aged 6 years and older.

Contact and Booking Information

Existing Patients:

To schedule appointments with Renata, please click the box below.

Please email all other enquiries to renata.admin@northshorekidspace.com.au

Existing Patients - Make a Booking

New Patients:

For all new patients that have not seen Renata before, we ask that you assist us in completing the below form. Unfortunately, Renata is not currently accepting new therapy referrals. She is conscious not to accept new patients if she does not have room in her calendar to offer them a timely service. She does not maintain a wait-list and will re-open her books in future. She is still accepting psychometric testing referrals.