Resources and Guides
These psychology resources are plain-English guides written by our psychologist at Perfectly Aligned Psychology in Balgownie. They answer the questions people ask most often, from what EMDR involves to how to help an anxious child at home.
Each guide is general information, written to help you understand your options and feel more confident about next steps. None of them replaces an individual assessment, and if you are worried about yourself or someone close to you, talking to a GP or psychologist is always the best starting point.
Guides are grouped by topic below, and our services are summarised on the Perfectly Aligned Psychology home page.
Where should you start?
If you are new to therapy, start with the guide on choosing a psychologist, then read about the topic closest to your concern. These psychology resources are grouped into EMDR, choosing help, children and teenagers, trauma and work, and telehealth and grief, so you can go straight to what matters to you.
Figures such as Medicare rebates and SIRA fees are checked against official sources at each review, so you can rely on the numbers being current at the date shown.
Many readers arrive with one question and leave with several answers. That is by design. Each guide links to related guides and to the service pages that explain how we work.
Every guide follows the same principles. We explain terms in plain language, cite Australian sources where they exist, avoid promises about results, and are clear about when professional help is the right next step.
Guides are written by [Psychologist name], a registered psychologist, and reviewed at least once a year or when guidelines, Medicare rules or evidence change. The date of the last review appears at the end of each guide.
For wider reading, the Black Dog Institute publishes research-based information on mood and anxiety, and our guides link to Australian sources like this wherever they can.
A few practical tips help you get the most from them. Read the short answer at the top of each section first, as it is written to stand alone. Use the links at the end of each guide to go deeper, and bring any questions to your first appointment, where they can be answered for your situation.
Parents often find it helpful to read a guide together with their partner or another carer, so everyone is working from the same information. Teenagers can read the teen guide themselves, and many find it reassuring to see their experiences described.
If you cannot find what you are looking for, or would like to suggest a topic, send us a message through the contact page.
What should you know about EMDR?
These four guides explain EMDR from the ground up: what it is and how it works, whether it is safe, how it compares with CBT, and what happens across the eight phases of treatment. Together they answer most questions people have before starting EMDR.
How do you choose the right psychologist?
Choosing the right professional can feel confusing. These guides explain the difference between psychologists and psychiatrists, what the clinical and registered titles mean, and the practical questions worth asking before you book with anyone.
What can parents do for a struggling child?
These guides help parents understand what is typical, what may need support, and what to do at home while waiting for help. They cover signs a child may benefit from seeing a psychologist, anxiety, school refusal and ADHD, with practical steps for each.
What should parents know about autism and teen mental health?
Three more family guides cover autism and adolescence. Two explain autism, from the earliest signs, including the quieter signs often missed in girls, to how assessment works under the national guideline. The third helps parents notice teenage mental health changes and start the conversation.
Where can frontline and injured workers start?
These guides are for frontline workers, their families and anyone with a psychological injury from work. One explains post-traumatic stress in emergency services roles. The other explains how NSW workers compensation claims for psychological injury work, step by step.
What about telehealth and grief?
Two further guides cover common questions. One compares telehealth with face-to-face therapy, so you can decide which suits you. The other explains the difference between normal grief and prolonged grief, and when counselling may help.
About our guides
Are these guides medical advice?
No. The guides are general information to help you understand common concerns and options. They cannot take your individual circumstances into account. If you are worried about your mental health or a family member, speak with your GP or a psychologist. In an emergency, call 000.
Who writes them?
Each guide is written by [Psychologist name], a registered psychologist at Perfectly Aligned Psychology in Balgownie, drawing on Australian guidelines and published research. Sources are linked within each guide so you can read further, and every guide shows the date it was last reviewed.
How often are they updated?
Guides are reviewed at least once a year, and sooner when Medicare rules, clinical guidelines or research change. Figures such as rebate amounts are checked against official sources at each review, and the review date is shown at the end of the guide.
Questions a guide cannot answer?
Book a session or send us a message, and we will talk through your situation.