Anita Gardner (BA, PGDipPsych, MSocH, Mres) is a Psychologist with over 20 years of experience working with children, adolescents and adults with a range of neurodiverse abilities. Anita has a special interest in autism, intellectual disability and mental health. Key to her work is providing strengths-based, psychology focused services that respect the individual goals of each patient that she supports.
Anita works one day a week at Total Health Care, as she also works part-time as a research psychologist at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead where she is a member of the Westmead Feelings Program author team. The Westmead Feelings Program is an emotion-focus evidence-based program aimed at teaching important foundation skills in social emotional learning to children and adolescents on the autism spectrum. Recently, Anita assisted The Black Dog Institute in developing an online mental health program supporting adults with learning difficulties. Anita is passionate about providing caring, professional and evidence-based programs that improve short and long-term outcomes, including improved mental health and quality of life for the whole family. Over the years, Anita has conducted many workshops to parents, teachers and allied health professionals. She has also presented at domestic and international conferences. Anita is an active associate member of the Australian Psychological Society, and is currently the events coordinator for the Psychology of Intellectual Disability and Autism Interest Group. For many years Anita has also been the vice chairperson of the Association for Psychologists working in Developmental Disability.
