Events & Speaking

A Passion for Neuro-affirming Care in Neurodiversity, Advocacy & Evidence-based Education

With extensive experience supporting neurodiverse children, teens, and adults, Dr Sarah Watson is a dynamic speaker who brings humour, warmth, and extensive experience to every speaking event. For over ten years her passion for ADHD awareness, inclusive education, and mental-health advocacy has made her a sought-after guest speaker for schools, universities, and community events.

Sarah holds Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in Psychology and has comprehensive expertise across all aspects of mental health, with a particular focus on neurodiversity. Her clinics partner closely with the University of Auckland Clinical Psychology, Auckland University of Technology Counselling Psychology, and Massey University Clinical Psychology training programmes, providing placements and supervision for postgraduate students. She is also a Guest Lecturer at the University of Auckland Medical School, where she contributes to the training of GPs and Psychiatry Registrars.

Sarah’s engaging style, evidence-based insights, and deep empathy make her a trusted voice in New Zealand’s neurodiversity and mental-health landscape.

Sarah has been invited to speak at:

• Schools and universities - empowering educators and parents to better support neurodiverse learners.
• Corporate and professional events - promoting inclusion and wellbeing in the workplace.
• Community and charity evenings - raising awareness and celebrating neurodiversity.
• Professional development seminars - for psychologists, counsellors, and teachers across New Zealand.

Speaking on a multitude of mental health-related topics, Sarah will tailor topics to your particular needs. Past audiences have included (but are not limited to) teachers, school leadership teams, RTLB/LSC/SENCO, Kahui Ako, parents of children and/or teens, and professionals: interns, placement students, Psychiatry Registrars, Psychologists, GPs and Nurses.

Some of the topics covered to date:

• ‘The Likely Psychological Effects on the Marokopa Phillips Family’ - RNZ, TVNZ, MediaWorks
• ‘Kids Wired Differently’ Documentary on Neurodiversity - Expert Child & Adolescent Psychologist
• ‘No Such Things As Normal’ Podcast - Expert Child & Adolescent Psychologist
• ‘AuDHD: Autism and the overlap with ADHD’
• ‘Managing Adolescent Depression and Self-Harm in Primary Care’ - GPs at ‘The Doctors’
• ‘The Glitch’ - OCD presentation to Tourette’s Assoc of NZ (T.A.N.Z)
• ‘Parent based behavioural interventions for ADHD in youth’ - University of Auckland Medical School
• ‘Brief Solutions Focused Therapy: Part 1 & 2’ - teaching to NZ CAMHS staff
• ‘Neurodiversity, Childhood Anxiety and ADHD’ Takapuna Kahui Ako, Mahurangi College
• ‘Fostering Security & FASD’ - NZ CAMHS & Oranga Tamariki
• ‘Managing Childhood Anxiety in the Dental Chair’ - NZDOHTA Dental Assoc
• ‘A Neurological Understanding of ADHD’ & ‘Interpreting Psychometrics’ - Psychiatry Registrar training programme, University of Auckland Medical School
• ‘Neurodiversity, Childhood Anxiety and ADHD’ - Takapuna Grammar School
• ‘ADHD & Teaching’ - Massey University Teachers College, Remuera Primary, Pukekohe Primary, Upper Harbour Primary, St Joseph’s, Westlake Boys High School
• ‘Parenting Smarter’ - Westlake Boys High School
• ‘COVID, Neurodiversity, Childhood Anxiety & ADHD’ - Westlake Boys High School