⚠ COVID-19 UPDATE
Patients have been staggered so that only one patient/family is in the clinic at a time. Hygiene measures are in place. We are attempting to transfer as many people as possible to online services. We will be providing therapy for clinical and behavioural patients via phone or video conferencing in coming days.

ONLINE TEACHING: We will be extending our Virtual School services in coming weeks. Now commonplace, Understanding Minds has been a pioneer in the delivery of virtual therapy for students who have learning difficulties; particularly forms of dyslexia and dysgraphia. Principal of the Virtual School Lyn Wright has pioneered the delivery of maths interventions. The first version of virtual therapy began in 2009 using the old iChat program. We currently use the much more sophisticated Zoom, which allows us to see and hear the student, to screen share a virtual whiteboard and reading materials just like we would if we were in a face-to-face setting. Each side (clinician and student) can control the screen, which allows spelling activities to be accomplished by drawing with a finger or mouse on the virtual whiteboard. Audio and video of the teaching session can be recorded and homework materials easily shared making collaboration with teachers easier than for face-to-face therapy.

Clinic Director, Dr Craig Wright, published the first-ever peer-reviewed scientific paper on the effectiveness of virtual therapy in 2011. Colleagues at Macquarie University are currently extending this research. We are expecting that the anticipated school closures will lead more parents to seek help for specialised reading, spelling and maths interventions that can occur within the home. We are offering a free initial consultation to anyone wanting to try the Virtual School. Call (07) 55261516 or email understandingminds@gmail.com for appointments. We recommend the Macquarie University Reading Clinic, who deliver similar services if appointments are not available at our clinic.