Natalia Sadykova
Psychologist & Clinical Psychology Registrar
MPsych(Clin), MProfPsych, BSc(Hons), BPsychSc

Personal Profile

Natalia is a Psychologist and Clinical Psychology Registrar with a deep passion for supporting neurodivergent individuals across the lifespan. Identifying as neurodivergent herself, Natalia brings a lived, deeply informed, and neurodiversity-affirming perspective to her work. She is committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and empowering therapeutic space where clients feel understood, respected, and supported to embrace their authentic selves.

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Originally from Eastern Europe, Natalia has lived in Australia for over 15 years, where she completed her psychology training and clinical practice. Her cultural background and lived experience shape a therapeutic style that is warm, genuine, and respectful, while also being clear, direct, and at times literal. Natalia is open about this communication style, as many clients, particularly neurodivergent individuals, find transparency and clarity both grounding and helpful in therapy.

Natalia works with clients who have diagnosed Autism or ADHD, as well as those who may have always felt “out of place” and are beginning their journey of self-understanding. She has a particular interest in supporting individuals who feel they do not quite “fit in,” helping them navigate the balance between belonging and authenticity, and supporting the development of self-acceptance, pride, and confidence in their identity.

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While neurodivergence is a core area of interest, Natalia’s practice is broad and inclusive. She works with children, adolescents, adults, and couples, and has extensive experience supporting clients with trauma (including childhood, relational, and occupational trauma), general mental health concerns, disability, and relationship difficulties. She also has strong experience working with clients from diverse cultural and identity backgrounds, including CALD and LGBTQIA+ communities.

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Natalia’s therapeutic approach is collaborative, person-centred, and goal-oriented. She works best with clients who value honest dialogue and are motivated to set clear goals and engage in steady, meaningful growth. Drawing from a range of evidence-based frameworks, Natalia tailors therapy to each client’s unique needs, strengths, and preferences. Her therapeutic toolkit includes:

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• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)

• Gottman Couples Therapy

• Mindfulness-based and counselling approaches

In addition to therapy, Natalia provides comprehensive psychological assessments for children and adults, including assessments of cognitive functioning, adaptive behaviour, personality, psychosocial functioning, and neurodivergence (including ADHD and autism). She regularly prepares reports for diagnostic clarification, treatment planning, NDIS, WorkCover, and educational or functional purposes.

Natalia is known for her thoughtful, respectful, and grounded clinical presence, and places strong emphasis on building a trusting therapeutic relationship. She is accompanied in sessions by her registered therapy dog, Ponka, who is often present to provide additional emotional support and help create a calm and welcoming environment. Clients are always informed in advance, and Ponka’s involvement is guided entirely by client comfort and preference.

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At the heart of Natalia’s work is a strong belief in connection and helping people communicate more openly, understand themselves and others more deeply, and move toward lives that feel both meaningful and authentic.