Lizaan Schwartz

Lizaan is a registered psychologist and a Board-Approved Supervisor. She has been part of our team for over 8 years. Since joining Minds & Hearts in 2016, she has gained extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and adults, including internships under renowned professionals such as Prof. Tony Attwood and Dr. Michelle Garnett.

Lizaan’s journey in allied health began in South Africa in 2011, where she worked with the Unica School for Autism. She was a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society and played a significant role as a Co-Director in the Unica School for Autism program, supporting children aged 3 to 18 from multicultural backgrounds in South Africa. She furthered my studies by completing a Master’s Degree in Educational Studies (Autism Studies) at Griffith University in Australia. Her research on social-emotional reciprocity in autism was published in 2021 and she presented at the Australasian Society for Autism Research conference. 

This sparked her passion for supporting individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and inspired her to move to Australia to deepen her knowledge and skills. She is committed to helping her clients build on their strengths and achieve their full potential while also providing support in their home, social, and learning environments. Lizaan alongside our Clinic Directors has supported primary and secondary education settings to build their knowledge and skills in supporting children with neurodevelopmental conditions through educational workshops.

Lizaan works with clients across the lifespan, including, children, adolescents, and adults. She has experience in the assessment, formulation, and treatment of mental health conditions that co-occur alongside neurodevelopmental conditions such as Autism, ADHD, Specific Learning Disorders (such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Dyscalculia), Intellectual Development Disorder, Anxiety Disorders (including selective mutism, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety), and depression, which may also overlap with attachment and trauma factors.

Lizaan has a particular interest in supporting females on the autism spectrum, helping them develop social-emotional skills and self-understanding. She uses evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Schema Therapy to support her clients. Lizaan completed the Level 1 & 2  Schema Therapy training for Adults in 2024. Lizaan is currently working towards her Schema Therapy for Children-Adolescent (ST-CA) Standard Certification through the International Society of Schema Therapy (ISST).

Special interest areas include but are not limited to:

• Assessment of neurodevelopmental conditions for Children, Adolescents & Adults
• Assessment of Specific Learning Disorders for Children, Adolescents & Adults
• Application of Schema Therapy to neurodiverse individuals
• Supporting family and educational settings on matters of neurodiversity
• Reviewing support needs for children and adolescents within their educational setting (i.e., IEP, ILP, ICP etc.)
• Supporting females with their neurodiverse presentations and to build their skills to advocate for their support needs within their social, work, family, and relationships

Limited availability for ongoing therapy

Available for diagnostic assessments, cognitive and learning assessments, and supervision

Available for educational workshops to support schools and teachers with supporting students with neurodiversity by request