Evidence-based neuropsychological assessment and consultation for individuals, families, and the clinicians who support them — delivered with clarity, care, and genuine collaboration.
I'm Lucy Charlton, a Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist with extensive experience in both private practice and hospital settings. I specialise in understanding how brain function shapes the way people think, feel, and manage day-to-day life.
My work spans a wide range of neurological and psychiatric presentations — from dementia and acquired brain injury through to stroke, epilepsy, brain cancer, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, alcohol-related brain injury, and decision-making capacity. I work closely with referring clinicians to provide assessments that are clinically meaningful and practically useful.
I practice from two private practice groups in Melbourne, and I'm passionate about translating complex neuropsychological findings into clear, actionable insights for both clinicians and clients.
I assess a broad range of neurological, psychiatric, and acquired conditions in adult clients. Below are the primary referral presentations I work with.
Comprehensive assessment of memory, attention, and executive function to characterise cognitive profile, clarify diagnosis, and guide care planning.
Assessment following traumatic brain injury, hypoxic/anoxic injury, or encephalitis — supporting rehabilitation planning and return-to-function goals.
Evaluation of cognitive sequelae following stroke, including memory, language, processing speed, and executive function to inform rehabilitation and community support.
Pre- and post-surgical neuropsychological assessment, monitoring of cognitive effects of seizure activity and medication, and functional impact evaluation.
Objective assessment of persistent post-concussion symptoms, cognitive inefficiencies, and return-to-work/school/sport readiness.
Pre- and post-operative cognitive evaluation for brain tumour patients, supporting neurosurgical planning, treatment monitoring, and quality-of-life assessment.
Formal capacity assessments for medical, financial, or legal decisions — providing objective evidence to support multidisciplinary team and legal processes.
Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, MND, and other progressive neurological conditions — monitoring cognitive change and informing management.
Comprehensive cognitive assessment for ARBI presentations, informing capacity considerations, support needs, and harm reduction planning.
Disentangling neurological from psychiatric contributions to cognitive difficulties — supporting differential diagnosis and informing psychological treatment.
Neuropsychological assessment evaluates the full range of cognitive, emotional, and behavioural domains — going beyond a single score to build a complete picture of how a person's brain is functioning in their everyday life.
New encoding · Short & long-term recall · Verbal & visual memory
Focus · Sustained & shifting attention · Processing speed
Planning · Organisation · Multitasking · Problem-solving · Decision-making
Understanding · Expression · Reasoning · Naming · Fluency
Visual processing and reasoning · Construction
Overall thinking ability (IQ) in context of history and presenting concerns
Fine motor coordination · Sensory-motor integration
Mood · Personality · Behavioural changes · Psychological wellbeing
Cognitive difficulties don't stay "cognitive" — they show up as poor therapy engagement, reduced work performance, relationship strain, loss of independence, and reduced wellbeing. Assessment goes beyond a score to understand the whole picture.
By merging thorough clinical histories with current neuroscientific research, every assessment is uniquely tailored to resolve complex diagnostic questions and address the specific functional challenges faced in daily life.
Gold-standard assessment batteries measure exactly how the brain processes information — investigating memory, attention, and executive function with precision to provide an objective baseline of cognitive health.
Assessment moves beyond simple data points. Cognitive scores are synthesised with medical background and personal context to uncover the 'why' behind cognitive changes — fostering a deeper understanding of each person's unique profile.
Clients and referrers receive clear, readable reports that prioritise actionable insights. Documentation is designed to be used immediately by the individual and their healthcare team to implement effective strategies for home, work, and community settings.
I work alongside treating physicians and allied health professionals to ensure neuropsychological findings are integrated into the broader treatment plan. This collaborative approach ensures assessment acts as a bridge to improved independence and better health.
Each assessment is tailored to the referral question and individual. Sessions typically span 1–6 hours across one or more appointments, with a detailed written report provided to referring clinicians and clients.
We begin with a thorough clinical interview to understand your history, current concerns, and goals for the assessment. This ensures the testing protocol is specifically tailored to your individual needs.
A comprehensive cognitive assessment is conducted using gold-standard protocols — a series of standardised tasks designed to evaluate memory, attention, problem-solving, and other cognitive domains.
How tasks are approached, mood and psychological factors, validity indicators, and behavioural observations are all integrated alongside the formal test data.
Test results are meticulously analysed and synthesised into a clear, structured report. This document translates complex data into meaningful insights and functional recommendations for clinical and real-world use.
Identifying patterns of cognitive strengths and inefficiencies, clarifying the contributing factors, and explaining what these findings mean in the context of everyday life.
In the final session, we discuss the findings collaboratively. We focus on how these results inform your ongoing care and identify practical strategies to improve functional outcomes and quality of life.
Neuropsychological assessment is a critical tool for differential diagnosis and treatment planning. I welcome referrals for medicolegal needs, return-to-work capacity, neurodegenerative screenings, and complex psychiatric presentations requiring cognitive profiling.
Referrers receive comprehensive, structured reports that integrate seamlessly into multi-disciplinary care, providing the evidence-based data needed for effective clinical decision-making.
Referrals are appropriate for clarifying diagnostic uncertainty, monitoring progressive conditions, or determining functional capacity following an injury or new neurological diagnosis. Consider a referral when:
"You don't need to be certain — just curious."
Whether you're a clinician looking to refer, or an individual seeking assessment, I'd love to hear from you.
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