Dr Sarah Castle

Sarah Castle

Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
MBBS MRCPsych BSc

Kinder Minds is the vision of founder Dr. Sarah Castle, a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. Before making Northland her home she trained in the United Kingdom and has since worked for Te Whatu Ora/Northland DHB providing clinical leadership of the Northland Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Sarah focuses on a compassionate approach to understand each young person’s unique experiences and challenges. She has special interests in the diagnosis of Autism and ADHD, as well as additional training in treatment of Trauma in Young People.

Neve is our therapy dog, click to meet her.

Kinder Minds is proud to be an ACC Contracted Provider

We are able to offer CPSA psychiatric services via ACC for eligible individuals, please get in touch for referrals or enquiries.

The Kinder Minds clinic consulting room The Kinder Minds playroom, with Neve carrying a toy across the rug The entrance to the Kinder Minds clinic, seen from the street

How We Can Help

We can help you with assessments of most psychiatric and psychological conditions, including (but not limited to):
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) for young people, adults discretionary
  • Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) for young people, adults discretionary
  • Trauma and Attachment Challenges
  • Psychiatric Medication Review and Management

Kinder Minds uses our expertise in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry together with our knowledge of managing a spectrum of mental health issues to provide quality care. From the simple to the complex, our service provides a safe haven where Young People feel understood, respected and supported. Our care is professional, deeply empathic and personalised. Whether it’s navigating the intricacies of ADHD, ASD or overcoming the effects of trauma, we are here to help young minds heal.

What We Offer

Many of our services can be available via telehealth, please contact us to discuss your individual circumstances.

Comprehensive Autism Assessment

Comprehensive autism assessment for children and young people. It is built from the ADI-R developmental history interview with parents, the ADOS-2 observation with your child, and a multidisciplinary team review before your feedback and formulation appointment with Dr Castle. The ADOS-2 must be completed in person at our Whangārei clinic.

Assessment duration: minimum 3 appointments.

Cost:

  • $2,600 inc GST.
  • Adults: our focus is children and young people. Adult assessments are at Dr Castle's discretion. Please contact us to discuss.

Comprehensive ADHD Assessment

Comprehensive ADHD assessment for children and young people. It is built from a structured parental interview, the Conners-4 questionnaires completed at home and at school, and a multidisciplinary team review before your feedback appointment.

Assessment duration: minimum 2 appointments.

Pathways and cost:

  • Standard pathway, led by our Nurse Practitioner: $1,500 inc GST.
  • Complex pathway, carried out by Dr Castle: $1,800 inc GST.
  • Adults: our focus is children and young people. Adult assessments are at Dr Castle's discretion. Please contact us to discuss.
Coloured pipe cleaners branching out from a single shape

Combined ADHD & Autism Assessment

Where both ADHD and autism are being considered, we can assess for both in a single pathway.

It includes the parental interview, the Conners-4 questionnaires, the ADI-R developmental history interview, the ADOS-2 observation, a multidisciplinary team review, and a feedback and formulation appointment with Dr Castle.

Assessment duration: minimum 4 appointments.

Cost: $3,000 inc GST

Loose jigsaw pieces waiting to be fitted together

ADHD Titration Clinic New service model

Our new model for starting and managing ADHD medication, replacing per-appointment and per-prescription billing with a single monthly fee.

You begin with one appointment to confirm it is safe to start. Ongoing care then runs as a monthly fee covering weekly nurse follow-up, dose guidance and your prescriptions, sent electronically to your pharmacy.

Open to people we have diagnosed and people diagnosed elsewhere.

Cost:

  • $250 inc GST first appointment, if we diagnosed the ADHD.
  • $350 inc GST first appointment, if it was diagnosed elsewhere.
  • $150 inc GST per calendar month, stimulant monitoring.
  • $50 inc GST per calendar month, atomoxetine-only monitoring.

Post-Diagnostic Support

Available to clients diagnosed with us, and to those diagnosed elsewhere.

Every neurodevelopmental assessment at Kinder Minds includes one hour of post-diagnostic support, to help families navigate their outcome.

From there you can carry on for as long as you find it useful. That might be understanding the diagnosis, what living with it looks like day to day, or how to put effective strategies in place to support your lives.

We start with a free 15-minute phone call to agree the approach, the focus and the schedule you want.

Session duration: as agreed, minimum 30 minutes.

Cost: $150 inc GST per hour

Prescriptions

All prescriptions are included in the monthly subscription of our ADHD Titration Clinic, sent electronically to your pharmacy at no extra cost.

Outside the subscription we can issue new prescriptions at the doctor's discretion, charged as a flat fee per script.

Cost: $35 inc GST

Our Approach

At Kinder Minds, our approach to mental health care for young people is deeply rooted in compassion, expertise, and a commitment to transformative healing. Under the leadership of Sarah, our medical director, we offer a sanctuary for children and adolescents grappling with a range of mental health challenges. We strive to make every young person feel understood, respected, and supported, as we navigate the intricacies of their mental health with them.

Our clinic's philosophy is centered on a compassionate understanding of the unique experiences and challenges faced by young people, and our mission is to transform their lives by delving into their inner world, empowering them with the tools they need to revover and build lasting resilience.

Thanks to Sarah's extensive training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, with specialised knowledge in trauma and neurodiversity (including Autism and ADHD), we are able to offer holistic and innovative interventions capable of addressing a wide range of mental health challenges to positively impact the lives of young people.

Our Mission

Here at Kinder Minds we are dedicated to providing exceptional mental health care and supporting families through their healing journey, focusing on the unique needs of each young person we serve.

Our aim is not just to treat but to transform the lives of children and adolescents by understanding their inner world and empowering them with the tools they need for recovery and resilience. Kinder Minds strives to be a safe haven of hope and healing, ready to support the mental health journey of young people and their families.

Who We Are

Kinder Minds is founded by Dr. Sarah Castle, a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist serving as the medical director, and Edoardo Giorgi with his rich scientific background serving as its administrative director. This partnership is the cornerstone of our clinic, dedicated to providing exceptional mental health care and supporting families through their healing journey by focusing on the unique needs of each young person we serve.

At the core of our clinic's mission is Sarah, whose deep passion and extensive training in psychiatry form the backbone of Kinder Minds' therapeutic approach. Her philosophy centres on understanding the intricate worlds of young people, fostering an environment where their concerns, dreams, and challenges are met with empathy and expert care.

Edoardo, transitioning from nuclear science to lead Kinder Minds' operations, blends his technical & scientific knowledge with compassionate oversight. He ensures that our clinic actively supports the therapeutic process, making every family's journey with us feel informed, supported, and valued.

Growing Kinder Minds

Kinder Minds is a multi-disciplinary service that strives to deliver the best possible comprehensive care for the children, adolescents, and families we serve.

If you are interested in being a part of our team please get in touch with us via our contact page.

Kinder Minds logo

The Kinder Minds Team

The Kinder Minds team is led by its founding members, Dr. Sarah Castle, as its Medical Director, and Edoardo Giorgi, as its Administrative Director.

We strive to deliver the best care possible to the families and young people of Northland and New Zealand. Our model is based on a multi-disciplinary approach to care as this is the most effective way to achive the best possible outcomes for the young minds we serve.

As Kinder Minds grows so too will our team to accommodate the needs of the whanau that come to us for help. If you are a professional who is interested in joining please get in touch with us.

Dr Sarah Castle

Sarah Castle

Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

Dr. Sarah Castle is at the heart of Kinder Minds' approach and commitment to helping young people and their families overcome the mental health challenges they face. Sarah brings a wealth of psychiatric and therapeutic expertise gained through her extensive training. Sarah held the position of Clinical Head of Department for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Early intervention in Psychosis, Maternal Infant Mental Health and Forensic CAMHS Services, in Te Tai Tokerau DHB across Northland.

Alongside formal clinical training, Sarah is passionate about working alongside families and Young People, to understand their inner world, concerns, worries, fantasies and dreams matter by giving them a voice. She often tries to work creativity and works outside of a one size fits all approach, to connect with ‘hard to reach’ children and young people.

Sarah has a keen interest in the assessment and treatment of trauma and neurodiversity, including ASD and ADHD. Her expertise is broadened by additional training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Mentalization Based Therapy for Adolescents, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for trauma, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, and other talking therapies. Sarah is particularly skilled in supporting young people through the diagnostic process, including ADOS-II, and offering interventions that benefit them and their family’s post-diagnosis, demonstrating her comprehensive approach to mental health care.

Dr Castle's Training

Medical

Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
MBBS Medicine
University College London, United Kingdom
Intercalated International Health with Medical Anthropology
Maudsley Hospital (South London) & University College London
Core Psychiatric Training
Tavistock Clinic, North London, United Kingdom
Higher Training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Additional training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists

Therapeutic

ADOS-II
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing
MBT
Mentalisation Based Therapy for Adolescents
CBT
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Trauma
DBT
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Edoardo Giorgi

Managing Director

Edoardo fulfills the technical and administrative role of making sure Kinder Minds runs as smoothly as possible, and that the team has everything it needs to deliver on our mission to help young people and their families.

Edoardo beings a multitude of skills picked up along his squiggly career from being a Nuclear Scientist to being a Science Communicator and Technical Writer. Being a patient and calm individual with an exceptional eye for detail you can expect him to ensure the families and young people we care for receive all the support needed to remain up to date with treatment plans and appointments.

Neve lying on the grass by the lake Neve on the lawn with a chew in her mouth Neve resting her nose on someone's hand Neve asleep on a cushion by the door

Neve

Therapy Dog

Neve is our wonderful, loving, and gentle dog who helps us ground our patients who like animals. At the time of Kinder Minds opening its doors she was still a puppy growing and excited to meet her first young people needing cuddles.

If you ask nicely Neve knows a lot of little tricks she'd be happy to do in exchange for treats, cuddles, and a moment of adoration.

Kezia Schroyen

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Kezia (she/her) is a Registered Nurse that works closely with Dr Castle and Kinder Minds helping with assessments, medication follow ups, and post-diagnostic support for families and young people. Having returned to her Whangārei origins in 2019 with her young family Kezia is also a mother of two primary school aged children and enjoys baking, crafting, and gaming.

Kezia brings a wealth of both experience and training having completed her specialisation in Neurodevelopmental Paediatrics at the Child Health Centre in Whangārei over the past 5 years. With a Post-Graduate Diploma in Child Health and her lived experience of neurodivergence, Kezia continues to further her training following her passion to help children and young adults be supported and better understood for who they are. Kezia is able to administer the following standardised assessments:

  • ADOS-II - Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
  • ADI-R - Autism Diagnostic Interview
  • Griffiths-III - Griffiths Scales of Child Development
  • KBIT-2 - Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test
Neve lying on the grass by the lake Neve on the lawn with a chew in her mouth Neve resting her nose on someone's hand Neve asleep on a cushion by the door