Psychology and Counselling
For Kids, Teens and Families.
Why do psychologists, Mental Health Social Workers and Occupational Therapists work with young people and their families?
Sometimes you've tried everything you know, but your young person is still struggling with their emotions, behaviour, social connections or learning. Psychologists, Mental Health Social Workers and Occupational Therapists will aim to build supportive relationships, share their knowledge that is based on evidence and research, and work together with you and your young person to explore new strategies to help them reach their goals.
Here are some examples of what we do
Regulating Emotions
Everyone feels emotions all the time, and those feels are not always going to be positive or happy. However, if a young person is feeling sad all the time, or worried or angry often, it's helpful to learn ways to manage those feelings. Mental health workers can help.
Dealing with Parental Separation and Divorce
Parental separation and divorce are difficult for everyone involved. Not all children need to speak to a professional about these experiences, but sometimes, it can be helpful to talk to someone impartial about what your feeling, what's different now, and what strategies might help us to accept these new changes.
ASD, your strengths and goals
An Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis can be overwhelming at first however, this new understanding can empower a family to better understand their young person, and how to best support them. Likewise, we love to help young people to learn about their strengths and challenges, and use that knowledge to find good fit strategies to help them to achieve their social, emotional and academic goals.
Parenting Techniques and Support
The moment we think we've figured it out, they grow and change and we feel like we're scrambling for new strategies all over again.
Parenting isn't easy, but there is a wealth of research about strategies that are helpful for different types of families, and different types of kids. Mental health workers can help.
Can we self-refer or do we need to see our family doctor first?
Yes, you can self-refer however, if you are concerned about the mental health of your young person, your family doctor should first assess your young person’s overall health and mental health needs. To support their wellbeing, your GP or paediatrician might provide a Mental Health Care Plan, Enhanced Primary Care Plan or 135 (Autism Specific). These plans provide a partial Medicare rebate for several sessions. Private Health Funds often provide a similar rebate. Currently, due to Covid-19, your doctor might provide up to 20 sessions with a clinician under the Mental Health Care Plan.