Counsellor, Children, Adolescents and Adults
Registered NDIS Provider Early Childhood Supports, Counselling & Innovative Community Participation
Australian Counselling Association Member (MACA 15350)
Supervisor (ACA College of Supervisors #15350)
Contact Fiona
0491 483 566
47b George Street, Millicent SA 5280
and
4 Ripley Arcade, Mount Gambier SA 5290
Child-centred Therapy
Child-centred Therapy is a play-based approach that encourages the development of communication and social skills, using a participant’s natural interests, this may be through the use of e.g. craft activities, Lego®, puppets and/or sandtrays and symbols/objects.
What is Child-Centred Therapy?
Child-centred therapy helps children with disabilities and/or experienced trauma by providing support for emotional, cognitive, and social development through evidence-based interventions. Therapy aims to build skills for daily activities, improve self-regulation, enhance social interactions, and boost self-esteem in a child-centred, family-supported approach.
Developed from Carl Rogers' person-centred theory, a therapist creates a safe, trusting relationship and provides a space with toys/activities for a child to express themselves at their own pace. Children can use activities and toys as their "words" and play as their "language" allowing them to communicate their thoughts and feelings that may be difficult to verbalise. The therapist doesn't guide or lead the play but instead reflects the child's feelings and thoughts back to them to foster their innate ability for growth and healing. It is crucial that the therapist respects the child's ability to solve problems and make decisions, which helps build their sense of autonomy and power over their own challenges.
Courage Wisdom Change is a neurodiversity affirming practice. Fiona believes the therapeutic relationship is crucial for the intervention to be successful. During each session, eight child-centered principles are followed:
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develop a warm, friendly relationship with the child,
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accept the child unconditionally,
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Establish a sense of freedom where the child/adolescent is able to openly be themselves.
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recognize and reflect the feelings of the child,
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respect the child’s innate ability to understand and work towards solving their problems,
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follow rather than direct actions or conversation,
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recognize the gradual nature of the process, and
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establish only those limitations that are necessary (e.g. for the purpose of safety).
Group Therapy for Children and/or Adolescents
Group Therapy encourages positive interactions and helps children/adolescents foster crucial skills such as sharing, collaboration, conflict resolution, and verbal and non-verbal communication.
Courage Wisdom Changes’ Group Therapy is structured to support children and adolescents who are neurodivergent but can also benefit children and adolescents with other communication and social developmental challenges.
Group Therapy may work on developing social interactions or may have a specific focus such as anxiety management, self-awareness, developing a positive self-concept and enhancing their executive functioning skills.
Through working in a group setting children and adolescents develop their ability to:
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Collaborate: work as a group to achieve a common goal
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Joint problem solving, taking turns and sharing different roles, dividing up the tasks and working together
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Maintain attention: keeping their focus or coming back to the task until it is completed
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Verbal and non-verbal communication: using language and non-verbal skills to express ideas and feelings
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Conflict resolution: working through differences for a shared aim
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Creativity, fine motor skills, exploring concepts (learning about colours, numbers, categories, describing and more)
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Most importantly: be themselves, unmasked and free to use their unique voice.