for all ages

Child & adolescent psychology

The Team at Person Centred Psychology & Allied Health prides itself on supporting child development. We know that the early years of life are so important for future health, and set’s your little one up for the best start of life. We work with children in pre-school, primary school, and high school stages. Together with your family, we hope to provide a positive experience of psychology, where families can learn more about emotions and establish strategies to enhance mental health and development.

Here are some common presentations we can help with:

  • Anxiety including generalised anxiety, separation anxiety, social anxiety, fears, and phobias

  • Depression and low mood

  • Emotion regulation skills

  • Trauma-related symptoms

  • School and learning difficulties

  • Social skills and friendship difficulties

  • Self-esteem

  • Behavioural concerns

  • Grief and loss

  • Body image concerns

  • Eating disorders

  • Neurodevelopmental differences including autism and ADHD

  • Adjustments and transitions including starting school, divorce, new siblings

 

Parenting is a wonderful experience, but it can be tough! We aim to support parents in several areas, including but no limited to:

  • Improving parent-child attachment

  • Understanding their child’s emotions and behaviour

  • Managing stress and change

 

How does it work?

Once your initial appointment is booked, parents and children will be asked to complete a handful of questionnaires, followed by a parent assessment session, to better understand your family, current circumstances and concerns.

Following this, we will share our understanding of your child’s current presentation and make a plan about how to best proceed. Therapeutic/intervention sessions will be individualised for your child and family, incorporating principles from play therapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness, and self-compassion.

We work within an attachment framework, and we know that the parent-child relationship is fundamental for child health. For this reason, parents actively participate in the intervention process. Depending on your child’s age, this may include sessions all together, or individual parent sessions throughout. We will provide feedback and suggestions about how to incorporate emotional approaches and strategies at home.

Some clinicians will also liaise with kindergartens and schools for their perspective and to help us understand your child’s emotional and behavioural functioning across contexts. Depending on your child’s needs, we may make behavioural or learning plans with schools, so they understand how to best support your child.

We love working with children and families and look forward to joining you on your journey to improve your family’s wellbeing.