Child Psychologist | Kelly Freitas Psychology

Kelly Freitas Psychology is a private psychology practice located in Caringbah, NSW.

We offer customized therapy sessions to children, adolescents, and families dealing with a wide range of concerns. Our goal is to help individuals and families find balance in all aspects of life and improve their overall well-being by enhancing their relationships with themselves and others.

We are passionate about our work and committed to helping our clients achieve their goals.

Autistic’s special interest drives them to be experts about it! Helps their world make sense and helps with connection with themselves and others.

Stimming is a regulatory behaviour that should not just be accepted but encouraged as an important emotional, physical, and mental coping skill.

Understanding that can help us notice when a special interest or stimming is actually being detrimental to their wellbeing and what we can do to change what is causing such intense involvement in those. For example, adjusting the environment, providing alternatives, and practising new skills, as well as working on communicating their own needs so they can advocate for themselves.

If you need help with that, contact a professional who specialises in autism.

Reach out if you would like to talk about how I can assist you with that.

SOURCE: https:/www.autism.org.uk

#autistic #autism #autisticchildren #autisticadults #neurodivergent #neurodiversity #psychology #autismsensoryneeds #autismstimming #mentalhealth

It is important to understand that stimming behaviours have an important role in regulation, so they should be encouraged if it is safe for the autistic person to do so.

When a child is engaging in harmful stimming, we can assist them reducing, stopping and changing those, to a stimming that is not harmful, as well as adjusting the environment and teaching them tools. In the next post I am sharing some information that might be helpful!

If you need assistance with that, contact a professional that specialises in autism.

Reach out if you would like to talk about how I can assist you!

SOURCE: https://www.autism.org.uk

#autistic #autisticadults #autisticchildren #neurodiverse #neurodiversity #neurodivergent #mentalhealth #psychology #childpsychology #autismstimming #autismsensory

It is important to understand that engaging in their special interest is important for their wellbeing, and it helps with making the world safer for them. However, at times those interests are impacting their life, you can support them adjusting those.

Tomorrow I am going to share how we can support autistic people when they are engaging in behaviours in a way that might be impacting their life.

SOURCE: https://www.autism.org.uk/

#autistic #autism #autisticchildren #autisticadults #neurodivergent #neurodiverse #neurdiversity #autismawareness #autismawarenessmonth #psychology #childpsychologist #mentalhealth #autismspecialinterest

I "met" Dr Temple Grandin in September 2022 during the Autism: Beyond Limits Online Conference promoted by Autism Cork. It was great to hear from her own experience, and how the encouragement and support she received were paramount to lead to where she is.

Dr. Grandin is autistic. She did not talk until she was three and a half years old. She was fortunate to get early speech therapy. Her teachers also taught her how to wait and take turns when playing board games. She was mainstreamed into a kindergarten at age five.

When she was young, she was considered weird and teased and bullied in high school. The only place she had friends was activities where there was a shared interest such as horses, electronics, or model rockets. Mr. Carlock, her science teacher, was an important mentor who encouraged her interest in science. When she had a new goal of becoming a scientist, she had a reason for studying.

Oliver Sacks wrote in the forward of 'Thinking in Pictures' that her first book 'Emergence: Labeled Autistic' was “unprecedented because there had never before been an inside narrative of autism.” Dr. Sacks profiled Dr. Grandin in his best selling book Anthropologist on Mars. Dr. Grandin became a prominent author and speaker on both autism and animal behavior. Today she is a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University.

She has also done a TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds

This information was taken from Dr Temple Grandin website: https://www.templegrandin.com/

#autism #autisticadults #neurodivergent #neurodiversity #mentalhealth #autismacceptance #templegrandin #psychology

While eye contact is often viewed as a crucial component of communication, it’s important to recognise that for autistic individuals, making eye contact can be incredibly challenging. This is due to a variety of factors. Including sensory overload, difficulty with social cues, and individual differences in communication styles.

However, it’s also important to remember that making eye contact is not actually necessary to comprehend instructions.

By understanding and respecting these differences, we can create more inclusive and effective communication practices for everyone.

Source:

1. Nouchine Hadjikhani, Jakob Åsberg Johnels, Nicole R. Zürcher, Amandine Lassalle, Quentin Guillon, Loyse Hippolyte, Eva Billstedt, Noreen Ward, Eric Lemonnier, Christopher Gillberg. Look me in the eyes: constraining gaze in the eye-region provokes abnormally high subcortical activation in autism. Scientific Reports, 2017; 7 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03378-5

2. https://www.livingonthespectrum.com

3. https://neurodivergentinsights.com/

3. Monk CS, Weng SJ, Wiggins JL, Kurapati N, Louro HM, Carrasco M, Maslowsky J, Risi S, Lord C. Neural circuitry of emotional face processing in autism spectrum disorders. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2010 Mar;35(2):105-14. doi: 10.1503/jpn.090085. PMID: 20184808; PMCID: PMC2834792

3. Dalton KM, Nacewicz BM, Johnstone T, Schaefer HS, Gernsbacher MA, Goldsmith HH, Alexander AL, Davidson RJ. Gaze fixation and the neural circuitry of face processing in autism. Nat Neurosci. 2005 Apr;8(4):519-26. doi: 10.1038/nn1421. Epub 2005 Mar 6. PMID: 15750588; PMCID: PMC4337787.

#autism #autistic #autisticchildren #autisticadults #autismandeyecontact #eyecontactwithautism #mentalhealth #neurodivergent #neurodiversity #psychology #childpsychologist

Kayla Cromer is an American actress, she is autistic and a activist. In 2020, she began appearing as Matilda, a high school senior who is driven to succeed and is on the autism spectrum, in the series Everything's Gonna Be Okay.

Cromer was diagnosed with dyscalculia, dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at the age of 7 and was diagnosed with autism years later. She publicly disclosed her diagnosis at the 2019 Freeform Summit. She is the first autistic actress to play an autistic main character in a TV series and works as an activist trying to end the stigma of being autistic.

In some of her interviews I came across, Kayla shows she has embraced her whole self, her identity as an autistic woman, that works hard to achieve her goals. It was also apparent that she received the support she needed, starting from her early childhood, with her parents' support.

Autistic people can, as much as neurotypical people, achieve wonders, when given the support they need!

#autism #autistic #autisticchildren #autisticadults #psychology #childpsychology #childpsychologist #mentalhealth #sensorysensitivities #sensoryprocessing

Other strategies you can use to support and empower autistic people according to the different areas the brain receives sensory input from:

✨Sight: make changes to the environment, such as reducing fluorescent lighting, providing sunglasses, using blackout curtains and/or creating a workstation in the classroom - a space or desk with high walls or divides on both sides to block out visual distractions.

✨Sound: using visual supports to back up verbal information, and ensuring that other people are aware of the under-sensitivity to sound, so that they can communicate effectively. If they are over sensitive, you could shut doors and windows to reduce external sounds; preparing the person before going to noisy or crowded places; providing ear plugs and music to listen to.

✨Smell: creating a routine around regular washing and using strong-smelling products to distract people from inappropriate strong-smelling stimuli (like faeces). If their brain is over stimulated by smells, you could help by using unscented detergents or shampoos, avoiding wearing perfume, and making the environment as fragrance-free as possible.

✨Taste: some autistic people may limit themselves to bland foods or crave very strong-tasting food. As long as someone has some dietary variety, this isn't necessarily a problem.

✨ Touch: for smearing, offering alternatives to handle with similar textures, such as jelly, or cornflour and water; for chewing, offering latex-free tubes, straws or hard sweets (chill in the fridge). Warning the person if you are about to touch them - remembering that a hug may be painful rather than comforting; changing the texture of food (eg purée it); slowly introducing different textures around the person's mouth, such as a flannel, a toothbrush and some different foods; gradually introducing different textures to touch; allowing a person to complete activities themselves (eg hair brushing and washing) so that they can do what is comfortable for them; turning clothes inside out so there is no seam, removing any tags or labels; allowing the person to wear clothes they're comfortable in.

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Processing everyday sensory information can be difficult for autistic people. Any of their senses may be over- or under-sensitive, or both, at different times. These sensory differences can affect how they feel and act, and can have a profound effect on a person’s life.

Above you can check some of the effects of hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touch, balance and body awareness..

Source:
Reframing autism: https://reframingautism.org.au
National Autistic Society https://www.autism.org.uk/

In her book "Hannah Gadsby 10 steps to Nanette" (great book! I super recommend) Hannah talks about all the challenges she faced in her life, and all the adjustments she worked hard to understand and make in her life to make it more predictable, safe, and enjoyable. She was finally being kind to herself. She was advocating for herself, for accommodations necessary to support her mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.

Hannah Gadsby is an Australian writer, comedian and actress known for Hannah Gadsby: Douglas (2020), Hannah Gadsby: Nanette (2018) and Please Like Me (2013). She was diagnosed with ADHD and autism in 2017. She refers to her autism in her 2019 show Douglas in a way that aims to help people understand neurodiversity as part of a normal variation of the human condition.

She also has done a TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/hannah_gadsby_three_ideas_three_contradictions_or_not?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

#autism #autisticadult #mentalhelath #autismacceptance #psychology #neurodiversity

In summary all those strategies are focused on making autistic people’s life more predictable, reducing anxiety and allowing them space and time to transition.

Can you think about any other strategies that might be helpful?

Source: https://www.autism.org.uk

#autism #neurodiversity #autisticchildren #autisticadults #psychology #childpsychology #autismawarenessmonth

The world can seem a very unpredictable and confusing place to autistic people, who often prefer to have a daily routine so that they know what is going to happen every day. They may want to always travel the same way to and from school or work, or eat exactly the same food for breakfast.

Rules can be very important for some autistic people. It may be difficult for an autistic person to take a different approach to something once they have been taught the 'right' way to do it.

Sometimes minor changes such as moving between two activities, can be distressing; for others big events like holidays, starting or changing school, moving house or Christmas, which create change and upheaval, can cause anxiety.

Some autistic people have daily timetables so that they know what is going to happen, when. However, the need for routine and sameness can extend beyond this. You might see:
✨ changes to the physical environment (such as the layout of furniture in a room), or the presence of new people or absence of familiar ones, being difficult to manage
✨ rigid preferences about things like food (only eating food of a certain colour), clothing (only wearing clothes made from specific fabrics), or everyday objects (only using particular types of soap or brands of toilet paper)
✨ a need for routine around daily activities such as meals or bedtime. Routines can become almost ritualistic in nature, followed precisely and with attention paid to the tiniest details
✨ verbal rituals, with a person repeatedly asking the same questions and needing a specific answer
✨ compulsive behaviour, for example a person might be constantly washing their hands or checking locks. This does not necessarily mean they have obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)  but if you are concerned about this, speak to your GP in the first instance.

People's dependence on routines can increase during times of change, stress or illness and may even become more dominant or elaborate at these times. Unexpected changes are often most difficult to deal with.

Source: https://www.autism.org.uk

‼️ next post I am going to share some strategies to deal with change

#autism #neudiversity #autistic #psychology

In September 2022 I participated in the Autism: Beyond Limits Online Conference promoted by Autism Cork. In this event I learnt a lot, one of the best parts was watching Dr Stephen Shore talking about himself and all the support he received in his childhood. The support lead to a safe upbringing despite the challenges he was facing, with lots of understanding, adjustments, experimentations and learning, from both his parents and Stephen himself.

It is important to understand that there is a great diversity within the autism spectrum. No two brains are the same, so no two autistic or neurotypical people experience life the same way. Understanding that reduces the chances of one fits all intervention/support to be provided. It is also important to know that some differences in communication, social interaction, sensory receptivity, and highly focused interests can be common for autistic children and adults. Some autistic people can be good at mathematics, while others may be good at music, drawing, sports, or writing, just like everyone else.

As a child, Dr. Stephen Shore was struck with what he now describes as ‘the Autism bomb’. For most people during the 1960s, this would have meant a life sentence in an institution. Institutionalisation was recommended—but rejected in favor of parent-based intensive early intervention and support.

His path, however, was one that would defy the expectations of that time. Through extensive support that would have seemed ground breaking for the mid-1960s, he became verbal by the age of 4, and continued to go from strength to strength. Stephen is now a professor at Adelphi University, where his research focuses on matching best practice to the needs of people with autism. He also teaches music to autistic people and has written many books about autism.

Dr Stephen has also done a TEDx Talk: https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=Gk9T7ngEijs&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.autismcork.ie%2F&embeds_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.autismcork.ie&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&feature=emb_title

#autism #autismawareness #autismacceptance #psychology #psychologist #neurodiversity #neurodivergent

The goal of neuro-affirming therapy is to embrace the uniqueness and strengths of neurodivergent children and provide them and their families with the skills, tools, and strategies to allow for improved participation within the home, school, and play environments. This may involve:

Seeking to understand the needs of neurodivergent children from their perspective and adapting the environment to meet these needs.
Understanding and respecting neurodivergent communication styles.
Understanding and accommodating individual sensory needs.
Encouraging neurodivergent rather than neurotypical listening skills.
Assisting in developing self-advocacy and problem-solving skills.
Teaching children to better understand the emotions, behaviours, and communication of other people around them, so they can better choose how they want to respond.
Validating children’s feelings, helping them recognize their triggers, and assisting in identifying calming strategies.
Recognizing the need for processing time and safe spaces.
Encouraging safe self-regulation skills, including stimming.
Adopting neurodiversity affirming language

Neurodiversity affirming therapy does not involve:
Promoting masking, loss of autonomy, or loss of personal agency.
Eliminating stimming behaviours.
Developing goals that seek to “cure” neurodivergent behaviours.

Source: yourmindmatters.net.au

#autism #autismawarenessmonth #psychology #neurodiversity #autismacceptance #autismsupport

Those are only some things we know about Autism that can assist parents and therapists adjusting their approach in supporting autistic people.

Understanding that it is a different neurotype, and that skills will be different, guide us in the direction of supporting autistic people live their life loving the way they are, that there is nothing wrong to be fixed.

What needs to change is the environment and support we provide! To assist them in learning tools that will increase their well-being.

#autism #childpsychology #mentalhealth #psychology #autisticadults #autisticchildren #psychologist

Autistic adults are likely to have a different way of processing information, which can impact the way they understand and communicate information about themselves and the world. In terms of thinking and processing, an Autistic adult might:
✨Be an “orthogonal thinker” (draw on ostensibly unrelated elements to inspire new perceptions and ideas, in contrast to “linear thinkers”)
✨Show great attention to detail, or a desire to focus on the details – this is known as “bottom up thinking”, and it means wanting to understand details clearly first to define the big picture, rather than the other way around
✨Process and understand information very literally
✨Have defined, specific and very focused interests. These can be called “special interests” or SPINs in the Autistic community
✨Be able to “hyperfocus” on a task or process, and/or experience difficulty maintaining their attention on required tasks, or organising their thoughts and actions, unless they are able to “hyperfocus”
✨Experience differences in the way they transition. Autistic adults can find it difficult to begin something but equally difficult to stop that thing once they begin, especially if the task or process is not “finished” or “complete”
✨Structure their life into specific, predictable routines or patterns of activities
✨Quickly and easily notice patterns in the world around them
✨Have unusual responses to sensory stimuli compared to their non-autistic peers. These responses might include both seeking sensory input (e.g., specific touch or movement) or avoiding sensory input (e.g., smells, noises, textures)
✨Experience co-occurring ways of thinking such as alexithymia (differences identifying/communicating emotion), aphantasia (differences with visualising/imagining) or dyscalculia (differences in understanding number-based concepts)
✨Experience interruption to their ability to self-regulate and process information, depending on their changing environment or sensory needs (e.g., some Autistic adults describe feeling unable to think when their environment is too bright or too loud)

‼️ Continues on comments.

Autistic adults are likely to be non-traditional communicators, both in expressing themselves and in receiving and interpreting communication. In terms of socialising and communicating, an Autistic adult might:

✨Prefer honest, literal, and straightforward language and messages, and to focus on deep subjects rather than superficial “small talk”
✨Enjoy “infodumping”, or sharing detailed information on an area of passion or expertise
✨Use unexpected body language, like unusual eye contact or no eye contact at all, body positioning and gestures
✨Use echolalia, which means repeating, or “echoing”, of a phrase or words. An example of echolalia is regularly quoting TV shows, song lyrics, or memes
✨Rely heavily on pre-prepared scripts or messages, both to “fit in” with what is expected of them and to limit the potential for misunderstanding
✨Utilise other methods of communication to express themselves, including gestures, sign language, or Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC). AAC can be high-tech, like an iPad app, or low-tech, like a picture board
✨Gravitate to friends with similar interests, values, and communication styles, even if they are much older or younger
✨Feel more comfortable around other Autistic or other neurodivergent people;
✨Prefer highly structured social interactions, like online gaming
✨Form quality friendships online, often more than “in person”

You also may not notice any of these differences in the Autistic adults you know. This may be because many Autistic adults have learnt to “mask” or camouflage their organic and authentic Autistic social skills over time. Masking is often not a choice, but is a way to survive and to increase the chances of Autistic people feeling safe and included. Autistic people might mask consciously or unconsciously. Masking often takes a significant mental health toll on the Autistic person.

Source: https://reframingautism.org.au/about-autism/

#psychology #autismawarenessmonth #autismawarenessday #autismawareness #autism #childpsychology #neurodiversity #autismacceptance

The way that Autistic children’s brains develop is different to their same-age, typically developing peers. Some differences include how Autistic children engage in their interests and how they interpret sensory input. In terms of thinking and processing, you might notice that Autistic children:

✨Have a single abiding interest, around which all play, enjoyment and learning revolves;
✨Have many, many deep interests, which can be all-consuming, even if they don’t last a long time
✨Display significant differences in the way they process information including sensory stimuli. For most Autistic children, sensory processing differences are complex and unusual responses to sensory input across the five main senses, but also including the vestibular/movement, proprioceptive/body awareness, and interoceptive/internal bodily signals systems
✨Are sensory seeking (seeking specific sensory input), sensory avoiding (also called sensory defensive, or avoiding specific sensory input), or a combination of both
✨Display different sensory preferences in the way they experience or respond to food

This is not a complete list, and a child’s developmental path is unique to them, so each Autistic child will look different to other Autistic and non-autistic children.

These differences in Autistic children’s way of thinking are not “good” or “bad” – they are just Autistic ways of being in the world and interacting with it and other people. Autistic children do not lack “processing skills”: they may lack non-autistic processing skills, and may display organic, Autistic processing skills instead.

Source: https://reframingautism.org.au/about-autism/

#psychology #autismawarenessmonth #autismawarenessday #autismawareness #autism #childpsychology #neurodiversity #autismacceptance

Autism is a neurodevelopmental difference, that influences how autistic people perceive the world, think, behave, communicate, and interact with others.

It is not an illness or disease. For that reason, it can not, and people should not aim for a “cure”, being autistic is part of their identity.

Each autistic person will have different strengths and challenges and will require a different level of support.

Early signs of autistic traits usually appear in the first 1-2 years of life. Some children have many early signs, while others have only a few. There are three different areas that differences can be observed: communication and social interaction, engagement in deep interests and repetitive behaviours, and sensory sensitiveness.

Some of the first signs that a child might be Autistic is that their language and social skills develop differently from typical children. Some communication and social interaction differences might be:
✨enjoying playing alone as much as or more than playing with others
✨play in ways that may appear unnusual, like lining up toys, sorting toys into categories or types, or exploring different elements of toys
✨prefer highly structured social interactions
✨ they may not use speech as frequently or fluently, or non speaking
✨ need extra time processing speech
✨ not showing social interest in a way that is usually expected. They may not use eye contact or point to indicate that they want attention
✨use stimming behaviours like flapping, jumping, or spinning to express emotions and communicate
✨use frequent echolalia (repetition of a phrase or words)

If you have noticed some of those signs, speak with your child’s paediatrician. Early diagnosis and professional support helps autistic people and their families to understand the autistic person’s strengths, identify and increase pleasurable activities, and have tools to manage challenges they might be facing.

Source: https://reframingautism.org.au/about-autism/

#psychology #autismawarenessmonth #autismawarenessday #autismawareness #autism #childpsychology #neurodiversity #autismacceptance

Neurodiversity reflects the idea of the variation in human brains as being biologically normal, with no one brain being called ideal. It focuses on the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; and there is no right or wrong way of thinking, learning, and behaving. Differences are not viewed as deficits.

The way that people’s brains take in, process, and respond to information varies to one another. This difference in information processing reflects the diversity of experiences in the world. The neurodiversity explains why we are not all the same, and gives rise to the types of variations that are labelled with diagnoses such as autism, ADHD, developmental language disorder, Down syndrome, dyslexia, dyspraxia, fragile X syndrome and Tourette syndrome.

Using the neurodiversity terminology, the biggest group of people are called neurotypical. They tend to flourish in the education system and society because they are in the majority. These systems were often built by people like them for people like them. Neurodivergent people (also referred to as neuro-atypical or neuro-minorities) can struggle in these systems because of the mismatch between the way their brains process information and the way the system implicitly expects them to operate.

The neurodiversity-affirmative approach provides the focus on the adjustment of the environment to meet every person's needs, empowering them to be who they are while nurturing positive self-regard.

#psychology #autismawarenessmonth #autismawarenessday #autismawareness #autism #childpsychology #autismacceptance #neurodiversity #neurodivergent

Autism Awareness Month or Autism Acceptance Month is dedicated to inform and educate people about Autism, to create a world that is more inclusive and supportive to them.

Autistic people MAY:
✨Find it more challenging to interact and communicate with other people
✨Find it challenging to understand how other people think or feel
✨ Find things like bright light, loud noises, certain food textures, fabric of clothes uncomfortable, stressful or overwhelming
✨ Have sleep issues
✨Have big external or internal reactions (like sadness, anger, or shutting down) in unfamiliar situations, and when dealing with change

Each neurodivergent person will be as different to each other as neurotypical people are to each other. Their challenges and strengths will differ, so should the support they receive.

#psychology #autismawarenessmonth #autismawarenessday #autismawareness #autism #childpsychology #autismacceptance

April is Autism Awareness month, so during this month I will share information about this topic that speaks very close to my heart!

World Autism Awareness Day is a day sanctioned by the United Nations (UN) that recognises and celebrates the rights of people on the autism spectrum. The United Nations General Assembly, in 2008, unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day as a way to highlight the need to help improve the quality of life of people with autism so they can lead full and meaningful lives as an integral part of society. Each year the UN creates a theme for the world to reflect on for that day.

You can read more about the theme here: https://www.un.org/en/observances/autism-day

#psychology #autismawarenessmonth #autismawarenessday #autismawareness #autism #childpsychology

Another year is ending!

2022 was a very big year for me, many things happened.
I visited my family in Brazil after four years (Covid being the reason it took this long). I finally got my general registration as a psychologist (after five years of bachelor, a four years gap since I arrived in Australia, and one year and a half of internship as a provisional psychologist). I have signed up and completed many online courses, and read many books (my favourite was The Polyvagal Theory by Stephen Porges). I got engaged to an amazing person! And I am leaving the group practice I have worked the past two years to be on my own. Phew 😮‍💨 What a year!

I have learnt to be more patient and compassionate with myself, understanding that I am always learning (this is the process) and having breaks (self care) helps me grow as a person and as a professional.

Now is a good time to reflect on the year you had, of the happy gains and missed opportunities, on your boundaries and communication style, on the relationship you had with yourself and with others. Introspect on your personal growth, and learn from the experience.

It is not easy to change our biases and the way we see the world, but our perspective of the challenges we face has the power to change how resourceful we can be, as well as how resilient.

I hope this New Year brings us lots of opportunities to continue learning how to enjoy life and our relationships. Remember to
* make more time for self-care
* be more compassionate with yourself and others
* make space for fun, play and creativity
* spend more time with the people you love
* practice self-love

Happy New Year!! I will see you in 2023 💫

#newyear #selfcare #newyearsresolution #emotionalhealth #mentalhealth

Christmas can be the most wonderful time of the year, as the music says, but some people experience it very differently. It can actually bring feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety.

It’s great to be joyful this time of the year, I hope for those of you that feel that way, you can enjoy your time with people that you love and make you feel loved.

It’s also okay not to feel okay! To those that are having a tough time, there are ways to get help and emotional support.

If there is an emergency, please call 000.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact one of the below:
Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511 (available 24/7)
Life Line: 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back: 1300 659 467
Beyond Blue (phone and online chat): 1300 224 636

Other services:
1800 RESPECT – sexual assault / family violence - 1800 811 811

#mentalhealth #selfcare #emotionalhealth #festiveseason #seeksupport

Understanding that every behaviour is communicating a need, starting from the need to feel safe and connected will help parents meet their child’s needs and assist them in communicating their needs without emotional outbursts or withdrawals.

Sometimes it can be very challenging trying to meet the child’s needs, it can feel like it is too hard to stay calm and help your child to communicate their needs without getting emotionally dysregulated.
If you or your child need help in this process seek a mental health professional.

#parenting #parenthood #childpsychology #childemotionalhealth #emotionaldevelopment #childdevelopment #mumhood #dadhood

Children usually love to share about their day, about projects they make and talk about their interests, this is the opening for them to talk about their challenges. No matter how small it seems, for them those challenges might be a big deal. Listening to them, validating their feelings and assisting them in problem solving will support their emotional development and connection with you.

#parenting #secureattachment #parenthood #mindfulparenting #childpsychology

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About

Kelly Freitas

Kelly is a registered psychologist, who believes that therapy can help people improve self-awareness, and build and maintain healthy connections with themselves and others.

She is passionate about working with children and their families, providing parents the support required to improve children's emotional health and well-being.

Weekdays, Saturday & after hours

Offering support for a range of concerns including anxiety, depression, self-esteem, confidence, interpersonal challenges, assertiveness, emotional regulation, parenting, and stress management. Increased interest and training in working with neurodivergent individuals.

Services

We provide tailored therapy to children, adolescents and families. We work with individuals and families across all ages presenting with a broad range of concerns. Our strength-based and client-centred approach enable us to support our clients to meet their goals.

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About

Kelly Freitas

Services

Child-Therapy

Individual Therapy

Online Therapy

Contact us:

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Follow us on Instagram

About

Kelly Freitas

Services

Child-Therapy

Individual Therapy

Online Therapy

Contact us: