Therapy for Children and Adolescents
Therapy for Children and Adolescents.
At Mindful Families Australia, we understand that growing up can be both exciting and challenging. Children and young people may experience big feelings, worries, changes, sensory stress, learning demands, identity exploration, friendship challenges, or family pressures — and sometimes they need a little extra support.
Our role is to walk alongside young people and their families with care, curiosity, and compassion — helping them feel seen, heard, and understood.
Who We Support.
We work with children and adolescents experiencing:
Anxiety, worries, overwhelm or low mood
Emotional regulation challenges or big feelings
Stress related to school, peers, learning or performance
Identity development and self-esteem concerns
Social and friendship challenges
Grief and life transitions
Trauma or difficult experiences
Behavioural or relational struggles
Neurodivergent-related needs
Sensory overwhelm and nervous system stress
We celebrate neurodiversity and respect differences in communication, thinking, learning and sensory experience. Young people don’t need to change who they are to feel supported here.
Our Approach with Children and Teens.
Safe, Supportive & Relationship-Based.
We believe children and adolescents thrive in environments where they feel safe, respected and accepted. Our therapists take time to build trust and connection — working at a pace that feels comfortable for young people.
Sessions may include talking, play, creative expression, mindfulness and body-based strategies — depending on age, needs and preferences. Our practitioners meet with parents and guardians first, and value caregiver participation and support in working towards therapy goals.
Our Therapist use art, games and play with little people!
Neurodiversity-Affirming & Trauma-Informed.
We work from a compassionate, strengths-based lens. This means:
• Differences are valued — not pathologised
• Masking is never expected
• Autonomy and consent are honoured
• Regulation and safety come first
• Behaviour is understood in context — not judged
We support young people to develop self-awareness, coping tools, emotional understanding and self-compassion — rather than trying to “fix” them.
Family-Centered & Systemic.
Children do not exist in isolation — their well-being is connected to family, school, community, and cultural systems.
Where appropriate, we involve parents and caregivers to:
• Strengthen connection and communication
• Support emotional validation and co-regulation
• Develop practical strategies
• Understand the child’s unique nervous system and needs
We may also offer family therapy when relationships or patterns need space for healing or support.
Individualised & Evidence-Based.
Every child and family is unique. We tailor therapy using approaches such as:
• Mindfulness-based and Compassion-Focused Therapy
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Systemic Family Therapy
• Emotion-Focused approaches
• Play-based and creative therapies
• EMDR (where clinically appropriate)
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
• Trauma-informed frameworks
Our goal is always to meet the child where they are.
What Therapy Can Help With.
Therapy can support children and adolescents to:
Understand and express emotions
Develop coping and calming strategies
Improve self-esteem and self-acceptance
Manage stress, anxiety and overwhelm
Strengthen peer and family relationships
Build resilience and confidence
Better understand their unique selves and needs
Feel empowered and supported
We want young people to feel safe to be themselves.
How we Work With Parents & Caregivers.
At Mindful Families, parents are not blamed — they are supported partners in the process. We believe that we are all doing the best we can in any given moment with the skills and knowledge we have at the time. Parenting is both a wonderful and challenging journey, and we are here to walk beside you and help in ways we can.
We may offer:
Parent intake session and regular check-ins
Guidance and education
Support around behavioural patterns and regulation
Compassion-focused discussion around parenting stress
You don’t need to have it all figured out and you are not alone - contact us to find out more about how we may be able to support your young person and family.
Our Therapy Environment.
Our clinic is calm, low-stimulation, and welcoming, with thoughtfully designed therapy rooms to help young people feel at ease. We consider aspects such as lighting, sound, sensory toys, games, and other resources to help young people feel safe and contained. We also offer online sessions where appropriate.
Getting Started - The Process.
Step 1 — Reach Out
Contact our friendly admin team via the online form, email, or phone to arrange an initial appointment. Our admin team will listen carefully to understand your child’s needs and goals. You can book an initial appointment with a chosen practitioner, or our admin can recommend and book an appointment with the practitioner who best fits to support your child. Our team will discuss the next steps, including visiting your GP to obtain a Mental Health Care Plan or any details we need for NDIS funded young people. You will also receive a welcome email with all the practitioners' information and an Intake Form to complete before the first session.
Step 2 — Collaborative Planning
For young people, our practitioners first meet with parents and caregivers for an initial session to understand your child and family and how we can help. We then work together with you (and your child, depending on age) to create an individualised therapy plan and goals.
Step 3 — Ongoing Support
Your practitioner will focus on building rapport with your child so they feel safe to open up. They provide consistent, compassionate care — reviewing progress and adapting therapy as needed. Some sessions will involve your child, while others may benefit from having both children and parents present together, depending on the therapy goals.
Our practitioners are passionate about working with young people and their families. You and your child will never be alone in the process.