Therapy Through PLAY and Relationships

"Unstructured" or "free" play can help develop emotional self-regulation, critical thinking, problem-solving and social skills. It's so fundamental that experts describe it as a developmental necessity, not an optional activity."

Is Australia sucking the joy out of childhood? The first time Renae Powell waved her eldest child through the primary school gates she felt something was missing: play time.

"Parents across all demographics are struggling with "loneliness, self-doubt and lack of self-compassion"....steady decline in parent mental health over the past decade and the research showed these struggles were "universal" and not confined to a single gender or income group. Vivek Murthy recently declared modern parental stress to be an "urgent public health issue", directly linked to the wellbeing of children and the health of society."

Australian parents in 'survival mode all the time' break taboos on raising kids As the birth rate hits a record low it's been revealed that almost 60 per cent of Australian parents are experiencing psychological distress, according to the largest-ever national parenting survey.

Mama, you are enough 💕

"We found stronger pretend play ability among two and three-year olds was associated with fewer emotional and behavioural difficulties at four-five and six-seven years of age. Some of these difficulties could include having many worries or often having temper tantrums.
The findings held even after accounting for participants’ socioeconomic background, the mother’s mental health, language ability and the security of their relationship with their parents."

Pretend play is a magical part of childhood. New research suggests it can also help mental health For children, rocks can be spaceships. Pens can be fairies. And this kind of play can help protect mental health in childhood, according to new research.

Autism and Humanity – Every Life Has Value. It's a day to remind us that people with autism are entitled to equal access, support and inclusion in all areas of life.

"What shapes attachment: food or love?" - a wonderful new article shines lite on answering this question

A viral monkey, his plushie, and a 70-year-old experiment: what Punch tells us about attachment theory Punch’s attachment to his plushie isn’t just the subject of a heart-wrenching video. It harks back to the story of a very famous set of 1950s psychology experiments.

Did you know that your Private Health Insurance (cover dependant) can be used for Parent Counselling and Coaching, in-person at a Caulfield practice or over Zoom? Please feel free to inquire with Antonina Quinlan at [email protected] or ph: 0498177243

Antonina Quinlan, Psychotherapist, Caulfield, VIC, 3162 | Psychology Today Antonina Quinlan, Psychotherapist, Caulfield, VIC, 3162, 0498 177 243, As a dedicated and interpersonal child and parent psychotherapist, I specialise in counselling and therapeutically coaching parents and/or carers using Filial and Child-Parent Relationship Therapy, an approach that is backed by n...

Today marks the start of GLOBAL PLAY THERAPY WEEK, celebrating the power of play therapy and the courageous children it empowers.