aMAZEin' Minds Psychology

CBT. ACT. DBT. EMDR. Schema Therapy.
To psychologists, these are everyday terms.

To everyone else, they're often just a confusing collection of letters that somehow seem important when you're trying to find a therapist. 😅

So... What are these different therapy approaches? 🤔
How are they different? Which one would work best for you?

We put together a quick overview of some of the most common therapy modalities: an overview of what they are, how they differ, and why you might come across them when looking for support.

Check it out for plain-English explanations and beautiful infographics that you're welcome to share with the wonderful humans you work with.

https://www.amazeinminds.com.au/types-of-therapy/

Types of Therapy: Which Approach Is Right for You? Types of therapy vary widely. Learn how CBT, ACT, DBT, EMDR and other approaches differ, and how to find the right fit for your needs.

There’s a lot of information online at the moment about ADHD coaching, executive functioning support, therapy, accountability, productivity systems… and honestly, it can get confusing pretty quickly.

We’ve just published a new blog exploring the differences between:
• ADHD coaching
• Psychology-informed executive functioning support
• Therapy and emotional wellbeing support

The article is written for adults who may be struggling with overwhelm, procrastination, burnout, emotional regulation, or the constant feeling of trying hard but still not quite keeping up.

Importantly, it’s not about saying one type of support is “better” than another — it’s about helping people understand what kind of support may actually fit their needs.

We’ve also included:
✔ A simple comparison infographic
✔ ADHD-friendly summaries and visuals
✔ Evidence-informed information
✔ Neurodiversity-affirming perspectives

Read here: https://www.amazeinminds.com.au/adhd-coach-vs-psychologist/

ADHD Coach vs Psychologist: What’s the Difference? ADHD coach or psychologist? Learn the differences between ADHD coaching, therapy, and executive functioning support.

We recently put together a practical resource for students who find essay writing difficult or overwhelming.

It covers:
• Understanding essay questions.
• Planning responses.
• Using transition words.
• Getting started with first drafts.
• Editing without overload.

There are also a series of visual infographics that may be helpful for students, parents, tutors, or teachers 🙂

Hopefully it helps someone feel a little less stuck with writing.

https://www.amazeinminds.com.au/how-to-improve-essay-writing/

How to Improve Essay Writing: 5 Practical Tips How to improve essay writing with 5 practical strategies to plan, structure, and express your ideas more clearly and confidently.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums, carers, grandmothers, step-mums, foster mums, and nurturing figures in our community 💛

We know today can hold many different emotions for people. For some, it’s joyful and full of connection. For others, it may feel complicated, heavy, exhausting, or bittersweet.

Wherever today finds you, we’re thinking of you.

Thank you for the care, advocacy, patience, emotional labour, and love you give so often behind the scenes. The work of supporting and nurturing others is immense, and it matters.

From all of us at aMAZEin’ Minds Psychology, we hope you’re able to find a small moment of gentleness for yourself today 🌼

There’s been a lot of discussion recently about changes to the , and understandably, many individuals and families are trying to make sense of what this might mean in practice.

We’ve put together a clear, steady overview of what’s currently being discussed, what remains uncertain, and what may actually matter when it comes to supports and planning.

Rather than focusing on headlines, the article aims to bring the focus back to functional needs, evidence, and practical next steps.

🔗 Read more:

NDIS Changes 2026: What It Means for Families NDIS changes 2026 explained. What’s being discussed, what it means for families, and how to navigate supports with clarity.

Procrastination in adults is often misunderstood as a motivation problem. In practice, it is usually a regulation problem.

When tasks feel overwhelming, unclear, or high-pressure, avoidance becomes a short-term solution to reduce discomfort.

Over time, this reinforces the cycle.

In this article, we’ve broken down:
• Common patterns of procrastination
• Why traditional advice often doesn’t work
• Practical, realistic strategies that support starting

It’s designed to be useful, not just informative.

You can read it here:

Procrastination in Adults: Why It Happens and What Actually Helps Procrastination in adults explained. Learn why it happens and practical strategies to improve focus, reduce overwhelm, and get started.

School holidays can bring a shift in routine, and for many children, this can mean more big emotions and overwhelm.

What can look like behaviour is often a sign that a child is struggling with regulation.

We’ve put together a blog on emotional regulation strategies for kids, focusing on what actually helps in these moments.

🔗 https://www.amazeinminds.com.au/emotional-regulation-strategies-for-kids/

Emotional Regulation Strategies for Kids: What Actually Helps Emotional regulation strategies for kids that actually help. Learn how to support big emotions at home and during school holidays.

There’s a moment many parents recognise.

You ask something simple.
Get dressed. Start homework. Come to the table.

And suddenly, everything escalates.

It can look like refusal.
Avoidance.
Even defiance.

But sometimes, what we’re seeing isn’t behaviour in the way we think.

It’s overwhelm.

We’ve written a new blog on pathological demand avoidance (PDA), exploring:
• What it is (and what it isn’t).
• Why everyday demands can feel so difficult.
• How to support children in ways that reduce pressure rather than increase it.

The shift is subtle, but important.
From “won’t” → to “can’t right now.”

And that shift changes everything.

🔗 Read more: https://www.amazeinminds.com.au/pathological-demand-avoidance/

Pathological Demand Avoidance – What It Is and How to Support Pathological demand avoidance explained. Learn what it is, why it happens, and how to support children with neuroaffirming strategies.

“Could my child be gifted?”

Often the signs are subtle. A child who asks endless questions. A child who learns quickly but becomes bored with repetition. A child who develops deep interests or seems to think about things a little differently from their peers.

Giftedness is sometimes misunderstood as simply being “very smart”. In reality, research suggests it often involves a combination of advanced cognitive ability, creativity, and strong motivation or curiosity. These ideas were captured well in the three-ring model proposed by psychologist Joseph Renzulli.

Consequently, the signs of giftedness can appear in many different ways. Some children show rapid learning, strong memory, or advanced language skills. Others demonstrate deep curiosity, creative problem-solving, or intense engagement with specific topics.

We recently wrote a short article exploring research-informed signs of giftedness in children, and when a cognitive assessment can be helpful in understanding a child’s learning profile.

If you work with children, or if you are a parent who has been wondering about this topic, you may find it useful.

🔗 https://www.amazeinminds.com.au/signs-of-a-gifted-child/

Signs of a Gifted Child: What Research Suggests Signs of a gifted child cans how early in development. Learn what research suggests and when a cognitive testing can help clarify abilities.

“Why is my child so defiant?”

Usually asked after the fourth argument about brushing teeth.
Or when a simple request turns into a 40-minute stand-off.
Or when school says, “They’re fine here,” but home feels different.

Most children are not trying to be difficult.
They’re trying to cope.

What looks like defiance is often:
– Frustration that spikes fast.
– Difficulty shifting gears.
– Overwhelm without the words for it.
– A nervous system already at capacity.

When we assume “won’t,” we respond with control.
When we consider “can’t yet,” we respond with curiosity.

And curiosity changes everything.

We unpack this properly in our latest blog.

If you’ve ever thought, “This can’t just be bad behaviour,” you’re probably right.

Why Is My Child Defiant? What’s Really Going On Why is my child defiant? Learn what challenging behaviour really means and how collaborative problem solving can reduce power struggles.