Supporting children's emotional and relational intelligence through evidence-based play practices.

Every child has the capacity to thrive when met with attuned support and genuine understanding. Through playful engagement and relational connection, children learn to:

Develop emotional awareness: understanding their inner experiences and what they communicate
Recognise their body's signals: building interoceptive awareness to support regulation
Express their needs authentically: finding communication approaches that feel natural and effective for them

Through these foundational skills, children develop self-trust, resilience, and the confidence to navigate the world as their authentic selves.

I support children and teens navigating:

Emotional regulation challenges: when feelings of anger, anxiety, or sadness feel overwhelming or difficult to manage
Relationship difficulties: challenges in connecting with parents, siblings, or peers in meaningful ways
Social connection: difficulty forming or maintaining friendships
Identity and self-worth: building confidence and understanding of their authentic self

I specialise in neurodiversity-affirming therapy with autistic children, children with ADHD, and children with global developmental delay. Neurodivergence is understood as a natural part of each child's identity, and therapy focuses on supporting mental health needs such as anxiety, regulation challenges, relational needs, or trauma, rather than changing who they are.

Every child deserves compassionate support to develop emotional resilience and meaningful connections. I partner with families to nurture each child's strengths while addressing the specific needs they've identified.

Supporting emotional awareness and regulation

In my practice, I use the therapeutic relationship and child-led play as the primary ways children learn and grow. Through warm, attuned connection, I create a sense of safety that supports each child’s social, emotional, and neural development, particularly in the areas that help with emotional regulation, flexible thinking, and relationship-building.

Play is a child’s natural language, and within this space, I help children notice and make sense of their internal signals, practise co-regulation, and develop emotional awareness and resilience. My approach is grounded in interpersonal neurobiology and child-centred play therapy, which highlight how consistent, responsive relationships can shape the developing brain in positive ways. This includes adapting therapeutic approaches to align with each child's processing style, communication preferences, sensory needs, and pace of engagement. I do not use approaches that promote masking or require children to suppress their authentic neurological expression.

I draw on research in social and emotional learning (SEL) and attachment theory, as well as evidence that play-based, relational therapy supports the integration of emotional and reflective processes. Each child’s neurotype, communication style, and sensory needs are valued and supported throughout our work together. I recognise that trauma for neurodivergent children may include chronic experiences of invalidation, pressure to mask, social exclusion, or misattunement, experiences that impact regulation, attachment, and identity. My approach is grounded in trauma-informed care that validates these experiences.

Children's voices guide our work together. I collaborate with children to identify their own goals and needs, respecting their autonomy to navigate therapy at their own pace with supportive structures in place. I support caregivers in recognising their child's unique ways of connecting and communicating, which may look different from neurotypical developmental expectations. I provide education about the double empathy problem, the mutual challenge of understanding across different neurotypes and help families build bridges of connection that honour everyone's way of being.