About Me
I am passionate about nurturing emotional and relational intelligence in children. My mission is to empower each child through evidence-based, neurodiversity-affirming practices that support regulation, deepen connection, and foster resilient identity development.
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As a child advocate with over two decades of experience, my journey began in 2001 as a teaching assistant, igniting a passion that continues to drive my professional growth to this day. This extensive work with diverse young minds has equipped me with deep insights into how children learn, communicate, and navigate their worlds.
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My approach is grounded in child-centred play therapy and informed by specialised training in relationship-based, neurodiversity-affirming models:
DIR Floortime® Certified
I'm certified in the Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based (DIR) model. DIR Floortime honours each child's unique developmental trajectory, processing style, and sensory profile. Rather than focusing on compliance or skill acquisition, this approach follows the child's lead, builds on their natural interests and strengths, and deepens relational capacity through meaningful, playful interactions. DIR aligns seamlessly with neurodiversity-affirming principles, meeting children where they are developmentally, not where age-based expectations suggest they "should" be.
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Tuning in to Kids Program Facilitator
I'm a qualified facilitator of the Tuning in to Kids (TIK) parenting program, an evidence-based emotion coaching approach developed by researchers at the University of Melbourne. TIK supports parents in recognising, validating, and responding to their children's emotions with attunement, skills that are particularly vital for neurodivergent children who may communicate and express emotions in ways that differ from neurotypical expectations. Research demonstrates that emotion coaching significantly improves children's regulation, reduces emotional and behavioural difficulties, and strengthens parent-child relationships.
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Drawing on this expertise in child-centred play therapy, DIR Floortime, emotion coaching, early childhood education, counselling, and inclusive support, I create therapeutic environments that honour each child's sense of safety, connection, and authentic self-expression.
I bring specialized training and cross-cultural experience to each therapeutic relationship. My approach centers on responsive, attuned environments where children can explore and find their voice, always grounded in genuine compassion for their wellbeing and profound respect for their unique way of being in the world.