The Playful Psychologist

In the season finale episode of The Playful Psychologist podcast, I am joined by Educational & Developmental Psychologist, Sandhya Menon. Sandhya is the founder of Onwards and Upwards Psychology and has a huge passion for neuroaffirming practice in allied health. She is also the brilliant author of the most beautifully, neuroaffirming picture books for children. In this episode, Sandhya shares her insights into neuroaffirming practice. We will explore the following questions:What is neuroaffirming practice?How does this differ to types of therapeutic approaches we have seen in the past?How does neuroaffirming practice change the way we view social skill development in autistic people?What are the positive outcomes of neuroaffirming practice?To follow Sandhya on social media, follow @onwardsandupwardspsychology You can also check out her incredible resources, including her picture books and upcoming professional development courses, via her website: https://www.onwardsandupwardspsychology.com.au/

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist Podcast, I am joined by Jess from the instagram account @aussieautismfamily. Jess is the mother of two beautiful kids. Her son Jacob is autistic and her account if full of raw and real challenges and successes of raising an autistic child. As I also have a younger brother who is autistic and I am extremely passionate about supporting the family as a whole, as they navigate a diagnosis. In this episode, Jess shares the diagnostic journey for her son Jacob, what that process was like for the family, and the emotions that come with receiving a diagnosis. I am so grateful to Jess for sharing her experiences with us. If you would like to follow Jess and her beautiful family on social media, her handle is @aussieautismfamily

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist Podcast, I am joined by Mariah Apostolopoulos from Sound Adventures to explore speech delay. Mariah is a speech pathologist based in Melbourne. This episode will explore the following points:What is the role of a speech pathologist?What is a speech delay and are there different types of delay?What is the difference between a receptive and expressive speech delay and what are some things to look out for?In Australia, what is the referral process to see a speech pathologist and when should parents seek support?When should parents start to consider speech therapy for pronunciation difficulties?To keep up to date with Mariah and her incredible work, follow her on Instagram:@sound.adventuresWebsite with details about speech pathology consultations and group offerings:https://soundadventures.com.auTeachers pay teachers (TPT) for freebies and low cost downloads:https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Sound-Adventures-Speech-PathologySound Adventure Books:https://soundadventures.com.au/book

In this week's episode of The Playful Psychologist Podcast, I am joined by Sarah Bolitho from Secure Foundations.  Sarah is a Master's qualified Child & Family Play Therapist and a mother of three. In this episode, we explore the negative impact labelling children can have. We focus heavily of the negative connotations associated with labelling a child as 'SHY.' We explore why it's time to drop the 'shy' label, give you some ideas of how to respond if someone calls your child shy, and how to reframe 'shy' behaviour more positively.Sarah is a wealth of parenting knowledge. You can follow her on socials at @securefoundations or check out her website and incredible parenting 'POP Club' here: https://www.securefoundations.com.au/

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist podcast, we are going to talk all thing 'toys.'So often, we get sucked in as parents and think we need ALL the latest toys, ALL the new toys and everything in between to keep our kids entertained, But what ends up happening? The more toys they get, the more overwhelmed they get, the less time they spend engaged in quality play, and the MORE we hear ‘I'm bored' which in turn makes us think we need to get new toys, creating a never ending cycle and cluttering up your home with unnecessary items.Let's break down the topic of toys and figure out what we actually need.

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I am joined by Jayde Gutterson to discuss communicating with daycares, kindergartens and pre schools. Jayde is an educator and has worked in childcare settings for many years. Her role is currently based in sessional kindergarten. In this episode, we discuss:What are the biggest difficulties educators face in a daycare setting when it comes to behaviour or a diagnosis?How can allied health professionals work with educators?Are strategies that are suggested to daycares 'unrealistic?'What are the best ways to approach a daycare as a parent or allied health clinician?What are three things you wish people knew about early childhood educators?

In this weeks episode of the Playful Psychologist podcast, I am joined by Dr Kathryn Hackman, to explore toddler anxiety. Dr Kathryn is the founder of one of the most brilliant apps for anxious/sensitive kids, Courageous Kids. Developed by Dr Kathryn Hackman, in collaboration with a leading paediatric occupational therapist and psychologist, all mothers, the Courageous Kids app is specifically designed to build children's confidence and resilience through the use of editable social stories and story boards. In this episode, the following questions will be explored:What is anxiety?Can toddlers be anxious? Or is it just a reflection of our own anxiety as parents?What makes toddlers anxious?What does toddler anxiety look like?How do we help anxious toddlers?You can learn more about Courageous Kids here, or download it in the App Store: https://www.courageouskidsapp.com/

In this weeks episode of the Playful Psychologist Podcast, I am joined by Ali Fiorentino to discuss the role of a school psychologist.  Ali is an Australian school psychologist with experience working across primary, secondary and education support centres in rural and remote schools. Ali's passion areas include suicide prevention, case management, incident management, mental health, staff wellbeing and positive behaviour support.  and in this episode, In this episode, we answer the following questions:What is a school psychologist?What are the roles of a school psychologist?How does school psychology differ to private practice?What are the biggest challenges you face as a school psychologist?What are three things you wish people knew about being a school psychologist?https://psychology.org.au/aps/media/resource-finder/framework-delivery-school-psych-services-practice-guide.pdf

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist podcast, I am going to share with you how I prepared my clients for going on maternity leave. A lot of these tips are relevant for going on any type of extended leave as an allied health professional, with a few tips specific to going on maternity leave.But, by far the trickiest part of being a pregnant psychologist, was informing the families I work with, that I would be going on leave. Now, don't get me wrong, 99% of my families were absolutely ecstatic for me and started buying me little baby gifts almost immediately. However, as anyone who has changed jobs or gone on extended leave as a psychologist knows, transitioning your clients to colleagues is a complex and tricky experience. For me, this happened in four stages. This episode will walk you through those stages.

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist podcast, the topics of selective mutism and social anxiety are explored. In this episode, I am joined by Dr Melissa Giglio, who is a child clinical psychologist from the US and the director of a multidisciplinary clinic in Hong Kong. Together with her colleague Daisy Geddes they specialise in treating Selective Mutism and Social Anxiety Disorder in kids, and their clinic is the only one in Asia that has an intensive group therapy program called Confident Crew. In 2022 they published their children's book, Bravery Grows, about a girl who's building up her confidence to do "brave talking" in social situations. The book has been recommended by the the Child Mind Institute and the Selective Mutism Association. This episode will explore:1. What is social anxiety?2. What is selective mutism?3. Is the term 'selective' appropriate? Or does it suggest children are actively choosing to be 'mute?'3. How do these two diagnoses differ in presentation/cause?4. How can parents help their children if they are concerned?5. Tell us a little about the book you guys have released.You can use code PLAYFUL15 to grab a copy of 'Bravery Grows' via this link: https://bravemightyminds.com/store/p/bravery-growsTo follow along on social media, check out: @braverygrows @drmelissagiglio @daisygeddes

In this week's episode of The Playful Psychologist Podcast, I will be sharing the tips and tricks that helped with a smooth(er) transition to welcoming our newest son into our family. There is a lot of helpful advice on the internet, and I didn't just want to share an episode that rephrased that content. Instead, I have shared the things we personally found useful, and how we implemented them.

In this episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore whether every 'quirky kid' is autistic. I think when it comes to autism, we are more aware, but also more confused. We seem to have this idea that any social difficulty or any emotional regulation difficulty constitutes a diagnosis of autism, and that is not the case.I strongly believe that a lot of children with emotional regulation difficulties are misdiagnosed as having autism. So many children are diagnosed as having ODD, ADHD, and even Autism purely because they struggle to regulate their emotions. But emotional regulation difficulties alone, are NOT enough to diagnose any of these conditions. It is our job as allied health professionals to help children with their emotions and work closely with the parents, before jumping to conclusions about a child having a developmental disability.This episode will highlight key diagnostic criteria we are looking for when trying to determine whether a child may meet DSM-5 criteria for autism.

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist podcast, I explore a technique called 'cognitive restructuring.' Cognitive restructuring is a useful technique for understanding unhappy feelings and moods, and for challenging the sometimes-wrong "automatic beliefs" that can lie behind them. As such, you can use it to reframe the unnecessary negative thinking that we all experience from time to time.This episode will explore the steps that psychologists can undertake in order to use this technique with their clients.

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychology Podcast, I share how I like to use picture books to facilitate a lesson with kids.Picture books are the most versatile resource you can own as a parent or clinician. I love using them to work on emotional awareness and understanding, as well as theory of mind.I share my top tips on how to use picture books and 10 questions I like to ask kids when going through a book.

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I share with you my five tips for keeping on top of things as a psychologist. For me, organisation is key to being a psychologist. If I am disorganised, my whole day is 50 times harder than it has to be. So I wanted to share five of my organisation hacks with you.For more information, check out my Student & Graduate Guide here: https://www.theplayfulpsychologist.com/product-page/the-student-graduate-guide

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, the topic of 'loud noise' is discussed. It is very common for children to dislike loud sounds, especially if they have not heard the sound before. Many children will become upset, anxious, or cover their ears if there is an unexpected noise.  These children may not like sounds such as vacuum cleaners, hand dryers, sirens, birthday parties, school bells, blenders cutlery, chewing and even some school situations. Young children may not be able to describe their fear in words. They might cry, scream, hit, bite, or refuse to go to certain place. In this episode, I will explore this in a little more detail, while also offering some general strategies to help kids who may be experiencing this.

In this week's episode of The Playful Psychologist Podcast, the topic of teacher referrals is explored. The role of the teacher has changed so much. While teachers are there to facilitate your child's learning, their roles and responsibilities have changed dramatically in the 21st Century. When we think of the role of a teacher, we think of planning activities, delivering instructions, assessing learning, and managing classroom behaviour. However, more recently, teachers have been expected to also juggle their existing role, whilst also monitoring and assessing the emotional and behavioural well-being of their students. Consequently, teachers are often stretched thin both in time and patience.This episode will go through the main referral reasons and how to go about this.

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore sleep hygiene. I think it's something we all know is important, but maybe we need a little bit of a friendly reminder on the topic.  This episode will explore our daily habits that contribute to quality sleep and how to improve our sleep hygiene.

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I am joined by Nabula from Supermarket Swap. I was honoured to interview Nabs for this episode and have a raw conversation about trusting your gut as a parent, and making changes that you know can benefit your family. Nabula has helped hundreds of thousands of families make preservative and chemical free supermarket choices through her amazing instagram account and brand new shopping app called 'Supermarket Swap.'  I am the proud owner of this app (not gifted or sponsored) and am totally obsessed with it. 

Welcome to a brand new season of The Playful Psychologist podcast! In this weeks episode, I am joined by Chrissie Davies from 'Chaos to Calm.' Chrissie I was a Special Ed teacher for 15 years and now has a consulting business where she supports families to understand their child's behaviour and to approach it using supportive ‘brain based' strategies and understandings.  In this weeks episode, we explore: 1. Brain-based strategies: what are they and why are they important2.  Brain-based strategies: what are they and why are they important?What are the benefits of children understanding their own brains and how their brains work?What are the benefits of children understanding their own brains and how their brains work?What are the most important things for children to understand about themselves/their bodies?If parents are feeling overwhelmed and are looking for somewhere to go for more information, where would you send them?To learn more about Chrissie, her amazing book titled 'Love Your Brain,' and her business, you can check out her instagram: @chrissiechaostocalm or her website www.chaostocalmconsultancy.com 

In the final episode for Season 6, I am joined by Genevieve Muir from Connected Parenting to discuss the dreaded public meltdown. We've all been there...a busy shopping centre, people everywhere, and your little one becomes overwhelmed/overstimulated and just loses their cool. This episode is going to break down ways to manage these situations and also explores the impact they have on us as parents. This episode will explore the following questions:1. What does a public meltdown look like and what are they often triggered by?2. What feelings are often underlying that meltdown for a child?3. Is the experience of a public meltdown is just as tough for the parent?4. What can parents do to help a child work through a meltdown in public where you may not have access to your usual strategies?To learn more about Gen and the amazing work she does, follow her on IG: @connectedparentingau

In this week's episode of The Playful Psychologist Podcast, I am joined by Nadija Johnson. Nadija is a mum of two gorgeous, young, autistic children.  In this episode, Nadija shares the obstacles she has faced when trying to advocate for her children, the isolation she has felt from friends and family, and the criticism she has received for the therapeutic choices that she has chosen for her kids. You can follow Nadija's journey via her instagram account @spectrum.souls

In this week's episode of The Playful Psychologist, I am joined once again by Jacquie Ward from The Brave Space to talk about school holidays. More often than not, parents feel like the 'wheels fall off' in the school holidays and that behaviour can in fact be worse, despite there being less pressure on our kids. In this episode, Jacquie and I discuss why this may happen and offer some advice on how to navigate this with your children.You can learn more about Jacquie and her work via her instagram page or website:@the_brave_spacehttps://www.thebravespace.com.au/

In this week's episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore a concept that is extremely important and extremely under recognised: Glass Child Syndrome.Glass children are siblings of a person with a disability. The word glass means people tend to see right through them and focus only on the person with the disability. 'Glass' is also used because the children appear strong, but in reality are not. These children have needs that are not being met.Being a 'glass child' myself, I am extremely passionate about this topic and supporting siblings through spreading awareness of their struggles, not only the struggles of their family member. I hope this episode brings some awareness to this topic.

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist Podcast, I explore the world of sensory play and what this type of play actually is. With the rise of social media and people sharing their sensory play ideas, we are exposed to a lot of different materials and items to engage in sensory play. But are these things really necessary? This quick episode will share some sensory play ideas and explain why you don't need all the latest gadgets and toys to create a fulfilling sensory experience.To learn more about everyday sensory hacks, check out my Sensory Hacks Guide here:https://www.theplayfulpsychologist.com/product-page/sensory-hacks-guide

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore 'emotion coaching.' It sounds tricky, but once you understand the five steps underlying emotion coaching, it all starts to make sense. This episode aims to break down those five steps into 'easy to understand' language.After listening, if you would like to learn more, check out The Gottman Institute's online course: https://www.gottman.com/product/emotion-coaching-the-heart-of-parenting-online/You can also check out the book Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by Gottman. I've read it 5 times and each time I do, I feel like I learn something new!

In this weeks episode of the Playful Psychologist, I explore a question that has come across a lot recently...how long should kids be in therapy for? In this short episode,  I explore this question and break it down, while offering my opinion on whether kids should be in therapy short or long term.

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore the link between autism and anxiety and why children with autism are more likely to also be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.Anxiety and autism are obviously separate conditions, but they do interact with each other. Children with autism may be more likely to develop anxiety due to neurological differences int he brain, differences in sensory processing systems and difficulties regulating these, communication difficulties, difficulties accepting and adapting to change, social skill difficulties and isolation, feeling misunderstood by adults and other children, and so on. In this episode, I will break these factors down.

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I am joined by Sarah from Secure Foundations to discuss how our own childhood experiences impact our parenting.Sarah is the founder of Secure Foundations, a unique support and education service, helping parents and carers find the magic in parenting by overcoming their parenting challenges. Secure Foundations specialises in infant and toddler sleep struggles and other common behaviour challenges for children aged 0-5.In this episode, we explore gentle parenting, how societal pressure affects our parenting choices, and how our childhood experiences impact our parenting.Sarah is offering a brand new membership called the Positive Parenting Puzzle which aims to help parents understand their child from a developmental perspective and learn strategies to effectively respond to challenging behaviours whilst not just maintaining but improving their relationship with their children. You can learn more about Sarah's services via her website and instagram page:https://www.securefoundations.com.au/@securefoundations

Welcome to a brand new season of The Playful Psychologist Podcast! I'm so excited to be back sharing content and interviewing some amazing women for you guys.In this weeks episode, I will be exploring PDA. PDA, or Pathological Demand Avoidance, is a condition associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It is a rare behavioural phenotype of ASD that is characterised by an overwhelming or obsessional need to resist or avoid demands, which can often lead to prolonged tantrums and violent outbursts.This episode will break down the components of a PDA profile and explain how this may differ to typical childhood defiance or even oppositional defiance. 

In the final episode of Season 5, I am joined by New Zealand author, Trace Moroney. You may know Trace from her famous 'When I'm Feeling' and 'The Things I Love About' series. Trace is a wealth of knowledge on emotional intelligence and resilience, and creates beautifully written books to help children develop these skills. I'm sure most of you have at least one of Trace's books...I know I have them!! In this episode, Trace answers the following questions:Your books are so well-known, where do you draw your inspiration from?One thing that resonates so much for me with your books, is that all your content is meaningful and explores really normal situations that would resonate with every single child. When you are creating your storylines, do you have a particular target audience in mind?Your books help build the emotional intelligence and resilience of their young readers. What activities do you think parents could do at home to build on the foundations that your books lay in this regard?Do you think emotional intelligence and resilience is something we actively need to teach our kids?In some EXTREMELY exciting news, Trace also has BRAND NEW books coming out in a new series called 'My Emotions.' The My Emotions series explores the layers of emotions that come along with the process of an experience or event. It offers well-researched techniques to help children develop valuable coping skills and build resilience – so that when the experience inevitably happens, your child is better prepared and has more confidence to self-regulate their emotions.Little Big Bully This book sensitively describes how and why bullying happens, and offers a range of well-researched techniques to help children develop coping skills along with proactive strategies that describe what to do if they are being bullied or are witness to bullying behaviour. Little Big Bully offers helpful guidance to bullies too! You can purchase this book here: https://www.booktopia.com.au/little-big-bully-trace-moroney/book/9780473572914.html The Grief WaveThis book sensitively describes the experience of loss and grief – which can be the same as symbolic losses such as divorce (loss of family unit), friendships or body function – and offers a range of well-researched techniques to help children develop valuable coping skills, and helps to prepare them to navigate their way through future grief events. You can purchase this book here: https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-grief-wave-trace-moroney/book/9780473572891.html

In this week's episode of The Playful Psychologist, I am joined by Natasha Janif and Karina Crutch to explore the serious mental health concerns facing indigenous youth today. Both Natasha and Karina have a wealth of both personal and professional experience on this topic and have generously offered their time and expertise to explore this complex topic with us. Natasha is an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Outreach Worker and Karina is an Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Programs Officer. In this episode, we explore:The difficulties that Indigenous youth experience todayIntergenerational trauma and the impact of the invasion and the stolen generation on indigenous people todayCultural considerations  people should be mindful of when working with indigenous youthAt the end of the episode, Karina provided the names of online resources and courses that people could explore to upskill on this topic. These can be found below:AIPA- http://www.indigenouspsychology.com.au/ Healing foundation-  https://healingfoundation.org.au/Well mob-https://wellmob.org.au/Healthinfo net-  https://healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/CCCA online training-https://ccca.com.au/content/course-details?CourseID=5874&Demo=1

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I am joined by Jamie Williams, who is a  paediatric speech pathologist who focuses not only language and speech, but feeding.In this episode, we explore:What defines a 'fussy' eater and is there a better term to use to describe these children?Is there a difference between a child who is a fussy eater and a child who doesn't eat certain foods due to sensory difficulties with texture or temperature?Is fussiness something that some kids just ‘have' no matter what you introduce them to as an infant?How do you help children who are picky or fussy?Recommendations for Fussy EatersJamie has also kindly written a blog post with an attached food diary PDF.  This post includes a lot of additional useful information for parents and caregivers. You can find that here: https://www.theplayfulpsychologist.com/post/fussy-eatersTo learn more about Jamie and her work, follow her on instagram @nourished.babes

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore the topic of love languages in children.  There are so many ways to speak your childs love language. It is truly a fascinating thing. Because what works for one child may not work for another so it is always worthwhile trying to determine their love language.Learning the love language of your child can have a big impact on your relationship. It was a lesson that was very precious to me and I'm sure that it can make a big difference for you too!This episode will explore:What the five love languages actually areExamples of how you can speak to your child's love languageHow to determine your child's love language

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jayneen Sanders, who is the author of SO many of the gorgeous books on my IG feed including her brand new series for kids aged 2-6,  Little Big Chats. It was truly fascinating to hear about the inspiration behind Jayneen's books and I hope her story inspires you guys,In this interview, Jayneen answers the following questions:I genuinely love your storylines and have used them so often in my therapy sessions. Where do you draw inspiration for your books?Some of your books touch on some really complex topics such as family violence. How do you manage to adapt these complexities into language that young children can resonate with?I understand that you wear a lot of hats, a being an educator, author, and most importantly, a mum of three! How do these three roles help guide your writing?I saw on your website that a question you asked yourself was ‘what are we doing in schools to empower children and protect them from inappropriate touch?' Can you tell us a little about your experiences and what lead you to ask these questions?Jayneen's passion is all about 'protecting your child by educating yourself' and I just love the strong message each of her books has. To learn more about Jayneen's books, check out her website: https://shop.e2epublishing.info/ and follow her on instagram @jayneensandersauthor

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I share my top five pieces of advice for new psychologists. Graduating can truly feel like you're being thrown in the 'deep end' and I wanted to share advice that I wish someone had told me when i first graduated!If you would like more information, you can grab a copy of my Student and Graduate Guide here: https://www.theplayfulpsychologist.com/product-page/the-student-graduate-guide

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist Podcast I am joined today by Yara Heary from Life After Birth Psychology to explore the topic of value aligned living. This episode explores:What is value aligned living?What happens if we aren't living in alignment with our values?What if our values are different to our partners?Do our values change once we have children?To learn more about Yara, you can check out her website https://www.lifeafterbirth.com.au/ where she has an amazing online course available. I have seen the content of this course and strongly recommend it to any mothers who are struggling with the transition to motherhood!You can also follow Yara on instagram for daily updates at @lifeafterbirthpsychology

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore the role of a child psychologist, what this entails, and how to choose the right psychologist for your child. Child psychologists can provide both assessment and therapy for learning difficulties, behavioural concerns, mood disorders, anxiety-related disorders, and developmental disorders. Child psychologists can also provide support and assistance to children and families who may not have a specific diagnosis. The first step to helping your child with any concerns you may have, would be to book an initial appointment. This episode explores:When to make an appointmentWhat sessions may look likeWhat assessments may be offeredQuestions to ask when choosing a psychologistWhat to look out for when choosing a psychologist 

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore the social and emotional milestones that children meet.Please note, I do not advocate for tracking milestones of any kind unless specifically asked to by a health care professional. I do however advocate for parents being well informed to ensure they are able to identify any areas of concern that may arise, to ensure that early intervention is an option if necessary.The six stages discussed in this episode are:Taking an Interest in the worldAttachmentIntentionality and basic cause and effect Development of sense of selfEmotional thinkingEmotional Thinking and elaborationIf you would like more information on social and emotional milestones, you can check out my milestone card resource. These cards have been designed as a guide to provide you with information and suggestions on different developmental milestones across infancy, childhood, and through to adolescence. They outline the social and emotional milestones that children reach at different ages and offer information, strategies, and in some cases, links to additional reading you can do to inform yourself on how to help your child.Across the 109 cards included in this resource, you will find information related to children from infancy (0 years) to the late teenage years (18 years), ensuring that you will get ample use of this resource for years to come. As well as milestones, I have included 'information cards' on a some topics that required more of an explanation, and have also included links on some cards where you can find more information if you please! Some cards also include suggestions for books you can purchase to use with your child or educate yourself on a particular topic.Click here to shop:  https://www.theplayfulpsychologist.com/product-page/social-emotional-milestone-cards

Welcome to a brand new season of The Playful Psychologist podcast! I am so excited to be sharing some new content with you guys and have some great special guests lined up for this season!In this weeks episode, I explore grief and how to explain the death of a loved one to someone who has an intellectual impairment. In this episode, I discuss:How to explain the death of a loved one to your client/family memberWhy it is so important to use 'concrete terms' and what that meansHow to best use visuals to explain this to clients (where appropriate)What the grieving process may look like for someone with an intellectual impairmentAt the end of this episode, I spoke about a great workbook that is designed for children, but can be adapted to use with adults.  It is called 'when someone special dies.' I have linked it here:https://www.booktopia.com.au/when-someone-very-special-dies-marge-eaton-heegaard/book/9780962050206.html?dsa=s1-east&gclid=Cj0KCQjwxJqHBhC4ARIsAChq4avCUDeHmGGDvnJ3ROf4axttD7_mYdCiZC0F2n-q5K82B-dte4AjS7oaAqoREALw_wcB

 In the season finale of The Playful Psychologist, I am joined by Jacquie Ward, from The Brave Space.  Jacquie is a provisional psychologist who works with mothers of children who need a little extra support. In this episode, Jacquie answers questions around ‘sensitive children' and how parents can best support them. In this episode, Jacquie answers the following questions:What advice do you give mums who have a child who needs a little extra attention or support, but may not have a diagnosis?What are some of the best ways that you believe parents can really get in touch with their child's feelings and needs?What are some of the ways that these children can be supported in the classroom? What advice do you have for parents who are feeling really overwhelmed with their child's behaviour?To learn more about Jacquie and learn about her membership options, check out her website and socials:www.thebravespace.com.auFacebook free group: www.facebook.com/groups/mamahuddleMembership community: www.facebook.com/groups/attunedmembershipInstagram: @the_brave_space_ 

On this week's episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore executive functioning skills and how you can help kids develop strong executive functioning skills. This episode is based on a blog post, written for my website,  by Alexandra Finkel from NYC. You can follow @kindmindstherapy for more information on Alexandra and her clinical work.Executive Functioning skills are responsible for helping people of all ages manage things like organising, planning, self control, memory, and more. These skills are incredibly important for developing independence and the ability to follow through on tasks and thoughts. There are many ways to build these skills in kids, and this episode will share four main ones.For more interesting content on child development, check out my other blog posts: https://www.theplayfulpsychologist.com/blog-1

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore anxiety and how it presents across the lifespan, by asking the popular question, can anxiety be cured?This is a question I get asked about a lot. And the short answer for me, is No. Keep in mind that ‘cured' implies that it will never return, and I don't believe a person who experiences anxiety in its true form will ever be absolutely free from anxiety. Unfortunately, I think the term ‘I am so anxious' or ‘my anxiety is through the roof' has clouded our understanding of just how debilitating anxiety can actually be. And again these frivolous statements can make it seem as though anxiety is nothing to worry about. However, those who are diagnosed with an anxiety-related disorder will let you know that there are absolutely ways to manage anxiety, however it never fully disappears. It comes and goes in waves depending on our environment and life circumstances. What I do think however, is that someone who has anxiety can learn to be better equipped with strategies that work for them and help manage anxiety, so that when it arises in the future, they are aware of what they have to do, thus reducing the impact that anxiety has on them in that situation.This episode will explore:A quick review of anxiety disordersHow age impacts the presentation of anxietyThe impact of early intervention for anxiety disordersLong term management of anxiety disordersTo read more about anxiety disorders, check out my website where I have several blog posts on this topic, as well as my online store for further resources: www.theplayfulpsychologist.com

 On this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I am joined once again by a friend of mine, who also happens to be one of the BEST speech pathologists I have ever worked with, Sabina Pyne! Sabina has worked as a paediatric speech pathologist since gaining her Masters degree  2015. She uses her drive for working with children to deliver evidence-based, fun and energetic treatment programs. Sabina understands that each child's communication needs are unique, and provides therapies that help your family members effectively communicate their wants and needs, whatever their skill level. Sabina believes that by working closely with your family and using a range of augmentative and alternative communication strategies, we can increase your child's ability to participate in all aspects of life.In this episode, Sabina helps us answer the following questions:What causes kids to stutter?Can stuttering be purely an anxiety issue or is it only a speech/mechanics issue?What therapies help stuttering?If stuttering is left untreated, what happens? Do kids grow out of it on their own?You can learn more about Sabina via her website: https://spillthebeanstherapy.com/To learn more about The Lidcombe Program for stuttering, check out their website: https://www.lidcombeprogram.org/This episode is proudly sponsored by Baxter Blue, who are Re-Framing the Future of Blue Light Glasses with their new biodegradable range. Baxter Blue glasses work by filtering out blue light, which is the harmful light emitted from our digital screens and can cause eye strain, fatigue, and headaches. Baxter Blue glasses bring relief to headaches & sore eyes by filtering out the 80% of the harmful blue violet light!  You can get 15% off their entire range using code PLAYFUL at checkout. Don't forget to use their virtual try on filter to see how the different styles suit you! Click on the link below to check out their range:mght.co/theplayfulpsychologist  

In this week's episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore the differences and similarities between Autism and ADHD.In this episode, the following questions are explored:What is Autism?What is ADHD?How do symptoms overlap?How do they differ?How can you tell the difference between the two?Can you be diagnosed with both Autism and ADHD?To learn more about Autism and ADHD, check out my resource guide:  https://www.theplayfulpsychologist.com/product-page/resource-guide-parentingTo follow along on Instagram, you can find me @theplayfulpsychologist

In this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore the process of applying for masters programs and preparing for interviews.  I want to start off by saying, this episode is for people WANTING to do a masters degree. I am by no means saying everyone SHOULD apply, but this is a question I get asked often and wanted to answer it for those interested. This episode will answer the following questions:Why do you need experience?How can you get experience as a student?How can you set yourself a part from other applicants?What should you consider when applying for masters programs?What should you do once you are in the interview to help yourself stand out?If you want to learn more about transitioning from student to graduate, check out the facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/191828492392828If you have any further questions, check out my Students & Graduates Guide: https://www.theplayfulpsychologist.com/product-page/the-student-graduate-guideThis episode is proudly sponsored by Baxter Blue, who are Re-Framing the Future of Blue Light Glasses with their new biodegradable range. Baxter Blue glasses work by filtering out blue light, which is the harmful light emitted from our digital screens and can cause eye strain, fatigue, and headaches. Baxter Blue glasses bring relief to headaches & sore eyes by filtering out the 80% of the harmful blue violet light!  You can get 15% off their entire range using code PLAYFUL at checkout. Don't forget to use their virtual try on filter to see how the different styles suit you! Click on the link below to check out their range: mght.co/theplayfulpsychologist

In this week's episode of The Playful Psychologist, I interview my mum, Randa Habelrih, who also happens to be the mother of a young man with autism. This episode aims to show parents of children with disabilities that they are NOT alone in their journeys, but also aims to highlight the impact of poor social opportunities on individuals on the autism spectrum. In this episode, Randa answers the following questions: -      How did your journey of advocating for your son begin?-      What did you find were the most difficult hurdles when fighting for inclusion?-      What made you take matters into your own hands and how did you do it?-      What is 'Timmy' the turtle' and how did this come about?To learn more about Timmy the Turtle and how you can use this program in your school, check out the following link: https://timmy.autismmates.org.au/You can follow Randa and Richard on Tik Tok @autismmates or on Instagram @richard.habelrih and @autism_matesTo watch our original video, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIH-I2LKSLs

On this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I explore ways to make sure psychologists can effectively lay the foundations for successful therapy when treating the signs and symptoms of anxiety. This episode explores:The importance of psychoeducation, especially for childrenHow to deliver effective psychoeducationWhy it is important to lay therapeutic foundations prior to trying to implement regulation strategies.This episode is proudly sponsored by Baxter Blue, who are Re-Framing the Future of Blue Light Glasses with their new biodegradable range. Baxter Blue glasses work by filtering out blue light, which is the harmful light emitted from our digital screens and can cause eye strain, fatigue, and headaches. Baxter Blue glasses bring relief to headaches & sore eyes by filtering out the 80% of the harmful blue violet light!  You can get 15% off their entire range using code PLAYFUL at checkout. Don't forget to use their virtual try on filter to see how the different styles suit you! Click on the link below to check out their range:  mght.co/theplayfulpsychologist

On this weeks episode of The Playful Psychologist, I am joined by a friend of mine, who also happens to be one of the BEST speech pathologists I have ever worked with, Sabina Pyne! Sabina has worked as a paediatric speech pathologist since gaining her Masters degree  2015. She uses her drive for working with children to deliver evidence-based, fun and energetic treatment programs. Sabina understands that each child's communication needs are unique, and provides therapies that help your family members effectively communicate their wants and needs, whatever their skill level. Sabina believes that by working closely with your family and using a range of augmentative and alternative communication strategies, we can increase your child's ability to participate in all aspects of life.In this episode, Sabina helps us answer the following questions:What kinds of things children may require speech therapy for?Are there things parents can do at home to assist with speech and language development, or does it always need to be left to a professional?What are five ways to encourage early communication with your child?When should parents seek additional support for their children?What books would you recommend parents read to learn more? You can learn more about Sabina via her website: https://spillthebeanstherapy.com/  

Welcome to Season 4 of The Playful Psychologist Podcast! In this weeks episode, I am joined by Dr Simone Alicia, who is known as The Self-Esteem Doctor. Simone is a Certified Neuro-linguistic Programming Practioner, Member of the Association for Integrative Psychology and Honorary Doctor of Divinity.In psychology, the term self-esteem is used to describe a person's overall subjective sense of personal worth or value. In other words, self-esteem refers to how much you appreciate and like yourself. Your self-esteem is defined by several different factors, including: environmental factors, parental factors, social media, friendships and lived experiences.In this episode, we answer the following questions:What is self-esteem?What factors contribute to self-esteem?What is the impact of social media on self esteem?How  can low self-esteem impact social and emotional development?How can we use self esteem activities as preventative strategies?When should parents seek help for their kids if they're worried about their child's self-esteem?To learn more about Simone, and her academy full of free resources, you can check out her amazing websites:www.TSEDacademy.com and www.TheSelfEsteemDoctor.comEmail: Simone@TSEDacademy.comToll free: 1-888-490-7484 x500Instagram: @theselfesteemdoctor 

In the final episode of The Playful Psychologist for this season, I explore the topic of emotional literacy. Emotional literacy is made up of 'the ability to understand your emotions, the ability to listen to others and empathise with their emotions, and the ability to express emotions productively. The episode explores:Emotional awareness, understanding, expression, regulation, and intelligenceWhat all of these terms are, what they involve, and how they differHow these terms lay the foundations for emotional literacyHow adults can support the development of a child's emotional literacyIn this episode, I share the following resources that may be useful. Click on the links to find out more.The A4 Magnet pack: https://www.theplayfulpsychologist.com/product-page/the-a4-magnet-packThe Emotion Worksheet Pack: https://www.theplayfulpsychologist.com/product-page/the-emotion-worksheet-packThe ABC Emotion Cards: https://www.theplayfulpsychologist.com/product-page/abc-coping-cardsYou can also check out my instagram page @theplayfulpsychologist where I share picture books that can assist in emotional development.This episode is proudly sponsored by Mister Jones. Their products are designed to support your energy levels, metabolism and brain function throughout the day! Mr Jones has kindly offered you guys 10% off any one time purchase using the code ‘playfulpsychologist' at check out. They are also offering you an additional 10% off the ALREADY discounted subscription price, which makes the subscription price 25% off using the same code. There are no strings attached to their subscriptions, and you can cancel any time.    To shop their range using the discount code, check out this link: https://misterjoneshealth.com/pages/collection-pageTo read some of their 1600 5 star reviews for yourself and learn more about their products, check out this link: https://misterjoneshealth.com/a/review/all