Do you know we have a team of psychologists at Kites who can monitor your child’s overall development to support cognitive skills (thinking skills) to promote better emotional regulation and positive mental health and wellbeing?
With psychological support, your son or daughter will be in a better position to manage life day-to-day.
A psychologist can help if you have concerns about your child, their well-being and behaviour.
Kites Psychologist Kristie has been giving us insights into the work she does.
Q: What prompted you to become a psychologist?
A: I spent a lot of my childhood in and out of hospitals because I had a family member with a serious medical condition. It made me appreciate and admire the work of the many medical and allied health staff supporting my family. It sparked my interest to work in a profession that supports people, often when they’re at their most vulnerable.
I completed my Bachelor of Psychology degree at Murdoch University in 2007, along with a Bachelor of Sports Science at Edith Cowan University.
I am a Registered Psychologist and Behaviour Support Practitioner who has worked in the disability sector for over fifteen years. At Kites, I enjoy working with a diverse range of individuals including; children and adolescents with a disability and/or developmental delay, including Autism, as well as other psychological and educational conditions.
My strength and passion lie in Early Childhood Intervention. I work in partnership with families to get to know and understand their children, supporting them to build their capacity to meet the needs of either their son or daughter. For me, it is a distinct honour and privilege to be a part of the lives of all the individuals and families we support. One that goes far beyond anything I ever expected.
Q: What happens at the first session?
A: During the first few sessions, the main focus is on developing rapport and creating a safe and secure environment. The key is to build trust and ‘get to know’ each other better.
The more therapists know about a child, the family and what’s important, the more they can offer services to suit that individual. Psychologists refer to this as family-centred practice. It’s common to set goals for a child, that everyone works towards.
Psychologists utilise a lot of play-based activities, incorporating games and activities to help children and young people feel comfortable, to share their stories and explore how they think and feel.
Q: What psychological support is available for children?
Psychological support can help by:
- Supporting families, carers and others in order to gain a greater understanding of their child’s disability and the impact it has on their learning, development and behaviour.
- Working with and providing support and strategies to children, adolescents and their families in the areas of:
- i) Emotions and self-regulation
- ii) Anxiety and depression
- iii) Social skills
- iv) Positive behaviour support
- v) Achieving developmental milestones
- vi) Parenting support, coaching and capacity building
- Working collaboratively as a member of a multidisciplinary team to ensure a holistic approach to help children to develop, learn and participate in everyday activities.
- Liaising with and providing consultation and advice to other professions, service providers – school, daycare staff etc.
Psychological support can also include looking at ways to assist and manage:
- Children’s behavioural issues such as meltdowns, impulsivity, non-compliance, or aggression.
- Developmental issues such as toileting, sleeping, eating, sharing, turn taking, social skills and developing independent self-care.
- Children’s emotional issues such as regulation, learning to manage difficult emotions, anxiety, and self-esteem.
- Family issues such as sibling conflict, parent communication, or marital support.
- Parenting issues may include grief, stress, anxiety and depression. In addition, managing emotions day-to-day.
- School issues include school adjustment, school refusal, bullying and teasing. Furthermore, reducing behaviours of concern, staying on task and setting the environment up for successful learning.
- Improving social, and communication skills and relationship issues with others.
- Helping to manage anxiety disorders, stress management and adolescent issues to improve the well-being of a child.
Would you like to discover more about the Psychology service offered by Kites? All our psychologists are registered by the Psychology Board of Australia (link opens in new window).
Please complete the form below to enquire about our early intervention or therapy services.