Play Outside Inside Natural Therapy
Making changes from the inside out.
who are we?
Led by an owner equipped with a Master of Play Therapy, POINTed offers a unique and innovative approach to therapeutic interventions for children and their families. The goal is to create a safe, supportive environment where children can explore, express themselves and develop the essential life skills they need to thrive.
At POINTed we prioritise collaboration with parents, caregivers, and other professionals involved in a child's life. We provide comprehensive assessments, regular progress updates, and offer guidance and support to help parents understand and navigate their child's emotional journey. POINTed is committed to helping identify the right intervention and treatment needed to enhance health, well-being and healing for your children and family. From time to time, it may be necessary to refer children and families to other services.
Professional Qualifications and Experience
Qualifications: DipTeach Prim/ECE, BEd, MEd, GDipLCM, MChildPThy (to be conferred February 2024), FCBA. Over 30 years experience in education in the Northern Territory.
Why play therapy?
Making Changes From the Inside Out
At POINTed we believe that play is the language of children, and it is through play that they communicate their thoughts, feelings and experiences. Play Therapy is a developmentally appropriate, evidence-based treatment approach for use with children and adolescents. Play is the universal language for children and is critical to children's cognitive, socio-emotional, and motor skills development.
Play Therapists apply the use of theoretical models to establish an interpersonal process whereby they are trained to interrelate the therapeutic powers of play. Through these therapeutic powers, play therapy facilitates children and adolescents to make new connections, build healthy brains and bodies - increasing their sense of empowerment, emotional regulation insight and self-belief.
The 'therapeutic powers of play transcend culture, language, age and gender'. (O'Connor, K.J., Schaeffer, C.E., and Braverman, L. D., 2016, p. 35).
Therapeutic Services and Support
Guide for Families
Play Therapy is typically an approach that involves an individual within a therapeutic relationship that supports their point of need. The therapist helps them process perceptions, behaviours, emotions and experiences of themselves and others around them in a respectful and confidential way.
Learn MorePlay Therapy
What to expect? Individual Play Therapy is assessed on a case-by-case basis. The length and intensity of a Play Therapy intervention can be discussed with the therapist. Short-term, medium-term or longer-term Play Therapy is available.
Learn MoreEvidenced Based Positive Outcomes
We are committed to helping your child be the best version of themselves. We are passionate about quality outcomes. Through play, therapists can help children learn more adaptive behaviours when there are emotional and social skills challenges.
Learn MoreFrequently asked Questions
Play therapy is an amazing child-led, evidence-based modality for children (between 3 and 12 years), that focuses on the child, their relationships and their experiences, drawing on interpersonal neurobiology and understanding of child development. Play therapy may allow your child to experience and process their feelings and needs, at their own pace, using play as their most natural form of language and they use toys as their words.
What issues can play therapy address?
Through the power of play we address a wide range of emotional, behavioural, and social challenges that children may face, including anxiety, trauma, grief, self-esteem issues and more. By fostering a non-judgemental and empathetic environment, we empower children to explore their emotions, build resilience, enhance their problem-solving abilities, and develop healthy coping strategies.
Is play therapy suitable for teenagers?
Further, play therapy is a proven approach that can be adapted to work with teens. Baggerly, Ray and Bratton (2010) provide an overview of research including meta-analytic reviews that show the effectiveness of play therapy for participants ranging from 3 to 17 years. The impact of treatment resulting in positive outcomes highlighted those participants self-efficacy increased significantly.
Session Fees
Fee Structure
Initial Parent Consultation (60 minute session)
In preparation for the initial parent consultation, specific paperwork is legally required. This will be discussed in the first consultation. Documentation includes: Intake Form and Informed Consent for Treatment. It is important for the therapist and parent (and any client) to agree to the therapy process prior to any further sessions commencing. Children are not involved in the parent intake process.
AU$193.99
Subsequent Play Therapy Sessions
Consultations with individual families is $193.99 per 60 -minute therapy session. Agency funded sessions are $245 per consultation and subsequent 60 min sessions. Costs for agency meetings to be agreed upon pending the treatment plan.
Reports and Travel Fees
Written reports will be billed at an hourly rate of $195.00 and your clinician will provide you with an estimate prior to commencement. Outreach/Travel fees will be billed in line with NDIS Provider Travel guidelines.
AU$195NDIS
POINTed
Works with children and their families to reach their unique NDIS goals and collaborate with all relevant professionals working with the child and family to promote best outcomes for the child.
Fees are subject to review
Welcome to POINTed, the therapist holds the right to determine the treatment phase and scope of practice based on initial documentation and relevant information provided. Issues related to screening an inquiry can be addressed together with the parents and/or agency at the initial face-to-face meeting. A written intake summary will be provided post this meeting which may include the treatment plan and/or referral recommendations.
Looking for more...
Parents
There are many clinicians that have written books or created excellent YouTube videos to help provide ways for us to understand our children and sometimes ourselves. Daniel Siegel is a neuropsychiatrist and author of best-selling books Mindsight, and Brainstorm. He has also written the book, The Whole Brain-Child with expert Tina Payne Bryson. They help demystify the reason children have meltdowns and aggravation, explaining the new science of how a child's brain is wired and how it matures. Daniel Siegel's book Brainstorm is about the power and purpose of the teenage brain from 12 to 24 years. These books provide great practical strategies that help with creating calmer ways of being or simply understanding the child or young person. Early Childhood Australia have published the Circle of Security: Roadmap to building supportive relationships. Written by Robyn Dolby, a psychologist with more than 35 years of experience working in the infant mental health field. You can always ask your therapist for other credible sources of information that may be of help to you.
Health and Education Professionals
Although the fields of education and mental health pride themselves on being grounded in evidence-based practices, glaring exceptions sometimes occur. The idea that we need to "think with our body" has gained support from a convergence of new evidence from psychology and neuroscience. Especially thinking about how we have approached the use of play in the mental health and education fields. When the PLAY system is accessed, it profoundly influences growth in individuals and can strengthen relationships in schools, clinical settings and at home. Given our focus on children and adolescents (i.e., youth) we can benefit greatly from theories that deal with psychological change in them and that address aspects of human development that unfold during youth. It is imperative in the health, healing, and education professions that we come to better understand the connection of these theories and how we can enhance creativity and social and emotional growth as a core developmental process across the lifespan. Refer to the reference list for further reading.
Understanding Trauma
Understanding how trauma affects a child's mind - and how traumatised children recover is beautifully presented in the book, The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog. It explores the crucial role of why empathy is so important in all of our lives and what it can bring to our relationships and the pain that is suffered when empathy is lacking. The groundbreaking work around Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) that has led to an understanding that early traumatic events have long-term consequences on everything. Bessel van der Kolk's book, The Body Keeps the Score explains the devastating effects of traumatic events. The Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel and Trauma and Memory by Peter A. Levine, PhD masterfully explain neurological underpinnings of how and why we humans engage in the ways we do. The role of the therapist is to be grounded and have an expanded awareness when working with clients in service of their healing process. Through an enhanced sensitivity, there in lays the foundation of the therapeutic relationship. Resolving our past frees us to live a healthier future.
Acknowledgement of country
Acknowledgement of Country - Larrakia People
POINTed respectfully acknowledges the traditional custodians, the Larrakia people, of the land on which we live. We pay our respects to Elders, past and present and remain committed to working together with future generations, honouring, and celebrating this land and surrounding seas of which they lead. The Larrakia people are the traditional custodians of Darwin, Northern Territory and have a unique place in the community where we are privileged to live and grow. Along with the Larrakia people, our commitment is to respectfully honour and value people of every kind.
Contact
- Suite 4/53 Ross Smith Avenue, Parap Northern Territory, Australia
- Also known as the "Guest House".
- +61-0407 626 123
- playtherapydarwin@gmail.com
- By appointment only.
This is a service availability notice for POINTed. Families, educational institutions, government and non-government providers may wish to make contact.
References and Disclaimer
WEBSITE DISCLAIMER
The information provided by "us" POINTed on www.playtherapydarwin.com "the Site" is for general information purposes only. All information on this "Site" is provided in good faith, however, we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information on the Site. Under no circumstances shall we have any liability to you for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of the Site or reliance on any information provided on the Site and your reliance on any information on the Site is solely at your own risk.