Calm Connections Counselling

09/11/2025

Catching your triggers is the first step to responding rather than reacting. This takes practice of a pause and self awareness. Thanks

21/10/2025

The Circle of Security program for parents is about relationships, it offers a community and space for parents to come together and reflect on their relationship with their children.

It was wonderful to finish a circle of security with parents after 7 weeks providing an opportunity for the parents to build trust, share vulnerabiliity and connect as a parent group. One parent shared that she had just arrived in Adelaide and this course provided her with the opportunity to meet other parents, feel safe, build trust and know she is not alone in her parenting journey. She felt that she developed greater confidence in her abilty to parent her child.

Other benefits of the course included:
🌿an increase in knowledge and awarness of what their child's needs are around the circle.
🌿An increase in understanding of creating safety being with their child's needs and being the hands on the circle for their children including limited hands on the top and bottom of the circle.
🌿an increase in awarenss about their own history and ''shark music''and an ability to pause and respond rather than react.
🌿an understanding of good enough parenting
🌿an increase awareness about rupture and the means to make a repair with their child which deepens their connection.

A big thank you to partners LifeWell, Enfield Baptist church and Port Adelaide for collaborting with me to offer this wonderful course to parents in Adelaide.

I look forward to facilitating the next Circle of Security which commences next Tuesday with a full circle of parents.

21/10/2025

Thanks for sharing Maggie Dent such an important message.

This blog contains some frightening statistics that may be hard to read however as parents and educators, we need to be aware of the harm that is occurring in the ...

12/10/2025

Thank you Soulhearth Retreats for inviting me to share my self care workshop with these beautiful mums at the Soulhearth retreat on the weekend. What a joy it was to come together as women, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends.

I used a metaphor of a symphony orchestra to describe self care. The orchestra has 4 areas to it; percussion, woodwind, strings and bass which represents 4 areas that underpin self care; awareness, mindfulness, self-compassion and healthy boundaries. In each area we bring in various instruments or activities that we use to self care such as journalling, going to the gym, time in nature. Some times we need to play a solo (solitute and rest) and sometimes we need to bring in some special instruments, with self care this looks like a change in jobs that aligns with our values or a retreat to refresh and gain perspective. As the conductor with practice and consistency greater awareness of your ensemble is gained and a rhythm that is in tune with your life.

We also learnt that:
🌻that awareness of our autonomic nervous system and self - regulation is the key to catching our calm and our calm is contagious to our children and family.
🌻That we cant pour from an empty cup and that self compassion is the antidote to mother's guilt, inner critic and high expectations of self that can lead to burnout.
🌻That doing it all as a mum is a myth and that every mum needs a circle of support and village.

We need eachother and these retreats created by are the perfect way to connect you, refresh you and revitalise your journey. LIa, the founder of soulhearthretreats offered such a beautiful space of peace a d harmony in a special tranquil location. She plans on offering more in 2026, follow her page to find out about the details.

23/09/2025

For many parents, the reality of juggling the demands of caring responsibilities, work and home can take a toll on their time, energy and resources leaving them little time to care for their well being.

Multiple factors at different life stages can contribute to parental burnout such as high levels of responsibilities as a single parent, caring for ageing parents or financial concerns. It is often women who shoulder most of the responsibility and the mental load. Knowing the signs and taking action towards self care can support and prevent burnout.

If you want to learn more about Self Care for Mums, please join me at the Mum's Haven retreat where we will be exploring more about your relationship with self care and how to support you in every season of parenting. you can find out more at .

21/09/2025

Thank you for inviting me Soulhearth Retreats. I am looking forward to sharing some self-care practices with these beautiful mums.

There is a real myth that as a mum you have to be all and do it all to be healthy and have a healthy family. This full day retreat gives you an opportunity to reframe self care, what being in a rhythym of self care looks and feels like and how awareness is the key to unlocking self care daily, consistent practice.

Set in the Adelaide hills at the Trees of Trenance, the Mum's Haven retreat is a chance for YOU to pause, reframe, renew and nourish your soul.

See the link below for more information on how to book.

🌸 Meet Mary Raschella – Your Guide to Self-Care! 🌸

We’re so excited to have Mary Raschella, counsellor and psychotherapist with over 25 years’ experience, guiding our Self-Care for Mums session. 🌿 She’ll help mums reconnect with their energy, set healthy boundaries, and nurture mind, body, and spirit.

✨ Take this time to pause, reflect, and explore what self-care truly means—just for you!

See the full retreat schedule here 👉 soulhearthretreats.com.au/schedule/mums-haven-retreat

Only a few spots left - take advantage of our special offer and book today! 💖

15/09/2025

A beautiful opportunity for mums in Adelaide to reset, refresh and relax…you are so worth it 💖

✨ SPECIAL OFFER This Week Only ✨
Book your place at Mum’s Haven Retreat and invite a friend to join you for 1/2 price.

A beautiful opportunity to share time, connection, and self-care with someone you love. 💕

Spaces are limited, so reserve your spot today.
DM us to secure your booking. 🌸

15/09/2025

Mindful Mondays

Self Care is more than a trip to get a massage, a pedicure or a weekend away. These special occasions all certainly help but what self care calls for is consistent awareness of your needs and ways to bring energy, time and joy back into your life.

Self care take time....Whether it's healthy eating, exercise, sleep, prayer, relationships, medical appointments - it all takes time... Our challenge is to align our time with our self-care priorities and what we value. Practicing self care requires intentionality and consistency.

How does your time align with your values? How might you put self care on your schedule today and commit to self care for 10 min or more a day for the rest of your week?

If you are a mum, come and learn more about self care and prioritising yourself at the Mum's Haven retreat on Saturday, 11 October 2025 where I will be guiding you through some self care practices. Follow for more details.
I hope to see you there!


❤️

22/08/2025

I highly recommend this book by Dr Jenny Brown. It wisely takes you through each stage of life looking at your part in emotional maturity and its interconnectedness to relationships.

From Growing Yourself Up https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/author/B00DVVQ5DG

22/08/2025

I really love this approach from Denmark.

Did you know that while IQ is important, EQ (emotional intelligence) is what is going to help your children determine success in relationships, career and in life.

The good news is that you can develop EQ in your children!

Empathy is one of the key ingredient of EQ. Empathy is “feeling what someone else is feeling”. You can help your children foster empathy by helping label their emotions and by helping them manage these emotions.

When a child has empathy it leads naturally to gratitude and sympathy. Role modelling and expressions of gratitude or sympathy is the key to supporting your child develop these skills. “It was kind of you to check on your sister like that”. Or “ that must of really hurt”.

EQ is something you can cultivate through your whole life and will help foster positive relationships.

Denmark makes empathy a weekly class called Klassens tid, where students resolve conflicts and strengthen bonds—a practice credited with curbing bullying, boosting emotional intelligence, and helping explain Denmark’s top happiness rankings.

14/08/2025

Hello Adelaide mums, here is an opportunity just for you to refresh, replenish and recharge your batteries.

Soulhearth Retreats are focussing on mum's with this opportunity to attend the Mum's Haven Retreat on Saturday October 11th in the beauitiful heart of the Adelaide hills.

A chance just for you to press pause, I'll be there to guide you through a self-care workshop and self-care practices.

Check out this amazing opportunity below as seen in Adelady

Calling all mummas - this one's for you!

WIN a soul-nourishing day for you and a friend, with a Mum's Haven Retreat for 2 with Soulhearth Retreats, valued at $850! 🧘‍♀️

This is the chance to pause, breathe and be completely cared for at the beautiful Mum’s Haven Retreat — taking place during the day on Saturday, 11 October, 2025 at the serene Bugle Ranges Trees of Trenance in the heart of the Adelaide Hills.

This nurturing one-day retreat is all about pressing pause on the daily juggle and reconnecting with yourself. Think mindful self-care practices with Mary Raschella Calm Connections Counselling , mood-boosting nutrition tips with Malissa Fedele , a soul-soothing sound bath meditation, a shared lunch, healthy snacks, guided journalling, and more. Bliss. ✨

To enter, TAG a deserving mum you’d love to share this beautiful experience with, head on over to Soulhearth Retreats and show them some love to be in the running.

You’ll leave feeling rested, recharged and more you than ever.