Wattle Tree Therapy

05/12/2025

Mums are the Magic Makers.

This page is for all parents. But experience - and research - shows that Mums carry the mental load, including all the Christmas chaos:

🎁 Thinking of gifts

🎄Buying the gifts

🎁 Wrapping the presents

🎄Upholding other people’s traditions

🎁 Taking on new traditions (I’m looking at you Elf on the Shelf)

🎄 Cleaning the house

🎁 Decorating the house

🎄 Planning the menu

🎁 Shopping for the food

🎄 Cooking the food

🎁 Managing the budget

🎄 Coordinating the family calendar in December

🎁 Kin-keeping - managing contact for both sides of extended family

But your kids don’t mind. They won’t remember the tablecloth or the turkey. They’ll remember the FEELING. Of being together with you. Of love.

The biggest gift you can give your family, is enjoying the time with them.

So if any of the above tasks don’t bring you meaning or joy, this is your permission to opt out.

What are you giving a miss this year?

Michelle 🌿
Paediatric + Parent Support OT

29/11/2025

Can you tell I’m Australian? Not a single mention of snow!

There are a handful of sensory experiences I really enjoy at Christmas time.

Leaning in to these, and mindfully noticing sensory experiences you enjoy, can help you feel:

*Calm
*Joyful
*Connected
*Regulated
*Grateful

What are your favourite sensory experiences at Christmas?

Michelle 🎄
Paediatric + Parent Support OT

22/11/2025

Are you overwhelmed by clutter and mess? I am 🙋🏽‍♀️

Today I removed about HALF of my keys. I don’t even know what some were for!

It was instantly relieving.

Looking for ways to reduce visual clutter and noise through the day can reduce sensory overwhelm.

Every experience is processed by our senses; even seemingly little things matter.

Will you try this?

Join me on my journey to become a sensory regulated parent.

Michelle 🌿
Paediatric + Parent Support OT

21/11/2025

Unmet needs can either be “too much” or “not enough” of something.

Sensory needs? Emotional needs? Social needs? Body needs? Safety needs?

Refer to my pinned post for some prompts to reflect on in each of these areas.

🍃🍃🍃

Michelle 🌿
Paediatric + Parent Support OT

19/11/2025

One day I sat at a crowded bar, on one of the few seats available. I apologised to my friend. She laughed, and said:

✨”it’s okay to take up space”✨

I’ve never forgotten.

So to the self-sacrificers, the people pleasers, the over-apologisers. You don’t need to shrink yourself for the comfort of others.

And in taking up space, we show our kids that it’s okay for them to take up space too.

Michelle 🌿
Paediatric + Parent Support OT

17/11/2025

Sensory dysregulation leads to nervous system dysregulation, because your sensory systems are part of your nervous system; your nerves, brainstem and brain.

The good news is, that means we can use our sensory systems to calm our nervous system.

Follow along on my journey to become a sensory regulated parent!

Michelle 🌿
Paediatric + Parent Support Occupational Therapist

15/11/2025

15/11/2025

In my experience, as a sensitive Mum with sensory needs, and as a Paediatric Occupational Therapist for the past 16 years…

I can’t ignore that parents and educators have sensory needs too.

I offer sensory assessments and support to parents, with the aim of bringing more regulation to your family life.

Michelle 🌿
Paediatric + Parent Support OT

12/11/2025

Self care lives in a sweet spot between caring for others and caring for only ourselves.

If we sacrifice our own needs for others, it’s not self care.

If we are completely self absorbed, it’s not self care.

Self care is simply honouring our own needs. That happens in a balance of choosing ourselves, and supporting other people.

I’m on a mission to use sensory regulation to be the best parent I can be. Join me on my journey!

Michelle 🌿
Paediatric + Parent Support OT