Untangled Therapy and Training

Home
Australia
Bunbury, WA
Untangled Therapy and Training

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Untangled Therapy and Training, U7 135 Victoria Street, Bunbury.

Untangled Therapy and Training is a specialised occupational therapy and mental health service located in Bunbury and servicing the southwest of Western Australia.

19/02/2026

Week 3 drop-offs can be hard.

If your child is clinging, crying, refusing, or falling apart at the classroom door it doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong.

And it doesn’t mean they aren’t securely attached or “too attached.”

When children separate from us, their nervous system scans for safety.

School is stimulating. Loud. Socially demanding. Full of expectations.
By week 3, the novelty has faded and fatigue can creep in.

For some children, the body simply says:
“This feels like a lot.”

Tears, distress or hesitation at drop-off are often a neurological stress response, not a reflection of attachment insecurity.

Secure attachment doesn’t look one particular way at the school gate.
Some children protest loudly.
Some children separate easily.
Both can reflect a child who feels deeply connected and safe.

And here’s the part we don’t talk about enough:

When our child cries, is distressed or hesitant, our nervous system lights up too.

Our heart rate rises.
We can feel guilt.
We question ourselves.
We wonder if we’re doing ‘damage’.

Drop-offs can activate our own attachment system, the part of us wired to respond to our child’s distress.

So if you’re walking back to the car holding back tears, feeling shaken, or doubting yourself…that is a nervous system response too.

You are not cold if you hold the boundary.
You are not abandoning them when you leave.
You are not ‘weak’ or a ‘push over’ if you go home and try again tomorrow.

You are helping your child’s body and nervous system learn:
“I can feel this. And I can get through it.”

Week 3 can be wobbly.

Wobbly doesn’t mean unsafe.
Wobbly doesn’t mean insecure.
Wobbly means growing.

AND you are allowed to find it hard too 🤍

12/02/2026

When our nervous system is overwhelmed, it becomes much harder to work through difficult things.

Our bodies are always paying attention to the world around us, quietly checking for cues of safety or threat.

When something feels unsafe, the nervous system shifts into protective modes such as fight, flight, freeze, or appease.

In these moments, the body’s focus is not understanding or problem-solving, but protection.

The nervous system doesn’t clearly distinguish between a real, immediate danger and a situation that feels threatening. A tense interaction, a look, or a moment of uncertainty can activate the same stress response as something more concrete.

When this happens, our perspective narrows.
We may start interpreting experiences through a lens of threat.
For example, sensing rejection might reflect what is happening or it might be the body preparing for the possibility of hurt based on past experiences.

This can create a sense of urgency, as though something needs to be resolved right now. Often, that urgency is the nervous system seeking safety, rather than a true need for immediate action.

Learning to notice these patterns can gently create space between feeling and responding. Sometimes the most supportive step is allowing the body to pause and settle first.

There may be no ‘wild bear chasing us’ to respond to.
And not everything needs to be worked through in the moment.

**This content is shared for general education and reflection and is not a substitute for individualised professional support.

StressResponse

10/02/2026

If your child doesn’t settle easily at night, it is not because you haven’t found the right routine, the perfect strategy or the ideal sleeping temperature.

Some children need more time to move into sleep.
More support.
More safety.

Sleep isn’t created by perfection.
It’s supported by predictability, pace, and connection.

Children’s brains don’t need elaborate rituals or Pinterest-worthy evenings.
They need the same actions, in the same order, night after night.

Bath.
Pyjamas.
Teeth.
Books.
A familiar, calm adult presence.

When evenings are slower, quieter, and predictable, the nervous system can begin to downshift.

And if bedtime is still hard, you haven’t failed.

Some nervous systems need more time to feel safe enough to rest.
That isn’t your fault, and it is not your child’s.

05/02/2026

When children talk at bedtime, they aren’t delaying sleep.

They’re processing.

As the lights dim, the house quietens, and everything slows, something important happens neurologically.

The nervous system settles.
The thinking brain softens its guard.
And availability appears.

This is often when children start talking.
Remembering things.
Asking big questions.
Sharing worries, joys, and half-formed thoughts from the day.

This isn’t procrastination.
It isn’t ‘working themselves up.’
It isn’t manipulation.

It’s a neurological window.

Their brain finally feels safe enough to process.

Connection at bedtime isn’t about saying the perfect thing.
It’s about being present, predictable, and emotionally available, even briefly.

Because safety doesn’t come from silence.
It comes from being met.

02/02/2026

Today there were smooth mornings and messy ones.
Early starts and last-minute tears.
Kids who walked in confidently, kids who needed a long hug,
and some who didn’t make it through the gate at all and will try again tomorrow.

To the children who felt excited, nervous, overwhelmed, or all three at once, your feelings make sense.

To the parents who felt proud, relieved, anxious, sad, or quietly exhausted, you are not alone.

Starting (or restarting) school isn’t a single moment.
It’s a process.
It’s regulation before expectation.
Connection before compliance.

If today was hard, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed nor does it mean it will always be hard.

If today was easy, let that feel good.

And if today didn’t happen at all, tomorrow is still there.

We’re holding space for the little people, the big people, and everyone in between.
Be gentle with yourselves today and let the feelings flow
💛

28/01/2026

January has a way of convincing women their bodies are a problem to solve.

Louder voices.
Stricter rules.
More pressure to override hunger, tiredness, and intuition in the name of ‘doing better’.

But health doesn’t come from pushing harder or shrinking yourself further.
It grows when your body feels safe enough to be listened to.

For many women, especially mothers, this isn’t just personal.
It’s relational.
Our children learn what bodies are for by watching how we treat our own.

When care replaces control,
something shifts.
Energy becomes steadier.
Movement feels supportive.
Food feels less loaded.
And the body stops being the enemy.

This season doesn’t need extremes.
It needs sustainability.
Gentleness.
And a quieter kind of strength.

Because when we change our relationship with our body,
we change the story our children inherit 🤍

27/01/2026

Children’s behaviour is often a reflection of their nervous system under load.

When children are tired, overstimulated, or adjusting to transitions, their nervous system signals stress through big feelings, meltdowns, or withdrawal.

Parents’ nervous systems can mirror or amplify these reactions.

Noticing your own bodily responses. Tension, quickened breath, or overwhelm can help guide calmer, more supportive responses.

In these moments, the goal isn’t to fix behaviour.
It’s to provide connection, safety, and a steady presence, showing children that big feelings are normal and manageable.

Understanding how both child and parent nervous systems interact can shift the way we respond, from frustration or pressure to patience, empathy, and regulation 🤍

22/01/2026

Behaviour is communication especially during periods of change.

After school meltdowns or big emotions aren’t a sign children are misbehaving. They’re often a sign that their nervous system has reached capacity.

When we shift from “What’s wrong?” to “What might my child be communicating?” it changes everything, including how safe they feel in those moments 🤍

18/01/2026

Back to school is a BIG transition.
And transitions often stir up worry, even when children are capable and excited.

Worry isn’t something to eliminate.
It’s the nervous system doing its job, noticing change and trying to keep children safe.

When we help children sit with their worries, rather than offering a million reasons not to feel worried, we teach them something important:
that big feelings are tolerable, worries are not dangerous, and they can be worked through with support.

Adjustment takes time.
A few unsettled weeks doesn’t mean anything is ‘wrong’ or that it will always feel this way. It means your child is adapting.

You don’t need to fix the feelings.
Being present, steady, and understanding is often enough 🤍

07/01/2026

School holidays aren’t always restful.

For many parents, they can bring a quiet (or not-so-quiet) build-up of overwhelm.

Routines shift. Needs increase. There’s more noise, more mess, more decisions and often less space to recover.

If you’re finding yourself more irritable, more tired, or closer to the edge than usual, that doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong.

It usually means you’re responding to a very real increase in load.

A few gentle reminders for this season:
- Overwhelm is a signal, not a failure
- Lowering expectations can be an act of care
- Regulation often comes before solutions
- Small pauses matter more than perfect days

If this period feels harder than you expected, you’re not alone and you don’t need to push through it silently.

Support can look different for everyone, and sometimes it starts with simply naming that things feel heavy right now.

This post is general in nature and not a substitute for individual support.

30/12/2025

A note from Tamara as we close out the year 🤍

As we come to the end of the year, I want to pause and acknowledge the courage, effort and quiet perseverance I’ve witnessed across this community.

This year has held big feelings, small wins, moments of exhaustion, growth that happened slowly, and change that didn’t always look the way we expected. Whether you are a child, an adult, a parent, a mother navigating a demanding season or an educator supporting others day after day, your work matters.

To everyone who trusted me with their story, their vulnerability and their hope, whether through therapy, consultation or professional learning, thank you.

It is a privilege to walk alongside people at all stages of life and to support those who care for and teach others.

As we move through the holiday period, I hope there is space for rest, gentleness and connection, in whatever form feels most supportive for you.

Thank you for being part of this year. I look forward to continuing our work together in the year ahead 🤍

Address

U7 135 Victoria Street
Bunbury, WA
6230

Website

http://www.untangledtt.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Untangled Therapy and Training posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Untangled Therapy and Training:

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Bunbury?