Cardinia Equine and Animal Assisted Counselling and Play Therapy

08/11/2025

08/11/2025

For those who missed a Seen The Film screening, this is for you! On Thursday, November 13th at 7.30pm AEDT (Sydney time) Seen is hosting an online film screening, followed by a live Q&A with Maggie and Sam Jockel.

Tickets available via seenthefilm.com

*Note this is a live screening, replays are not available.

06/11/2025

The adolescent brain is still under construction.
The emotional centres of the brain mature earlier, while the parts responsible for reasoning, planning, and self-regulation continue developing into the mid-20s.

This is why young people may feel things more intensely, respond quickly, or struggle to pause in the moment — especially when overwhelmed.
This is development, not defiance.

For neurodivergent young people, these differences can be even more pronounced.
Sensory processing, emotional intensity, and social fatigue can all shape how feelings show up and how support is needed.
Their brains are not behind — they are building pathways differently.

When we understand the brain, we can meet young people with connection, patience, and co-regulation, rather than correction or criticism.
This is how emotional regulation skills grow over time.

Explore The Child Brain Explained Toolkit for practical guidance to help parents and educators support emotional regulation in real-world moments. Link in comments ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in bio.

04/11/2025

A Child’s Voice: When My Amygdala is Triggered

Sometimes my brain reacts before I can think. My body goes into protection mode — fast heartbeat, tight tummy, shaky hands. It’s not me being naughty — it’s my amygdala sounding the alarm.

Helping a child understand what’s happening in their brain is the first step to calming the storm.

Teen version also published.

Explore practical tools and scripts to support emotional regulation in our Managing Big Feelings Toolkit — link in comments below ⬇️ / Linktree Shop in bio.

03/11/2025

Ever wonder why some children can’t stop moving — spinning, hanging upside down, or constantly fidgeting?
Or why others avoid movement — hating swings, climbing frames, or even being picked up?

The answer might lie in their vestibular system — the sense of balance and movement that helps us feel grounded and safe in our bodies.

When this system is over- or under-responsive, the world can feel too fast, too spinny, or too still — and that can look like clumsiness, anxiety, or constant motion-seeking.

Understanding the vestibular system helps us see what’s really going on beneath the behaviour — and how to support it through everyday movement and play.

Find out if your child might be showing signs of sensory processing differences with our Sensory Processing Checklist — available via the Linktree Shop in bio or link in comments⬇️.

03/11/2025

Gonadarche marks the biological beginning of puberty — when the ovaries start to mature and produce oestrogen. For most girls, this happens between ages 8 and 13.

It’s the stage where body changes begin and emotions can start to feel bigger, faster, and harder to manage.
Helping young people understand what’s happening in their bodies (and why moods might shift) builds self-awareness and emotional safety.

There’s a separate post for boys — as their timeline and hormonal process differ slightly.

You can find support for this stage in our Managing Big Feelings Toolkit – created to help families navigate emotional regulation through puberty and beyond. Link in comments below ⬇️ or via our Linktree Shop in Bio.

FOLLOW for a child friendly version created to use with your young people later today.

03/11/2025

03/11/2025

SECOND CHANCE SUNDAY

Sharing Your Favourite Posts From over the past 7 Days

When a child’s emotional brain takes over, logic and reason switch off — and connection becomes the bridge back to calm.

These phrases don’t fix the feeling; they regulate the brain behind it.
Save this as part of your calm-down toolkit and share with anyone who supports children through big emotions.

You can find more brain-based strategies like this in The Child Brain Toolkit — download from The Contented Child via link in comments or Linktree Store in Bio.

02/11/2025

02/11/2025

SECOND CHANCE SUNDAY

VOICE OF THE CHILD SERIES

“I find it hard to calm down when you…”

So often, what looks like defiance is really a child struggling with regulation. When we pause to hear their voice — to understand what feels overwhelming or unsafe — we can respond with empathy instead of frustration.

Our Managing Big Feelings Toolkit offers practical ways to support children in finding calm, understanding triggers, and building emotional safety.
Link in comments below ⬇️ or via our Linktree Shop in bio.