Phil Bird Psychology

05/11/2025

🌱4 things co-regulation and gardening have in common🌱

1. The needs of every plant (child) is unique.
Each plant has different needs for:
☀️ Sun (active regulation)
⛱️ Shade (quiet regulation)
💧Water (nurture and connection)

2. Every plant needs water to grow 💧
Neural connections can not thrive without relational connection.
It muse be foundational and never conditional.

3. We can't water plants with an empty watering can.
We need to regularly fill up from the tap of regulation and connection 🚰

4. Growth occurs below the surface before we see change above the surface 🪴
We need to continue to show up as consistently as possible even when we don't see changes to surface behaviours straight away.

Every child needs at least one watering can (co-regulator) to thrive. The more watering cans, the better!

Follow for more psychology, parenting and the needs of the nervous system 🧠🌱

14/08/2025

Secure your spot and unlock a new lens for trauma and neurodiversity 🧠✨️

Building New Pathways - Supporting children and families who have experienced trauma.

📅 2nd-3rd of October, 2025
🕐 9:30am - 4pm
📍Online event

The 2-day expanded Building New Pathways series will include:

👉Understanding the impact of trauma on brain development and the “Building New Pathways” model – nervous system repair strategies based on the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT – Bruce Perry);

👉Learn about clinical applications of the Polyvagal Theory and how to apply practical strategies for safety in the home, school and therapeutic environments;

👉Explore the common behaviours that we might see as a result of compromised brain development;

👉Develop a renewed understanding of a child’s behaviour and family dynamics through The Window of Tolerance and the Needs Map for trauma-based symptoms;

👉Explore practical strategies to be used to prevent challenging behaviour;

👉Learn how to assess trauma-based symptoms and behaviours within the ‘Pathways’ framework to guide treatment planning and review progress;

👉Explore strategies to create safe and therapeutic environments for traumatised children and adolescents;

👉Explore trauma-informed strategies for common difficulties and behaviours such as anxiety, defiance, emotional outbursts, hyperactivity, sleep problems and aggressive behaviour.

👉Explore sensory-based and relational approaches to facilitate safety, regulation and relational security;

👉Learn how to develop therapeutic relationships with children and adolescents who have experienced early attachment ruptures;

👉Learn how to work with the child’s attachment network to develop safety, caregiver attunement and attachment security;

👉Develop skills and further understanding in supporting caregivers who are experiencing attachment stress and caregiver burnout.

👉Learn about the NEuroSensory Therapeutic (NEST) Program principles for supporting children and families who have experienced trauma.

👉Get access to exclusive assessment and therapeutic tools for supporting children and families within the ‘Pathways’ framework.

👉 Access to the recording if you

Building New Pathways is designed for those who need to support children and adolescents who have experienced early developmental trauma. Building New Pathways explores trauma and brain development, practical strategies for complex behaviours, and relationship-based strategies for improving connecti

25/07/2025

The Developing Brain Parent Workshop: Tomaree PS 🧠✨️

Thankyou to all the parents who attended The Developing Brain: Responding with purpose workshop on Monday night.

We explored some of the key concepts from the Needs-Based Approach to parenting, including:

⭐️ The key stages of brain development;
⭐️ How to identify the core needs behind behaviours;
⭐️ The core ingredients to respond and co-regulate through behaviours;
⭐️ The essential four R's to support sleep and the developing brain;
⭐️ How to respond to the need, rather than react to the behaviour.
⭐️ And lots of great questions from the audience.

Big thanks to for inviting me and Tomaree PS for hosting!

Stay tuned for the online parent series coming soon! 🧠✨️