Amanda Abel

31/10/2025

14/04/2025

We are ready to welcome new team members to our NCCD family! If you are (or know of!) a great psychologist who LOVES working with children, adolescents and their families please get in touch. Bonus points for a positive attitude and team-player approach 😜

31/03/2025

Can’t wait to get stuck into some assessments in Wollongong soon! There are a couple of appointments left so please contact the practice on 0390798043 or admin@centreforchilddevelopment.com if you’d like to book your child in 🤩

19/12/2024

Stuart Place and I went to school together and now he’s cycling to ‘the moon and back’ to raise funds for life saving treatment for his son and other children with a rare genetic condition. If you are in a position to, please support the cause!

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/p23f7QbKSLN6P8M7/?mibextid=wwXIfr

15/12/2024

☀️ School holidays aren’t stress-free for every child; for some, they bring the weight of transitions and new uncertainties. Therapy can provide a safe space to explore these feelings, plan ahead, and celebrate each unique step forward. From regular sessions to telehealth, let’s make this break one of growth and readiness!

08/12/2024

It’s all about momentum! 🏔 Just as we reach glimpses of personal progress, children do too—often during their therapy sessions. By staying committed during the holidays, we can work together to keep skills fresh and goals in reach. Therapy shouldn’t feel endless but purposeful.

05/12/2024

If your littlie struggles with deep breathing - an essential skill for calming the nervous system and getting back to a state of calm, try having cotton wool ball races! Use straws if you like, or just blow directly on the cotton wool balls and watch as they move to the finish line!

04/12/2024

💬 Holidays often mean big transitions are around the corner—new grades, new friends, new routines. This can stir up excitement…and anxiety. Continuing therapy during the break can help keep those transitions in focus and prepare your child to step into the new year with confidence.

03/12/2024

It's always busy this time of year in the practice, but there is ALWAYS time for a laugh...

28/11/2024

No pressure...

26/11/2024

Parents often ask whether it is worth going ahead with assessing their child for ADHD or autism, and if so, when is the best time. Our answer is always unequivocally ASAP. The earlier a child is diagnosed, the sooner parents, teachers, therapists etc. are able to support their specific needs. This can also help avoid self-esteem problems when a child starts to notice that they're struggling with certain aspects of school or life that their peers are sailing through. If you have questions, your GP or paediatrician are a great starting point, but you can also speak to allied health professionals such as a psychologist, speech pathologist or OT if you feel your concerns are not being heard. This can allow you to work through your concerns in more detail and develop a plan for moving forward - regardless of whether assessment is the recommended pathway.

24/11/2024

We LOVE a relaxation script and one that involves tensing and relaxing muscles is great for teaching kids the physiological difference between being stressed and relaxed. Always practise relaxation outside of a stressful situation so the skills can be developed without a negative association...