Connect 2 Thrive

26/11/2025

✨ Big Moments for Small Humans ✨.
What a brilliant day for the kids — meeting their Richmond heroes and soaking up every second. These are the moments that light something up inside children… confidence, connection, and the feeling that their dreams matter.

A huge thank-you to the Richmond Football Club for taking the time to show up for young regional kids. Your presence builds community, inspires belief, and creates memories that sit proudly in a child’s story of who they’re becoming.

A couple of afternoons full of smiles, signatures, and the kind of encouragement that lasts.
💛🖤

16/11/2025

Some days, the world tells us to “fake it till you make it.”
But the truth is… that’s not how growth works. Growth is messy. It’s uncomfortable. It asks us to fall—sometimes hard—and still choose to stand again.

The quote in the first photo hit me today. Not because it’s inspirational in a shiny, picture-perfect way, but because it’s honest. Mistakes, failure, judgement, disapproval, loss… they’re real. They’re part of being human. And they can feel heavy.

But beneath every fall, there is strength quietly forming. There is learning happening in the background, even when all we can see is the stumble. It takes courage to get back up and face the world again. And compassion—both from others and from ourselves—as we learn to do a little better each time.

That’s why I brought home this little plant growing out of a rock. A reminder that life can feel rocky, but beauty still finds a way through. Even in the hardest times, something new can take root. Something resilient. Something full of potential.

If you’re in a season of falling, failing, or learning… be gentle with yourself. Growth doesn’t always look soft or easy. Sometimes it looks like a plant pushing through stone.

And that’s still growth. 🌱✨

16/11/2025

✨ So Grateful ✨

This weekend was a big refresh of the therapy room at Connect 2 Thrive — new couch (260km round trip for this beauty!), new armchair, fresh cushions and a cosy throw rug… with a rug on the way.

A special shout-out for the stunning sunset painting created by a local 13-year-old artist. Yep, 13! Her talent blows me away, and her work brings such calm, warm energy into the space.

Every piece in the room is chosen with intention — soft textures, natural light, fidgets, calm visuals, little sparks of inspiration, seating options, and sensory choice (essential oils or not). All designed to support the nervous system as we do the deeper work.

Huge appreciation for my husband on lawn duty, Finn for his beautiful reading, and Nate for feeding the lawn so it can thrive too. 🌱💛

Private practice is such a gift — and a lot of behind-the-scenes work — and I’m endlessly grateful for my family’s support. My hope is that everyone who walks into the hub instantly feels a sense of calm.

✨ Feeling supported. Feeling grateful. Feeling ready as we come to the final weeks of the year. 🌿

12/11/2025

I have been wanting to run a webinar on writing NDIS reports for child therapists for some time…. Well tonight was the first of 4 in the next 3 weeks! If you are a social worker, play therapist or a therapist who would like to build their knowledge and confidence writing ndis reports- I welcome you to reach out. This is a topic I love providing supervision / consultation for 👌🙌🙏

31/10/2025

💫 Why I Choose to Be the Therapist I Am

This video captures so beautifully why I choose to be the kind of therapist I am.

Holding space for people’s stories — their attachment wounds, their pain, and their resilience — is deeply meaningful. It’s an honour to witness healing unfold as each person reconnects with their inner strengths.

Every lived experience is unique, and it’s always held with deep respect within the therapy space. 💛

🎥 Watch here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2xdXVpyFoo

This video is a cornerstone of our Living Resilience / Deep Academy program... In Deep Academy we are: Offering transformative support and resources to peopl...

17/10/2025

🌿 New grad social worker? Join Sarah Martin (AMHSW) for small-group supervision: 4 × 75-min, fortnightly.
Day group starts Wed 29 Oct 12–1:15pm (AEDT);
Evening starts Wed 5 Nov 6–7:15pm (AEDT). Max 4. $65/session ($260 total). 📩 hello@connect2thrive.com.au

12/10/2025

🌿 Connect 2 Thrive is taking a family break! 🌿
It’s been a big year — for all of us — and it’s finally time for my family to unwind, play, connect, and experience life together. We’re off adventuring until October 20th, recharging our minds, bodies, and hearts 💛.
We’ll have plenty of long hours in the car between destinations (hello, road trip life!), so here are some travel tips for our neurospicy crew — straight from the clinician and parent in me 🚗👇
🧠 Before the drive:
Breakfast is non-negotiable! Keep sugar low and protein high for stable energy.
Pack “specials” (aka teddies, fidgets, chewy tools) and a bag of preferred crunchy snacks — choice matters.
Get moving before getting in the car — jumps, runs, heavy work if possible. Regulation starts in the body!
🎶 During the drive:
Download music or audiobooks for low-connectivity zones.
Keep a mix of play and calm — jokes, chat, sport quizzes, and creative time (drawing, reading, doodling).
Rotate drivers. Everyone’s nervous system deserves a reset.
Comfy clothes are a must — soft tees, socks, and jocks! Regulation loves comfort.
💫 When you arrive:
One parent unpacks, one explores with the kids — move the body first!
Screens are okay, but balance them with connection time to smooth that dopamine drop.
Most of all — travel with flexibility, laughter, and kindness (to yourself, too).
See you all after the 20th, rested and ready to reconnect 💚

03/10/2025

💜 Therapy is more than the hour we spend together.

Behind the scenes there’s quiet reflection, preparation, professional learning, and care for my own wellbeing — so that when you arrive, I can be fully present for you. 🌱

Therapists also need time for rest, movement, supervision, and even our own therapy. Because showing up for you means showing up as our best, most grounded self. ✨

Every session is held with compassion, safety, and strength. You are always more than just a booking in the diary — you are carried in mind and heart, even outside the room. 🌸

🌿 Connect 2 Thrive
Connection. Healing. Strength.
Therapy that empowers you to thrive.

03/10/2025

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPWEWJtkfV4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

22/09/2025

Trauma-Informed Care in Therapy

In trauma-informed care, we understand that past experiences shape the way we feel, think, and respond in the present.

Trauma isn’t just stored in memories — it can live in the body, influencing our emotions, our relationships, and even our sense of safety.

Therapy becomes a space not just to “talk about it,” but to gently reconnect with both mind and body, with compassion and care.

This is where healing begins. 💜

22/09/2025

How Trauma Lives in the Body & Mind

Our bodies remember what our minds can’t always put into words. Trauma can show up as:

Tension or pain with no clear cause

Anxiety or hypervigilance

Feeling “stuck” in old patterns

Numbness or disconnection

Memories aren’t just stories we tell — they are also sensations, images, and emotions stored deep within us.

Healing means bringing together both the narrative (our story) and the felt sense (our body’s experience).

19/09/2025

Sometimes life feels heavier than it should. You might be:
* Carrying the weight of past trauma
* Feeling stuck in anxiety
* Finding it hard to shake low mood
* Struggling to connect with who you really are.

Maybe guilt, shame, or grief show up in ways that hold you back, or you just feel like you’ve lost touch with yourself along the way.

That’s where Connect 2 Thrive comes in. As a Mental Health Social Worker, I offer a safe and supportive space to talk, reflect, and work through what’s holding you back. Therapy isn’t about quick fixes — it’s about creating space for healing, growth, and rediscovering your own strength and sense of peace.

(Please note: therapy only — I do not provide assessments or support for court matters.)

www.connect2thrive.com.au