Shine Brightly

01/12/2025

It’s the simple things that are everything. We know play, conversation, micro-connections, predictability, and having a responsive reliable relationship with at least one loving adult, can make the most profound difference in buffering and absorbing the sharp edges of the world. Not all children will get this at home. Many are receiving it from childcare or school. It all matters - so much.

But simple isn’t always easy.

Even for children from safe, loving, homes with engaged, loving parent/s there is so much now that can swallow our kids whole if we let it - the unsafe corners of the internet; screen time that intrudes on play, connection, stillness, sleep, and joy; social media that force feeds unsafe ideas of ‘normal’, and algorithms that hijack the way they see the world.

They don’t need us to be perfect. They just need us to be enough. Enough to balance what they’re getting fed when they aren’t with us. Enough talking to them, playing with them, laughing with them, noticing them, enjoying them, loving and leading them. Not all the time. Just enough of the time.

But first, we might have to actively protect the time when screens, social media, and the internet are out of their reach. Sometimes we’ll need to do this even when they fight hard against it.

We don’t need them to agree with us. We just need to hear their anger or upset when we change what they’ve become used to. ‘I know you don’t want this and I know you’re angry at me for reducing your screen time. And it’s happening. You can be annoyed, and we’re still [putting phones and iPads in the basket from 5pm] (or whatever your new rules are).’♥️

01/12/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17mSvWs69M/

The decades-old misconception that autism is a "male or boy thing" has left a lot of women in the lurch, an academic says.

22/11/2025

A great day at the Raising Healthy Families Expo representing Shine Brightly Therapy alongside BodyLink Michelle Grigg and meeting and learning from some amazing speakers and practitioners with a focus and passion for holistic health and well-being. I highly recommend this expo to families and any professional working with children and their families as there's so much to learn and such a great way to connect with other like-minded individuals and services. 🙏💖🥰

28/10/2025

Some recent feedback from parents on how Child-Centered Play Therapy sessions have benefitted their children:

'We have seen a dramatic improvement in our child's anxiety since seeing Hendrina. The other day a dog came up to our child at the beach, which has been a major issue historically, however our son was perfectly fine and afterwards said he wasn't even worried about the dog. There are some other anecdotes that indicate he is a lot more comfortable in himself now.' Parent

And another recent one:

'Thank you for everything you've done for our child. Building up her toolkit and enabling her to understand the world around her (and her responses to it). Parents

27/10/2025

Does your child struggle with emotional dysregulation and control, low frustration levels, anxiety, transitions or change, low mood or self-esteem, sensory sensitivities and/or overload, executive functioning skills (impacting their learning and development), or other childhood challenges? Do you as parent/caregiver(s) need some support and guidance in helping your child overcome barriers to their well-being, happiness and success? If so, find out how Child-Centered Play Therapy and Family Therapy can support you and your child and help them shine.

Therapist with over 25 years' professional expertise and training in Child Psychology and Special Education, Gifted and Talented education, Sensory Integration and Movement therapies, Neurodiverse support and inclusion, strength and evidence-based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Family Systems Therapy support and more.

NEW Clinic in Silverdale.

Please get in touch to find out more and to book a session. No referral necessary and neurodiverse inclusive practice. Call / email Hendrina Hancock on 021 155 3541 or e: hendrinahancock@gmail.com Website: shinebrightlytherapy.com

14/10/2025

Research has shown us, without a doubt, that a sense of belonging is one of the most important contributors to wellbeing and success at school.

Yet for too many children, that sense of belonging is dependent on success and wellbeing. The belonging has to come first, then the rest will follow.

Rather than, ‘What’s wrong with them?’, how might things be different for so many kids if we shift to, ‘What needs to happen to let them know we want them here?’❤️

23/09/2025

A shout out to everyone who looks beyond the behaviour, you make a difference.😀Image + quote from Dance with me in the Heart

Image description - a painting of a young child with the words "When we only look at behaviour, we stop seeing the child and only look with an intent to judge whether we need to reward or punish. When we look behind the behaviour, we see that little struggling human, our little human who needs our help with something." Words by Rebecca Eanes, Artist Celeste Keller

16/09/2025

I offer Child-Centered Play Therapy as well as Family Therapy for children presenting with a wide range of needs and/or challenges, including neurodiverse children and their families.

16/09/2025

Does your child struggle with emotional regulation and/or control? Do they get easily anxious, frustrated, or upset? Do you as parent/caregiver need some help in supporting your child?

If so, find out how Child-centered Play Therapy can help your child overcome barriers to their well-being, happiness and success.

Parenting Consultations and support are also provided. Now at a NEW clinic in Silverdale! (Some school/Holiday sessions also provided.)

Please contact Hendrina on MB: 0211 553 541 or email her at hendrinahancock@gmail.com to find out more and/or to book a session.

No referral necessary. Ages 3 to 15 years of age, including neurodiverse children and youth.

Therapist with over 25 years of professional experience and qualifications in Child & Developmental Psychology , Special Needs education, Sensory and Integrated Movement Therapies, Family Systems Therapy, Neurodiverse Inclusivity and more. https://shinebrightlytherapy.com/

I offer Child-Centered Play Therapy as well as Family Therapy for children presenting with a wide range of needs and/or challenges, including neurodiverse children and their families.

02/09/2025

Love this 🙏💓

Research shows that children who struggle in math… aren’t lacking intelligence.

Because here’s the truth:
Not every child’s brilliance fits neatly into equations. Some minds are wired for rhythm,
some for empathy, some for color and story, others for the quiet wisdom of noticing the world in detail.

Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983) reminds us that math and language are only two of many ways the brain can shine. There is also musical intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic skill, interpersonal and intrapersonal awareness, naturalist sensitivity, and more.

🧠 According to Gardner, when we measure intelligence only by math scores or reading levels, we overlook entire realms of human ability. A child who struggles with fractions might be gifted in storytelling, art, or comforting a friend.

Why does this matter?

Because when we equate intelligence with grades alone, we risk raising children who doubt their worth. We risk discouraging the painter, the musician, the nurturer, the explorer; simply because they didn’t memorize times tables as quickly as their peers.

Meanwhile, science is whispering:
Intelligence is not a single path.
It’s a garden of possibilities.

Here’s what that looks like at home:

→ Celebrating a child’s creativity even if math worksheets feel hard.
→ Naming empathy and kindness as real forms of brilliance.
→ Encouraging music, movement, and hands-on exploration as learning.
→ Reminding your child that struggling in one subject doesn’t make them “less smart.”

These may not look like “academic success” in the narrow sense. But they are the work, the essential work of cultivating whole, capable, and uniquely gifted human beings.

The truth is, a child who isn’t strong in math can still be deeply intelligent. Their gifts might just grow in a different soil. And when we give those gifts space to flourish, we raise children who are confident in who they are, not crushed by who they are not.

So maybe the question isn’t,
“Why isn’t my child good at math?”
Maybe it’s,
“In what beautiful ways is my child already brilliant?”

Because intelligence isn’t the ability to do everything. It’s the courage to grow into the genius you already carry. 🤍

©️Mercy Lupo
Art: same