Many parents only begin to consider therapy or counselling when their child is facing significant, ongoing difficulties like anxiety, depression or trauma. While they are here for those moments, Activ8 Mind also believes in the value of early, everyday support. Psychology and counselling can help with common challenges such as school refusal, exam stress, friendship issues, bullying, or building self-esteem. Our approach is practical and goal-oriented, helping kids and teens develop social skills, emotional regulation and resilience so they can tackle life’s ups and downs with confidence. Therapy isn’t just for crises; it’s a valuable tool for everyday wellbeing and growth.Ìý

Navigating School Transitions with ConfidenceÌý

understand that every stage of school brings new challenges and opportunities for growth. Their team supports children and young people aged 5 to 18 as they move through key transitions, whether it’s starting primary school, adjusting to high school or preparing for life after Year 12. These changes can be exciting, but they can also bring uncertainty, stress or self-doubt. Active8 Mind psychologists and counsellors work with families to help children build the skills they need to adapt, thrive, and feel confident at every step.Ìý

Evidence-Based, Outcome-Oriented Care for All Ages 

Activ8 Mind offers psychology and counselling services for children (5+), adolescents, and adults (18+). They use evidence-based strategies to help you and your children or young adults to address mental health concerns and build resilience. They also provide a range of assessments for ages 6+, including cognitive and ADHD assessments.ÌýÌý

Supporting Parents Too 

Activ8 Mind know that parenting can be tough, especially when you’re supporting a child through change or challenge. That’s why Activ8 Mind also offers individual support for adults, including help with parenting concerns, stress, relationship issues, and parental burnout. Our psychologists provide one-on-one sessions (we don’t offer couples counselling) to help adults navigate their own wellbeing while supporting their children. We believe that when parents are supported, the whole family benefits. Our outcome-focused approach means we work with you to set goals and develop strategies that fit your unique situation.Ìý

How can we pay for services? Can we afford it? 

If your child is struggling with behaviour, emotional regulation, or transitions, or if you’re seeking support for yourself, our services can be accessed through Medicare (with a relevant referral), private health insurance, or the NDIS for eligible families.ÌýÌý

Activ8 Mind are there to help you and your kids grow, build resilience, and work through your concerns, no matter where you or they are in life’s journey.Ìý

For more information, support articles, or to book an appointment,

 Chat Well provides speech pathology services for; early intervention (late talkers), speech clarity, understanding and use of language, literacy, social communication and AAC (Alternative and Augmentative Communication). Their Speech Pathologists can support children with a range of diagnoses, including, autism, intellectual disability, developmental delays and much more. 

The speech pathology process begins with an initial consultation, followed by assessment and collaborative goal setting prior to beginning therapy. Therapy services are goal oriented and practical, using the child’s strengths and a neurodiversity affirming approach to learn new skills. Appointments occur for 45 minutes to 1 hour, on a weekly or fortnightly basis. Chat Well works collaboratively with families, education staff and other professionals to deliver the highest level of support to their clients, by empowering those around the them to learn the skills to continue therapy in between appointments. Therapy Assistants are also available as a cost-effective way to complement speech pathology support. After an initial consultation and assessment, the speech pathologist writes a detailed therapy plan which is delivered by a final year speech pathology student at home or at school, and overseen by the speech pathologist through regular meetings. 

Chat Well offers a dual assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorder, with an Autism SA accredited Speech Pathologist and Psychologist.  The assessment involves a parent/caregiver interview and play-based observation of the child.  The diagnostic team provides families with the result and recommendations on the day of the assessment, with the full comprehensive report to follow at a later date.  

During school holidays, Chat Well runs social groups which use neurodiversity-affirming practices and cater for a range of interest areas and ages.  Social groups support clients to participate in social activities with children with common interests and provide opportunities to practice and utilize skills in a real-life scenarios.  

While Core Physio’s clients come from all walks of life, they have a large focus on children and mothers with their paediatric and women’s health physiotherapy services. Paediatric physio aims to assist children at all stages of growth who may encounter obstacles to their health and advancement. This involves thorough assessment, diagnosis, and the development of a clear strategy forward. All Core Physio locations are also registered NDIS providers. On the other hand, Core’s trained Women’s Health physiotherapists use techniques to manage women’s pelvic health and incontinence issues, as well as pre and postnatal treatment for women who experience symptoms whilst pregnant or after the birth of their child.

Another huge part of Core Physio’s service is their Pilates program, known as PhysioEx. Available in both individual and group sessions, PhysioEx is beneficial for a wide range of people and conditions. Run by Core’s physiotherapists, each program is designed to suit the individual’s needs and capabilities, and is an excellent foundation for safe and efficient movement. It can even be beneficial for injury rehabilitation!

Outside of hands-on physiotherapy and Pilates, some of Core Physio’s other services include sports rehab, dry needling, shockwave therapy, NDIS physio, as well as hydrotherapy at select locations. Core’s talented physiotherapists are welcoming new patients every day, and would love to see you in the near future to address any issues you may be facing to get you on the path to a happier and healthier life.

Find your nearest Core Physio location and book in!

Kiddo takes the hard work out of finding the perfect carer for your kids, connecting parents with local, verified, and experienced babysitters. Download the free Kiddo App now to get started to find the very best Babysitters, Nannies and NDIS Support workers in 91¹û¶³´«Ã½.

How can Kiddo help you?

Life is busy, and one thing we often all wish for is time, and that’s where Kiddo comes in. Kiddo provides parents with freedom and time by connecting them to local, verified and affordable Babysitters and Nannies across Australia. 

Kiddo provides parents with peace of mind, as all carers are working with children checked. Parents using Kiddo have more information about their carers, a streamlined booking process and in app contactless payment. After all Kiddo was made by a mum of two, so she knows what busy parents deserve and expect when it comes to finding care for their children.

Find a Babysitter in 91¹û¶³´«Ã½ with Kiddo

Parents can book verified, trusted with as little as 2 hours notice on the Kiddo app. Whether it’s for a date night, you have an important meeting to get to, or chores or errands to do, Kiddo App is here to help parents connect to a babysitter.

Find 91¹û¶³´«Ã½ Nannies for your family

Parents can book verified, trusted 91¹û¶³´«Ã½-based nannies for a short or long term contract via the Kiddo App to assist with their childcare needs. Kiddo’s nannies come with a range of skills and experience, so parents can choose a nanny best suited to their family.

Find NDIS Care for children

Kiddo has a wide variety of verified, trusted carers that hold verified skills and experience for families requiring NDIS care for children. Kiddo’s support workers hold verified skills ranging from low, medium and high level Autism, ADD, ADHD and Down Syndrome. Parents can select a carer best suited to their family.

Why use the Kiddo App?

Kiddo provides parents a safe place to find trusted care for their children.

Kiddo makes it as easy as 1,2,3! There are no joining fees, so parents can simply download to view who is available. All bookings completed on Kiddo app are covered by their Public Liability insurance too.

Going on holiday?

Kiddo app can assist you with babysitters around Australia when you’re travelling so that a holiday can feel like a true holiday with time to yourself to unwind and have fun. Simply change your location in the App to your holiday destination, and browse the babysitters available during your stay.

Testimonials

‘What a great tool to help busy families. Sometimes it’s just easier to hire help than to ask your parents or siblings for help. My children absolutely loved their babysitter & it all went so smoothly. I especially love the fact I didn’t need to post a job to find a sitter or do the ring around. The app showed me who is available and in a few clicks, my sitter was booked!‘ – Kara S.

‘Brilliant app – using a stranger as a babysitter sounds weird. But, you actually get better verification of the quality and reliability of the babysitter than you would through an agency – because you read the reviews that other parents have written after using a particular sitter.‘ – Sarah Bastian Jordan

‘I’ve used this app twice and both babysitters were so nice and great with my boys. The app is perfect for last minute bookings and easy to use. Will definitely continue using this app.‘ – Kathryn Gregory

Find out more about Kiddo, head to their website –
Find out more about Kiddo’s NDIS and special needs services on offer .
To view some of Kiddo’s 91¹û¶³´«Ã½ Babysitters click

It’s an intervention therapy not hugely common and you will not find in in your s general allied health practice however the results are evident based and truly impressive as lots of hard work is committed for this rewarding and fascinating Therapy.

We chat to Kirsty , a private practice Behaviour Consultant and Therapist with a background in Behaviour Therapies and School Readiness Programs and a Bachelor of Psychology.

If you would like to know more about Kirsty’s Private Practice  – send us an email- web@kidsinadelaide.com.au or PM us on Facebook!

What led you to become an ABA therapist? 

Firstly, it was pure happenstance and opportunity. I did not even know that the profession existed until I studied psychology at Flinders University and learned about their early intervention research program for children with Autism (ASD). I have always been fascinated by childhood development, how we can help children to thrive, and an advocate for learning through play, so when I saw that Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) could improve the learning opportunities for children with ASD, and was invited to join the research team I jumped on-board. Although the research program has unfortunately now ended, I continue to provide ABA therapy through my private practice, where I work with children and their families in-school or at home. 

What do you think is the biggest misconception about ABA therapy? 

Often, parents new to ABA therapy will say, ‘I’ve heard that ABA is very strict, that my child with autism will be forced to sit at a table to learn for hours at a time. I desperately want my child to learn, but I don’t want them to become a robot!’ And yes, ABA therapy sessions do happen at a table, and ABA does use behaviour modification techniques, but only per the child’s developmental stage, and positive interaction through play underpins it all. Skills are taught in achievable steps with explicit instruction, in a no-fail way and with positive reinforcement. For the child, immediate positive feedback increases the likelihood of them repeating their new skill. Techniques that I use are akin to positive parenting strategies such as ‘catching’ and noticing the positive behaviour of children. 

Children with autism do not learn in the same way as typically developing children, and the very nature of autism means that these children struggle to develop and understand language. You may have heard it said that children with autism are unlike other young children, because they do not learn by osmosis. This means that they do not typically learn by observation, and then imitate the language or behaviour of other children or adults. So, ABA therapy generally attempts to simplify and focus learning opportunities for children with autism, then they can more meaningfully interact with their world. For example, a young boy with ASD may love to play with toy trains, yet his play mostly involves turning them upside down to spin the wheels while making train noises, and he has a meltdown if another child wants a turn with his train! With explicit teaching during therapy, he can instead learn to first build a train-track, then add the trains, and drive them around the track. Explicit teaching can also help him to learn the vocabulary and skills needed to play with others. For me, I can reliably say that each child I have worked with has flourished in the one-on-one therapy setting, and these children consistently feel proud to learn new skills, language and abilities. 

What exactly goes on in an ABA session? 

ABA therapy specifically targets the developmental skills known to be delayed among children with ASD. A session will include a broad range of play-based tasks to develop skill areas such as verbal and non-verbal communication, imitation, eye contact, functional play, gross-motor, fine-motor, sensory awareness, shared attention, and self-help skills. Really, there is a lot of overlap between ABA therapy, paediatric speech therapy (ST) and paediatric occupational therapy (OT). We all use a ‘bottom-up’ approach to teach foundation skills first, and because ABA therapy is grounded in learning theory from psychology, it has an added focus on behaviour. 

Unlike ST and OT, ABA therapy sessions are often two to three hours in length. Research suggests that ABA therapy is most successful when it is intensive, but be assured that this does include breaks, typically 10 minutes for each hour of therapy (for a four-year-old). Two hours with a child allows me time to cover all skill areas, and because children with ASD benefit from learning by repetition, time for them to practice and master their new skills. Remember, that play is the ‘work’ of childhood, so each session I see a child with autism benefit immensely from the opportunity to play! 

For what ages is ABA beneficial? 

The skills taught in ABA therapy are part of normal child development, and designed for children with an intellectual age of 18 months to 6 years. It is preferred that this type of intervention begin as early as possible, before the age of 4 or 5 years. Although, some children will not receive a diagnosis of autism within this early intervention time-frame. When tasks are adapted to match their intellect, children older than 6 years can still benefit from the explicit one-on-one learning environment. 

What areas/challenges can ABA assist with? 

Research shows that for children with autism, ABA therapy can benefit: severe autism symptoms (eg: reduced repetitive behaviours and meltdowns); positive behaviours such as following instructions and attending to tasks; cognitive development; and independent abilities.  

Families are ultimately most affected by their child’s disability, and the ABA framework can help them to up-skill their interactions with their child to improve relationships. For parents, simple changes such as giving direct instructions instead of asking questions (eg: ‘it’s time to eat tea’ rather than ‘would you like to come to the tea table please?’ and then following through with positive reinforcement can transform common daily battles into more ordinary and enjoyable events. 

Advice for any parent about to start the ABA journey… 

ABA therapy is the gold-standard of early- intervention for children on the autism spectrum, but just as autism is a spectrum of disorders, there are different types of ABA therapy providers. As the best advocate for your child, you will know the best fit for your child. And relationship is key to therapeutic intervention – the best outcomes are seen when child and therapist share mutual high regard, that is, they both like each other.  

While ABA therapy is the gold-standard, it is not a miracle cure. And especially because of the intensity of therapy, it is hard-work. It is though, a long-term investment in helping your child to develop to their full potential. ABA therapy caters for how children with autism best learn, and that makes it worth all the effort. 

And lastly, do you have a favourite story you would like to share about helping someone’s journey? 

One of the best aspects of my job is being able to witness both the small and big achievements of children as they learn each day. One child that I have worked with since three-years-old, started school and was completely terrified of the monkey bars. They could not tolerate their feet leaving the ground, or the swinging sensation, and they had poor grip strength to hold the bars. But, despite the anxiety, they could see other kids do it, and wanted to be part of the fun. So, we worked together on upper body strength, hand strength, swinging and spinning, and practiced the monkey bars each week. First, with legs supported, we hung for a few seconds on one bar, then, hung and swung, then we practiced swinging and reaching to the next bar until we made it to the other side together. We took time to master each step until, it was time for me to let go – one year later, this now six-year-old said to me ‘let me show you what I can do!’ and he swung his way across the monkey bars, all on his own.ÌýÌý

**UPDATED 2022**
Kirsty has started a new role and no longer offers private ABA therapy. She recommends to contact for ABA therapy information and services

Another great blog post by Shelley and Erin from

In CranioSacral Therapy Part 1 we briefly introduced CranioSacral Therapy (CST) and how it can help with issues in newborns, toddler and older children. Today we are going to talk about the wonderful benefits of CST with pre and post-natal problems.

Let’s start this discussion with a personal story from Evolve Therapist, Shelley Clarke…….

“As a mother of two beautiful children I have been lucky enough to experience the benefits of receiving CranioSacral Therapy after my son was born, while I was pregnant with my second and then again in the post-natal period. After the birth of my son, I had stored some of the trauma (from my delivery and breastfeeding experience) in my body. CranioSacral Therapy helped to release this trauma and allow my body to recover. Treatment is extremely gentle, relaxing and safe to receive during pregnancy and regular treatments throughout my second pregnancy helped to prepare my body for labour. Both my babies were large, (my daughter was over 10 pounds!) so I also found it very useful in the postnatal period to help my pelvic pain and get me back on my feet.�

Although not a Mother herself, Evolve Director, Erin Riley has vast experience working with women having challenges with their menstrual cycles and fertility as well as helping them through their pregnancy, preparation for labour and delivery. Erin often then sees Mum and Baby in the post partum period and is always extremely excited to meet these new little humans!

Here are a few of the common issues that occur in pregnancy and the post-natal period where CST can greatly improve and/or alleviate symptoms.

Fertility:

Often prior to even thinking about falling pregnant, women have experienced issues with their menstrual cycles. Symptoms may have been things such as irregular cycles, painful periods, menstrual headaches/migraine or the dreaded PMT! These symptoms are all signs of a system that is out of balance. When we are in balance our natural cycles and rhythms are in balance also. CranioSacral Therapy is very effective in helping the central nervous system and hormonal systems function more easily by assisting the body in releasing any tension patterns that may be altering optimum function.

This leads us to issues with fertility. Falling pregnant should be an exciting time as you prepare for welcoming a child into your family. Unfortunately this time can often be fraught with stress and tension when things don’t quite go according to plan. There can be many reasons why fertility is an issue, including a history of menstrual cycle difficulties (as we have outlined above), heightened stress responses within the bodies tissues and trauma from past events (pelvic surgeries, miscarriages etc). CranioSacral Therapy can gently assist in helping the body release any tension patterns that is affecting an optimal environment for conception as well as assist the body shift the memory of past traumas that may be contributing to difficulties falling pregnant.

Pregnancy:

Once pregnant, the body goes through an enormous amount of change over a relatively short space of time as it creates an environment for a little human to grow and develop in. These changes aren’t always comfortable for Mum and often women experience physical discomfort during the pregnancy. Symptoms can include prolonged morning sickness, low back and pelvic pain, breathing difficulties, reflux, headaches and postural changes. CranioSacral Therapy can effectively help relieve these symptoms by releasing soft tissue tensions, help the body find more space or find a more comfortable position for uterus and baby to rest in, calm the nervous system and assist the spine in accommodating the postural changes that are an inevitable part of being pregnant.

Labour and Delivery:

No matter how your precious little one enters the world, there can be some potential challenges. CranioSacral Therapy can assist in preparing the body for labour and delivery by helping the pelvis and pelvic floor be in the optimal state for delivery as well as assisting in the position of the baby. If a cesarean birth is required, it is helpful for your body to be in the most relaxed state possible in order to have a quick and graceful recovery after surgery.

Breast-feeding:

Breast-feeding can be an extremely rewarding experience, though not always the smoothest of rides! If there are issues with breast-feeding such as baby having a poor latch, painful nipples or only feeding for short periods it may be that little one needs some treatment. Mums who are breast-feeding can also feel quite a lot of shoulder and neck tension and experience an increase in headaches. This is often due to the posture of breast feeding, while this is hard to avoid, CranioSacral Therapy will help decrease pain and tension and help you feel more at ease when breast feeding. When you are more at ease your little one will be more at ease also!

Birth Trauma:

Unfortunately the arrival of your precious new family addition doesn’t always go according to plan. Understandably this can make the early days of being a Mother difficult, especially if there is some degree of post-natal depression or post-traumatic stress. This is more common than you might think and is something that is really worthwhile addressing as early as possible in order to help you and your baby adjust. It is helpful to receive treatment for yourself to assist in calming your nervous system, release any tension or emotion that is being stored in the bodies tissues and integrate the experience as best you can.

A natural progression of CranioSacral Therapy is a process called SomatoEmotional® Release (SER). At times of high stress or emotional sensitivity the body may retain the imprint of emotion in the tissues of the body. SER is a process of assisting the body to release or integrate these emotions. As CranioSacral Therapists we may incorporate tools such as therapeutic imagery and dialogue to assist in this process.

“Having a baby is amazing, but I was struggling with a variety of emotional and physical symptoms after the labour and birth, which was an unplanned cesarean. Emotionally, I felt anxious and wound up. I was experiencing tightness and pain in my pelvis and lower back. In general everything felt tense or ‘buzzy’ and just not quite right. I didn’t know exactly how to deal with a sense that I had what felt like unused energy. I felt very uncomfortable in my body, exhausted but wound up at the same time.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from CST, but the sessions were very nurturing and relaxing. Physically it was like a very deep massage but without any of the pressure that goes along with the muscle massage, it was so gentle. At times I felt releases of tension and was finally able to express some deeply emotional feelings I had about the labour and birth. It was a big relief to be able to process these feelings. I felt a sort of reconcile between my body, my emotions and the process of birth.

Physically, the biggest difference I have noticed is how relaxed, or ‘open’ my body is, in particular my pelvis and lower back. It was strange at first for it not to feel constantly tight. The energy I have feels lighter. I feel more aware of where I physically hold on to tension in my body and can see that these patterns probably developed well before I had a bubba.

It’s lovely to feel more at peace and able to listen to what my body is telling me. CST feels very holistic and safe. I wish I had known about it before the birth. Next time!’

LM, Client/Mum

Even if you had the most wonderful birth experience and have had minimal issues in the post-natal period, becoming a Mother is a major life event. Whether it is a Mother for the first time or for the fifth time there will be an adjustment period for you and others in your family. It is easy to lose your identity (and your sanity!) with the sleepless nights, the crying, cooking, cleaning and piles and piles of washing. CranioSacral Therapy can calm your nervous system and is a wonderful tool to help you deal with the everyday stresses of being a Mother.

Written By

Erin Riley- B. Physiotherapy, CST-D, Director Evolve Manual Therapy

Erin grew up with two teachers for parents, and she has been surrounded by children from a young age. Starting out teaching swimming, she moved into aquatic thearpy for children then Physiotherapy and now works as a Specialist CranioSacral Therapist and International Lecturer for the Upledger Institute. She is passionate about helping children thrive and fulfil their potential through CranioSacral Therapy.

Shelley Clarke- B. Physiotherapy

Shelley is a Mum of two small children, William and Isla. She has worked as a physiotherpaist for over 10 years in Australia and Canada, including a stint at Women’s and Children’s Hospital in 91¹û¶³´«Ã½. She is passionate about helping other Mums and Dads work through the puzzle of parenthood, supporting and caring for their children and family through CranioSacral Therapy.

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Phone: +61 (0) 406 249 221

Email: contact@evolvemanualtherapy.com.au

Address: 18 Kensington Rd, Rose Park SA 5067