Play & Filial Therapy

15/01/2026

Officially back to work this week!

13/01/2026

First official day back at work for 2026 and what a wonderful way to spend it - starting the first of three days training new TORA Facilitators!

12/01/2026

Erin Doherty acknowledged the important work of mental health therapists in her Golden Globe acceptance speech for best female supporting actor for ‘Adolescence’ 👏🏻

12/01/2026

11/01/2026

20% of Australians are children—and they have their own culture

Yet a typical school day offers little time or space for children to express their agency through play

Children create culture whether we make space for it or not. The recent “6-7 phenomenon” is just one example. This article explores why the culture of childhood matters—and offers historical context that shows this isn’t new

What if we approached children’s culture with the same curiosity we bring when traveling somewhere new? When we’re genuinely open to insights from the culture of childhood, we get to share in their joy

The 6-7 craze that disrupted classrooms and sports events worldwide was more than just nonsense.

Media scholars from 3 countries say the fad reveals how children use meaningless language and games to carve out spaces where they hold the power and adults don't make the rules.
https://theconversation.com/the-6-7-craze-offered-a-brief-window-into-the-hidden-world-of-children-272327

10/01/2026

“Child mental health is the elephant in the room”…”it was ignored for a long time”…then it was crowded out by adult mental health. Then adolescent mental health…”

As a mental health clinician having worked and researched in schools for over 2 decades there have been innovative pockets willing to see this elephant and strive to make meaningful change

These innovative schools, school leaders and educator have been beacons of hope—it’s time to light up every school as a beacon of hope and wellbeing support for children, families and communities

“I realised that doing good research wasn’t enough, that I really have to get interested in the impact that research had on the community."

Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) Professor Frank Oberklaid spoke to the Herald Sun about the forces that defined his career and galvanised him to focus on preventative medicine and the mental wellbeing of young people.

Professor Oberklaid's experience as a post-war migrant in Australia and career as a pioneering child health researcher and 'disruptor' have been highlighted in a Big V feature. The Herald Sun series highlights the lives and achievements of remarkable Victorians.

Professor Oberklaid pioneered the Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) initiative and thanks to government support, dedicated mental health and wellbeing leaders will be embedded this year into every government and low-fee non-government primary school in Victoria. The program has also expanded to other parts of Australia.

Read the full story, continued in the comments 🗞️ 👇

The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne

08/01/2026

The title of this article could be ‘Play could save your life!’ Creativity and the arts are underpinned by our ability to engage in play and be playful

“As adults, we have a tendency to dismiss play as frivolous and childish. How wrong we are. When we enter imaginary worlds, the temporary suspension of social norms and hierarchies allows us to understand the world from different angles, which helps our brains build mental flexibility to deal with unpredictable changes in our lives.”

Engaging in creativity can reduce depression, improve immunity and delay ageing – all while you’re having fun

06/01/2026

An absolute rockstar of child psychotherapy! 🤘🏻 Who in the 1940s was proposing therapeutic methods that are backed by neuroscience today 🧠 A true maverick blazing a trial by asserting the need for specialised paediatric developmental and mental health support, rather than adult approaches for children 🛩️

Axline believed that children, when offered a safe, accepting and permissive therapeutic space, naturally move towards healing and growth. Her non-directive, child-centred approach gave children permission to communicate their inner world through play – their most natural language – rather than words alone.

Her core principles still sit at the heart of ethical Play Therapy practice today:

🧸 Unconditional positive regard
🧸 Deep respect for the child’s autonomy
🧸 Trust in the child’s innate capacity to heal
🧸 Play as meaningful communication, not “just play”

At British Association of Play Therapists (BAPT), these principles continue to guide evidence-based, trauma-informed practice that supports children to process experiences, build emotional resilience, and develop a stronger sense of self – at their own pace, in their own way.

Axline reminded us that “the child leads, the therapist follows” – a philosophy that remains as powerful and relevant today as it was when she first articulated it.

💚 Play is not an extra.
💚 Play is not a reward.
💚 Play is the work.

05/01/2026

When we centre play in policy and practice, we’re not adding something extra—we’re protecting what children fundamentally need to thrive

Play isn’t a reward for good behaviour or something that happens after the “real” work is done. It’s the essential system through which children process their experiences, build relationships, and develop the skills they need for life

Every child deserves access to developmentally appropriate support that meets them where they are. This is why positioning play as a right, not a privilege, must guide how we design services, allocate funding, and train professionals

The evidence is clear. The neuroscience is unequivocal. The time for change is now

04/01/2026

Today is world braille day, a celebration of greater access, autonomy, and belonging

For children who are blind or have low vision, Braille opens doors to education, relationships, exploration, imagination, and independence

Communication takes many forms. Some children speak with their hands. Some communicate through pictures or objects. Some read with their fingertips. Each pathway matters. Each voice deserves to be heard

Incredibly Louis Braille was still a child himself when he began devising the system of braille that he would finalise as an adolescent and share with the world as a young man

Let’s commit to building a world where every child, regardless of how they communicate, has access to culture, connection, and community.​​​​​​​​​​