Untangled Therapy and Training

16/10/2025

After pregnancy and during motherhood, it can be hard to feel at home in our bodies again. So much changes.
How we look, how we feel, how we move.
Some of those changes we expect and others take us by surprise.

It’s easy to fall into the idea that movement is something we “should” do…to ‘get our old body back’, to ‘be productive’, or to ‘make up for rest’.

But what if movement wasn’t about changing or fixing anything?
What if it was about coming home to ourselves again?

It can be freedom, rhythm, fresh air, and a reminder that our bodies are meant to feel alive.

Whether it’s a gentle stretch, a walk with the pram, or a ride to work. Movement can be a way of reconnecting with the body that’s carried you through so much.

10/10/2025

💚 World Mental Health Day 💚

Today is a reminder that mental health isn’t only about surviving the hard moments. It is also about noticing the small moments of peace that help us keep going.

⏸️ A pause before reacting.
😮‍💨 A breath between the noise.
🤍 A quiet “I’m doing my best.”

Slow progress is still progress.

09/10/2025

Parenting is full of moments that stretch us. The noise, the tiredness, the constant giving. And in all of that, it’s so easy to turn on ourselves when things don’t go as planned.

Research shows that self-compassion (treating ourselves with kindness rather than criticism) is linked to lower stress, more patience, and a greater sense of connection with our children.

When we shift from “I’m a bad mum” to “That was a tough moment” we calm our nervous system, ease shame, and create more emotional space for our kids.

Self-compassion isn’t indulgent. It’s protective. It’s what helps us stay grounded in the chaos of family life.

It can sound as simple as:
“That was a really hard moment. I did my best.”
“I’m learning, just like they are.”
“It’s okay to rest.”

✨A small practice to try:
Next time you notice that familiar wave of self-criticism, try this:

Pause and take three conscious breaths.
• First breath: Notice what you’re feeling.
• Second breath: Soften your body, even slightly.
• Third breath: Offer yourself kindness, a quiet “I’m doing my best.”

This micro-pause helps regulate your nervous system and brings you back to presence before reacting - the very strategies we are trying to teach our children.

06/10/2025

🌐 Let’s Talk About Online Safety (and Our Young People)

Lately, we’ve had a lot of contact from parents asking how to keep their young people safe online — and what to do if their teen becomes involved in a risky situation.

Clinicians across the country are seeing more of these situations than ever before. While that’s concerning, there are things we can do.

If your child engages in risky online behaviour, please know this doesn’t mean they’re “bad” or “reckless.” It means they’re growing up in a world that moves faster than their brains are ready for. Young people are wired for connection, curiosity, and belonging… and the internet knows exactly how to offer that — sometimes in risky ways.

Here are a few things that help:
💬 Keep conversations open. Shifting the way we ask questions often changes the response. Instead of “Why would you do that?” try “Can you tell me what that was like for you?”
🧠 Stay curious, not critical. Teens are more likely to come to you next time if they feel heard, not shamed. Phrases like “Help me understand” or “Tell me more” go a long way.
🔒 Talk about safety, not control. Collaborate on privacy settings, location sharing, and who they add. The more connection and collaboration we offer, the less they seek validation elsewhere.
❤️ Remind them often how amazing they are — that their worth isn’t in a message, photo, or streak. Mistakes will happen. They’re human — and they’re still wonderful, incredible people.

If something has already happened, it’s not too late to get support:
👉 https://www.esafety.gov.au/report
👉 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

You don’t need to have all the answers — just being calm, present, and willing to talk makes the biggest difference

23/09/2025

Why “consequences” aren’t the answer when it comes to discipline.

So much of what many of us grew up with in terms of discipline — time-outs, sticker charts, loss of privileges, consequences — is still circulating today. The problem? These approaches are based on behaviourist ideas, not on what we know about attachment and development, some based on theories from four generations ago!

Children don’t misbehave because they need better consequences. They act out because of big feelings, unmet needs, or disconnection.

When we add more control, it often backfires — creating power struggles, shame, and distance.

What works instead?
✨ Connect before you redirect — engage the relationship first, then guide (Dr Dan Siegel)
✨ Collect before direct — fill up their attachment cup before giving instructions (Dr Gordon Neufeld)
✨ See behaviour as communication — ask what’s driving this? rather than how do I stop this?
✨ Hold the boundary with warmth — firm doesn’t have to mean cold.
✨ Make room for tears — sadness and frustration are part of how children adapt and grow.

Discipline isn’t about consequences — it’s about guiding with love, keeping the relationship intact, and helping our kids develop the internal compass they need to thrive.

16/09/2025

🌱✨ Parenting is one of the most important—and most challenging—journeys we’ll ever take. None of us need to do it alone.

That’s why we’re so excited to share that the Raised Good Online Parenting Summit is back for 2025, featuring some of the world’s leading voices in child development and attachment—including Dr. Gordon Neufeld, Dr. Deborah MacNamara, Dr. Gabor Maté, and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson. These are thinkers and teachers who deeply inform our own practice, and we can’t recommend them highly enough. 💛

When you join, you’ll explore how to:
✅ Bring calm and connection to morning routines
✅ Meet your own emotional triggers with curiosity and self-compassion
✅ Build secure attachment without aiming for “perfect parenting”
✅ Recognise when your child is struggling versus pushing limits—so you can respond with empathy instead of power struggles
✅ Stay steady when your child’s big feelings spill over in public (yes, even in the middle of Target!)
✅ Create the kind of trust where your child turns to YOU when life gets tough
✅ Use gentle, research-informed strategies for digital wellbeing and technology use
✅ Support your child through “unfixable” requests when logic isn’t enough

✨ This event is online, practical, and completely free to attend live.

👉 Register here to save your spot: https://raisedgood.com/online-summit-2025-v1

Kids don’t need perfect parents. They need present, connected ones. This summit is such a beautiful step in that direction. 💛

11/09/2025

💛 Every day is a good day to check in.
“R U OK?” shouldn’t just be a once-a-year reminder. The small, ordinary conversations we have each day can be the lifeline someone needs.

If a person tells you they’re not okay:

✨ Pause and be present. You don’t need to rush to fix it — your calm presence can be more powerful than advice.

✨ Acknowledge their experience. Simple phrases like “I can see how heavy that feels” or “I hear how hard this is” show genuine care.

✨ Offer connection, not solutions. Sometimes it’s sitting quietly, walking together, or sending a thoughtful message later — small gestures can remind someone they’re not alone.

✨ Encourage support. Gently ask if they’ve got someone they trust to lean on, whether that’s a GP, therapist, or another safe person.

✨ Remember, support is always available. Crisis lines and 24/7 services exist because no one has to face hard moments alone.

💛 One caring conversation won’t fix everything — but it can spark hope, remind someone they matter, and open the door to more help.

06/09/2025

🌿 Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week 🌿

As Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week comes to a close, we want to take a moment to reflect and continue building awareness around the impact of body image concerns and eating disorders in our community.

These struggles are complex, deeply personal, and often invisible—and they can affect individuals of any age, size, gender, or background. Awareness is not just about recognition, but about creating safe, compassionate spaces for those who are struggling.

💬 One key principle we often return to in our work—whether with young people experiencing an eating disorder, emotional regulational difficulties, anxiety, or everyday family dynamics—is: Connect Before Direct.

This simple but powerful approach reminds us that meaningful support starts with empathy and understanding, not instruction or correction.
We’re sharing a short video resource for carers that explores this concept in the context of eating disorders, but the message is relevant to many families navigating tough moments.

🎥https://youtu.be/kuuUEDA_Z0s?si=yUIxO-T1ulRurWmV

Thank you for joining us in raising awareness and compassion. Let’s keep these conversations going beyond this week.

Out of all the tips I've given parents to help them with communication, when their child has an eating disorder, this is the one that they like best.In this ...

03/07/2025

Body safety is such an important part of caring for and protecting the young people in our lives. These conversations can feel difficult and awkward, but they help build trust, confidence, and safety.

Sharing this thoughtful post from Gen Muir —it’s such a helpful reminder of how we can show up for our young people 💛

20/06/2025

Imagine this.

It’s a Wednesday — just 20 days before the end of financial year.

Four children are booked to see you today.

The first is struggling deeply at school. Their wonderful parents are trying everything they know. Their teacher has been consistent and proactive, implementing co-regulation strategies in the classroom. But things have been escalating — this child is communicating distress through physical means. The school has requested an urgent visit.

You’ve worked with this family for a year. The child was once fearful of you — now they welcomes you into their home and classroom as you were able to go at their pace.

You drive 30 minutes to the school. You meet with the parents, teacher, and deputy. You listen, collaborate, and create a unified plan to help this child feel safe again.

During your therapy session, the child feels safe enough to open up. They use the strategies you’ve been working on together. They share what’s been hard — their fears, their hopes. They give permission for you to tell their teacher and parents what they’ve said, what they need, and what their behaviour was really communicating.

Everyone exhales. Everyone aligns. No one is guessing anymore.

You return to the clinic. You see two more children. Their families can bring them in — it’s appropriate and accessible.

The final client of the day lives 75 minutes away in a community that has suffered more than most. They haven’t left their home in 15 months since their sibling passed away. Disengaged from school, friends, and the world around them — but supported by a wonderful home visiting GP who encourages a gentle, no-pressure meet-and-greet.

You meet the child and things go well, no pressure, no expectations. The child agrees to see you again. They tell you they want to be a vet nurse. They adore animals. You see a flicker of light return to their eyes.

You drive back, reflecting on the immense privilege of this work — the young people, the families and teachers who let you walk beside them.

You sit at your desk, write your notes, reply to emails, and pay bills — rising rent, registration, insurance, software, supervision.

Then you open an email from the NDIS.

They’ve announced the new pricing arrangements that will come into effect in only 20 days!
• Therapy rates are frozen for the seventh year in a row.
• Psychology and physiotherapy rates are being cut.
• Travel is being halved — only 30 minutes each way is claimable, even when you drive 75 and at half the rate it was.

And the justification?

Because Medicare and private health insurance — already broken, inequitable systems — are their benchmark.

No consultation with participants.
No consultation with providers.

In 20 days’ time:
• Home and school visits will be harder — sometimes impossible — to offer.
• Therapists will need to absorb even more rising costs.
• Families will have to travel into clinics — even when it’s not possible or not appropriate.
• Already unbearable waitlists (18–24 months in our region) will stretch further.
• Vulnerable kids, like the two you saw today, will lose access to the supports they need.

And for what?

Because someone decided the NDIS should mirror broken systems.

Our children are going to suffer.
Our families are going to suffer.
Our schools, teachers, and education assistants will feel it.
Our therapists are already feeling it.

All because a funding body chose cost-cutting over care. And no one asked the people most affected.

Please sign the petition to stop the knee jerk responces and find a sustainable way to strengthen the NDIS: https://otaus.com.au/ndis-pricing-campaign

We have until July 1st to be heard.

Let’s make it clear:
The NDIS was meant to remove barriers — not reinforce them.

**This post contains de-identified composite examples. No personal or private information has been disclosed, and no breaches of privacy have occurred.

12/02/2025

A consistent theme over the past two weeks has been co-regulation. I frequently reflect on what it would have been like for many adults and caregivers to have experienced more moments of co-regulation rather than 'toughing it out on their own'.

We are rolling out our Calm, Connected and Confident: Parenting Strategies that Work, workshop in Bunbury over the next few weeks and would love for you to join us!

If the thoughts in this post have sparked an interest for you or left you wanting more information, please like our Instagram and /or page to be kept up to date with workshop dates and tickets!

 

06/02/2025

✨ 2025 ✨

Welcome back for 2025!

For our wonderful young people starting school, we hope the year started the way you were wanting!

We have had an incredible couple of days presenting to some awesome educators and are straight back into a very busy school year!

We have a new clinic space in Victoria Street and are very excited to continue supporting the wonderful young people, adults and families from the South West and all over our state with our telehealth services.

We have some exciting things happening this year and I cannot wait to share them with you as this year unfolds!

I hope everyone has a peaceful week!

👋🏼 Tamara