Mind Matters Cairns

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Mind Matters Cairns

Mind Matters Mind Matters is a private psychology practice based in Cairns specialising in mental health treatments for people of all ages.

Therapeutic interventions include brain based therapies like neurofeedback, traditional talk therapies, auditory training and integrative medicine. We also provide occupational therapy, multi sensory tutoring services and skills building for kids and adolescents on the spectrum. More than just talk therapy
....because a healthy mind matters!

31/10/2025

Charles Dickens once said “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour”. Laughter is like a reset button for the body and mind. It lowers stress hormones, boosts immunity, and releases those feel-good endorphins that help us connect and cope. There were lots of laughs putting this together! 🦇😂

29/10/2025

In our field, knowledge is never static, it evolves as science deepens, technology advances, and new therapies emerge. Mind Matters Cairns, has always been passionate about staying at the cutting edge of wellbeing science, exploring the latest research and tools that help our clients flourish.
Last weekend I was lucky enough to attend the Biohacking and Wellbeing Summit where I heard the latest findings on the best ways to optimise the function of our body and mind. Some of the best integrative medicine and biohacking experts took to the stage with one underlying core principal “ Mental health is not separate from physical health”
I have come back inspired! Watch this space!💫

28/10/2025

On this day in 1940, Greece stood tall against tyranny. When Mussolini demanded free passage for Italian troops, Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas answered with one powerful word: “ΟΧΙ” (“No”). That single act of defiance ignited a nation. Ordinary men and women took to the mountains to defend their homeland, showing the world that courage, unity, and freedom are values worth any sacrifice.

As Greeks around the world celebrate that enduring spirit today, I think about the unseen legacy that followed, the intergenerational trauma that was passed down through families who lived through war, occupation, loss, and fear. The echoes of that suffering were carried in the silences between generations, shaping both our strength and our sensitivity to injustice.
And as I remember the bravery of those who said “No” then, my thoughts and heart go out to the bravery and endurance of the people who are still caught in wars not of their making, those fighting for survival, dignity, and peace, in homes, in workplaces and in lands still torn by conflict.
On this day I celebrate humanity’s capacity: to resist oppression, to hold compassion, and to keep believing in peace. ✌🏼💙🤍

27/10/2025

OT Week 2025: Understanding the Role of Paediatric Occupational Therapists

Paediatric Occupational Therapists (OTs) support children to build the skills they need to participate fully in everyday life; at home, at school, and in the community. Their work bridges the gap between a child’s abilities and the demands of their environment, helping them do what matters most.

At Mind Matters Cairns, our OTs work with children experiencing challenges in areas such as:

💙Emotional regulation and sensory processing
💛Fine and gross motor coordination
💙Social participation and confidence
💛School readiness, attention, and learning skills
💙Daily routines such as dressing, eating, or handwriting

Through play-based, evidence-informed interventions, they assess how a child’s body, mind, and environment interact and then tailor practical strategies to support independence, wellbeing, and resilience.

Paediatric OTs are not just helping children “do tasks”; they’re building pathways for growth, connection, and lifelong confidence.

01/10/2025

October rising, early this morning. May it be as awesome as its entry.
Happy October 🧡

27/09/2025

Lessons on deep rest inspired by Lulu

I watch Lulu in the garden. At a glance it may appear that she’s having a meander in bushes but as I watch I can see the intensity of her focus, her deliberate movements; a step here, a pause there. She’s curious, sniffing, scanning and tentatively moving through the hedges. Ears pricked, nose twitching, she is alert and focused, planning on her next move, ensuring it’s safe and moving delicately but deliberately into the dense dark foliage. It strikes me that is this similar to what happens in a therapist’s mind during session.
On the outside, therapy may look like a calm conversation. But inside a therapist’s mind, dozens of processes are running at once:
• Tracking emotions: Both our client’s and our own, monitoring subtle reactions, and making sure we don’t interfere.
• Holding the story: Remembering history, context, and patterns, while listening deeply to every new detail.
• Choosing responses: Balancing empathy with evidence-based strategies; deciding when to reflect, when to challenge, and when to stay silent.
• Assessing risk: Quietly scanning for red flags; suicidal ideation, safety concerns, trauma triggers that may require immediate action.
• Regulating presence: Keeping body language open, voice steady, and mind grounded, even when the room is filled with grief, anger, or despair.
• Planning next steps: Thinking several sessions ahead, considering therapeutic goals, potential obstacles, and how to gently guide the process forward.
All this happens while giving the impression of simply “being there.”

It is meaningful work, but it is also taxing. Each hour of therapy draws on deep reserves of emotional energy, focus, and compassion. This is why it is important for us to take a break, to allow our minds, bodies, and spirits to reset so that we can come back refreshed and renewed with the same passion to serve that we’ve always had.

Our offices will re-open on Tuesday 7th Oct

“Rest and be thankful.”
~William Wordsworth

Happy Caturday 🐾💙💛

20/09/2025

Lessons on Love inspired by Lulu 🐾

She jumps up beside me and my brain bathes in oxytocin. I start thinking about how LOVE, is rarely loud or complicated. It arrives quietly, curling up beside us without demand, purring away and asking only for presence in return.

Lulu reminds me that love doesn’t require perfection. No need for the right image, the right mood, or the right setting. Simply showing up is enough.

As she nudges my hand with her nose she shows me that the deepest connections are often wordless. A gentle touch or a shared silence speaks more than declarations ever could.

And if I suspend my own desire to pick her up and hold her tight, I can see that her aloofness demonstrates that boundaries and love coexist. She teaches me that it’s okay to step back, to rest, to return when ready. True affection makes space for both closeness and solitude.

When she pounces at my ankles unexpectedly then runs in what appears to be a burst of pure joy, she shows me that love doesn’t live only in stillness, it dances in play.

And when she lies back to show me her soft belly, she reminds me that trust is a gift born of unconditional love. A gift that allows us to be vulnerable with those who have truly earned it.

Maybe this is what love is meant to look like:
A steady presence.
A respect for boundaries.
A playful spirit.
A trust that deepens quietly over time.

Maybe, if we loved one another with the patience, respect, and simplicity of a cat—we might just get closer to the kind of love that heals.

Happy Caturday, with Love. 💛💙

12/09/2025

Lessons on Listening inspired by Lulu

I don’t need an alarm. She chirps gently from her chair at 5am each morning and if I’m not up within half an hour, she jumps onto the bed and stretches her soft, furry body across my waist.

On the way to the kitchen she weaves between my legs, then flops at my feet, belly in the air, teasing me because she knows I want to bury my fingers in her softness.

Every one of her behaviours is a bid to communicate something. And it gets me thinking that our human relationships aren’t so different. Not every message comes in words—sometimes it’s in tone, sometimes body language, or sometimes even silence.

Silence in relationships isn’t the absence of communication—it’s a form of it.

Research on couple dynamics shows that when repeated attempts at dialogue are met with defensiveness or dismissal, many partners—especially women—shift from speaking to withdrawing.

Psychologists describe this as the demand–withdraw pattern (Christensen & Heavey, 1990). One partner seeks change, the other resists, and eventually the seeker stops trying. John Gottman’s longitudinal studies found that this kind of emotional disengagement is one of the strongest predictors of relationship breakdown.

Silence is not emptiness—it is the presence of hurt, self-protection, and often the first step toward detachment.

Silence is rarely empty. It’s filled with the words that no longer feel worth saying. Show curiosity instead of defensiveness. Often, what heals silence isn’t louder words—it’s deeper listening.

Happy Caturday 💙💛

06/09/2025

In Australia 1 in 8 adults report witnessing domestic violence. That’s more than 2.5 million people alive today who spent their childhood watching violence unfold at home.

Children who witness domestic violence carry wounds that are often invisible to the outside world but cut deeply into their sense of safety and belonging.

Even if they are not the direct target of violence, the fear and unpredictability of living in a home where conflict can erupt at any moment places their nervous system on constant alert. This state of hyper-vigilance interferes with healthy brain development, disrupts learning, and primes them for anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress.

03/09/2025

As our wonderful OT Emily is off to have her baby, this special gift by one of her clients touched our hearts. For me, a child’s drawing of you is one of the simplest yet most powerful gifts.

It may not capture you with perfect accuracy but it holds something even more important: evidence that you live in their mind. In choosing to sketch your smile, your hair, or even the baby in your tummy, a child is quietly saying, “I see you. I carry you with me.”

It’s a reminder that our presence, even in the smallest moments, leaves a lasting impression.

Angela Mayou’s quote is bang on “…people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel" 💙💛

31/08/2025

Monday Musings on Sensitivity
“I want to know how to be less sensitive.”
If I had a dollar for every time a client has said this, I’d be sitting on a Greek island sipping frappes all summer.
Sensitivity is one of the most misunderstood qualities. Our culture often treats it as a weakness—something to apologise for or suppress. Children are told to “toughen up.” Adults are told they’re “too emotional.” But the truth is that sensitivity is not a flaw—it’s a profound strength.
Sensitive people notice what others miss. A small shift in tone, a fleeting facial expression, the subtle change in the energy of a room—these cues are often invisible to most, but obvious to someone who is finely attuned. This awareness allows for insight and thoughtful responses in relationships, work, and life.
When you feel deeply, you often care deeply. Sensitive people are the first to notice when someone is struggling, the ones who quietly offer support, or extend kindness where others might overlook. Sensitivity nurtures empathy, which in turn creates stronger, more meaningful connections.
The richness of sensitivity often translates into creativity. Sensitive individuals perceive colours, sounds, and ideas with nuance, which fuels artistry, innovation, and meaning-making. They can weave beauty or healing from life’s raw experiences.
For sensitive people, it’s hard to “just go along” when something feels wrong. Their internal system sounds the alarm. This discomfort may be inconvenient, but it often acts as a compass, pointing them back to their values and truth.
The goal isn’t to become less sensitive—it’s to learn how to live with sensitivity wisely. That means setting boundaries to protect yourself from overwhelm, practicing grounding strategies, and cultivating self-compassion so you stop apologising for who you are.

Sensitivity is not fragility. It is perceptiveness, humanity, and depth. And if more people embraced it, I’ve no doubt that our world would be a kinder, fairer, more compassionate place. May your September be sensitive 💙💛

29/08/2025

Lulu knows that starting your day by watching the sunrise is one of the simplest ways to boost wellbeing. Exposure to natural light helps set your body’s circadian rhythm, improves sleep quality, and lifts mood. Just a few minutes of quiet presence at dawn can lower stress and spark a sense of calm focus for the day ahead.
Clever kitty.
Happy Caturday 🐾☀️

Address

90 H***e Street
Cairns, QLD
4870

Website

http://www.mindmatterscairns.com.au/

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