Play Therapy & Counselling South West

22/07/2025

🌱 Life’s Road: A Journey Through Teenage Years, Acceptance, and Commitment

This powerful artwork, created by a local group of 16-year-olds, beautifully captures the winding and often confusing road of adolescence through the lens of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and the metaphor of “Passengers on the Bus.”

🚌 The Road Called LIFE
The central black road represents the journey of life—complete with choices, crossroads, and unexpected detours. The bus marked “LIFE” reminds us of the ACT metaphor: You are the driver of the bus, moving forward in life with all sorts of passengers (your thoughts, feelings, fears, and memories) riding along.

💭 Passengers on the Bus
Some passengers may yell, distract, or try to take over the wheel—like anxiety, shame, or pressure. We see them symbolized by areas such as the “No Shelter” zone, or dark paths leading into the smoggy city. But ACT teaches us that we don’t have to kick these passengers off—instead, we acknowledge them, make room for them, and keep driving toward what matters.

🌳 Values Along the Way
Look closely and you’ll see signposts like “FAMILY,” “FARM,” “SCHOOL,” “HEALTH AND FITNESS.” These reflect the core values that help teens decide which direction to take, even when emotions are loud or the future seems uncertain.

⚠️ Challenges of Being a Teen
Adolescence is a unique and intense stage of life. Teens face the pressures of identity, belonging, and independence—all while navigating the confusing intersections of choices and consequences. This artwork recognizes that struggle, showing paths that are hopeful and others that are unclear or unsafe.

🎨 Created by Teens, For Teens
This collaborative project was painted by 16-year-olds exploring their inner worlds and learning to “notice what shows up, name it, and navigate forward anyway.” It’s a visual reminder that while you can’t control every twist in the road or every passenger on the bus—you can choose the direction you steer toward.

🧭 Where’s your bus heading today? And who are your passengers?

The Illuminate U program was made possible thanks to a grant from the Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal

10/07/2025

🛑 Safety Alert: AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material

❓Do you know about AI generated child sexual abuse material?

Earlier this year the Australian Federal Police highlighted the increasing use of AI to generate child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

While these images may be digitally created and not involve direct contact, the harm is still very real. The impact on victims and communities mirrors that of contact abus and the consequences can be severe and lifelong.

What’s especially alarming is that offenders are using everyday images often publicly shared on social media to create this content. Teenagers, in particular, are at risk of having their photos stolen and manipulated without their knowledge. This can lead to devastating outcomes, including:
• Bullying and humiliation
• Mental health challenges
• Substance misuse
• Suicidal thoughts or behaviour

Research shows that victims of image-based sexual abuse experience trauma on par with those who have experienced direct sexual violence.

🧠 As parents, carers, educators, and therapists, it’s critical we:
• Creat environments where e we can have conversations without judgement, shame or fear with our kids
• Support kids and teens to understand privacy, consent, and digital boundaries
• Stay informed not alarmed about how technology like AI is being misused

These conversations can be uncomfortable, but they are essential. When we equip young people with information and emotional safety, we empower them to move through an increasingly complex digital world with confidence and care.

📞 If you or someone you know needs support:
1800RESPECT | Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

The AFP is urging parents and carers to have open and non-judgemental conversations with their children about the dangers and harms caused by using artificial intelligence (AI) following an increase in the use of AI to create child abuse material.

26/06/2025

🌟 Last Session of Illuminate U 🌟

Today we wrapped up Illuminate U — an emotional agility program run at Terang College and Cobden Tech in partnership with Corangamite Shire Council and funded by FRRR

Throughout Term 2, It’s been a privilege to walk alongside different groups of teens as they explored who they are, what matters to them, and how to stay grounded in a changing world.

What stood out most was what the research shows; just how much teens long for connection — with each other and with the adults in their lives. They want to talk, share, and feel close. But too often, life’s pace, and adult stress means they can often be left feeling unheard.

John and Sally were genuinely sad to say goodbye to the students and feel incredibly grateful to them for showing up with honesty, vulnerability, and heart.

See links to research supporting our observations in the comments.

04/06/2025

Parents of autistic children have much higher levels of stress than parents of children with other disabilities. And it’s not just about the autism itself.

26/05/2025

🖤💛❤️ National Sorry Day ❤️💛🖤

Today, we pause to acknowledge National Sorry Day- a time to remember the Stolen Generations and honour the strength and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, families, and communities.

At The Corner Therapy Hub & PTCSW we acknowledge the Djargurd Wurrung people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and play here in Camperdown. We pay our deepest respects to Elders past and present, and commit to creating safe, inclusive, and culturally respectful spaces for all children and families.

As therapists primarily working in the youth space; we believe in healing through connection, storytelling, and safe relationships- and we stand in solidarity with First Nations communities in the journey toward truth, justice, and reconciliation.

Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

14/04/2025

Rescheduled! We are now offering illuminate U on Thursday afternoons in term 2 starting at 4pm-5.15pm beginning 8th May!

Level up your game with activities to help discover more about yourself and others.
Unlock cheat codes to teenage life to help you find out what you want, who you are and how to thrive in everyday life!
Hanging out with peers, eating chocolate and hot chips: are you ready to play???
Bookings essential:
https://www.trybooking.com/DADYW
Program run thanks to funding from frrr_aus and support from the Corangamite Shire Council

14/04/2025

Spots still available!
This Thursday and Friday!

Where strategy meets self discovery. Unlock your inner potential in these hands-on sessions over the school holidays. Ages 15 - 18. Free event with Easter eggs and hot chips included!

25/03/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EDtGzTqtb/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Something local!

20/03/2025

Do you need to check in with where you are currently? Susan David’s way of looking at emotions encourages you to pause and acknowledge your feelings without judgment. She emphasizes emotional agility—the ability to face emotions with curiosity and compassion rather than avoidance—so that you can respond in a way that aligns with your values. Checking in with where you are allows you to make intentional choices rather than reacting impulsively.

13/03/2025

Thanks to GRIT Legal and excuseme_katies for organising a morning walk to honour the women killed by men and take a stand against male violence.

06/03/2025

Accurate information about the value of social work in the NDIS space. ☺️