Nested Hearts

05/01/2026

✨ Today is my first day back at work in 2026 & Celebrating 3 Years of private practice ✨
🌿 Nested Hearts began as a Child & Family Therapy Practice. Having worked since 2015 as a child & family therapist. Over time, my work naturally expanded, offering new therapies, working across the lifespan, providing training & consultation both in Australia and overseas and now offering clinical supervision alongside therapy.
Over the last three years, I have:
• Developed the 6-week DV prevention program "Growing Strong, Kind Kids" with Kyogle Family Support
• Consulted on The Asia Foundation’s Play Therapy Program, including ongoing work on their Violence Against Children Program in Timor-Leste
• Delivered capacity-building training for preschools, Early Childhood Australia, out-of-home care, and NDIS support workers
• Become an Advanced Trained Relational Integrative EMDR Therapist and an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker
• Expanded my work across the lifespan, supporting children, teens, adults, and parents.

I’ll be returning to Timor-Leste in March this year to provide a week of training for shelter staff and child counsellors supporting children impacted by violence.

My work is integrative, relational & trauma-informed, grounded in attachment and nervous system-informed practice. I draw on Play Therapy, EMDR, Resource Therapy (Parts work), Sandtray therapy, and somatic practices that listen deeply to the body, with a strong commitment to neurodivergent & identity affirming care.

I am increasingly aligned with a decolonised approach to therapy, holding awareness of intergenerational trauma, oppressive systems, and the importance of critically reflecting on therapeutic frameworks shaped by colonisation.

I love this work. Healing and personal growth are truly my special interest — where what I’m good at, what I care about, and what is needed, meet.

Nested Hearts was named intentionally — a symbol of creating a safe, attuned nest to support growth, connection, and healing. Understanding we are relational beings and we grow in relationship .

Three years of this beautiful practice ❤️ 💙 💜 💖 💛 💚 🧡 Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey ✨

23/12/2025

As the year wraps up, I’m feeling deeply grateful that I get to do this work and to witness, walk alongside, and share in so many people’s healing and growth journeys. I truly love what I do. While it isn’t always easy, it’s the quiet magic moments that stay with me — watching someone break through, take a leap, or gently face something they once couldn’t. I’m continually moved by the way children grow in the playroom, finding their voice, their courage and their sense of self through play.

Thank you to all the children, young people, adults, parents, families, organisations, support workers, carers, supervisors, supervisees, mentors and peers. Thank you for the trust, connection and learning we’ve shared.

This year held a lot of growth for me. I deepened my Sandtray work, became an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, began offering supervision, and spent four months travelling with my family while continuing to work online. I also began taking my work overseas, including starting a consultation in Timor-Leste with The Asia Foundation’s Violence Against Children program, and providing training with Alstonville Preschool and Lismore Preschool. Each of these experiences has shaped me in meaningful ways.

I’m also mindful that this time of year isn’t always easy. It can bring up old stuff, complicated family dynamics, and for many people sits alongside very real hardship here and around the world. My wish, in the midst of it all, is for peace — small moments of steadiness, gentleness and care, even when things feel messy.

I’m heading into the new year with gratitude and hope, and a wish for more peace, playfulness, connection and possibility.

I will return on Monday 5th January 2026!

Wishing you a gentle end to the year and a kind, nourishing New Year. ✨🌱

19/12/2025

✨ Last workday for the year ✨
I’m officially taking a break until Monday 5 January 2026.

Today I finished my working year providing professional development with the beautiful Lynette Funnell and her team at Lismore Preschool. We reflected on the incredibly special role early years educators play in children’s lives — as masters of play and as nurturing adults who create a deep sense of safeness.

Safeness (a term often used by Dan Hughes) isn’t just about protection — it’s about children feeling seen, understood, and emotionally held.

My own children still talk about their preschool teachers with so much joy. My niece and nephew who just graduated Year 12, still speak fondly of the gorgeous Lynette and the Dinosaur Preschool as they call Lismore Preschool. That kind of care leaves a lifelong imprint.

Taking a moment to celebrate everyone who works with children and helps create safeness every day — your work matters more than you know 💛

Wishing everyone a gentle end to the year and a well-earned rest.

17/12/2025

15/12/2025

Heartbroken 💔 for the Bondi community and for everyone affected by the events of last night.

In moments like this, especially when we’re supporting children, we hold onto something Mr Rogers taught us: “Look for the helpers.”

And there were so many.

The true hero of yesterday — Ahmed, the fruit shop owner.
The first responders who ran toward danger.
The doctors, nurses, and hospital staff who worked tirelessly.
The police, doing everything they could to protect lives.

When the world feels frightening, these are the stories we tell our kids — not to deny the horror, but to remind them that goodness, courage, and humanity still exist.

Look for the helpers. They are always there.

When there's a tragedy - when evil is unleashed on the world - people often share the quote ascribed to Fred Rogers that we should "look for the helpers".

If your kids are struggling to comprehend this incomprehensible massacre on our shores, here are some helpers you can point to:

1. The hero who tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen.

Ahmed al-Ahmed, a 43-year-old father of two, was just passing by when he heard the shooting. With no fi****ms or self-defence training, he charged one of the gunmen from behind, wrestled the rifle away, and pointed it back at the attacker - forcing him to retreat.

Ahmed was shot twice in the struggle and is recovering in hospital. Countless people are alive because he didn't hesitate. I find myself in tears just thinking about what he did. Heroism is not a big enough word for me here.

2. The police and ambos who risked their lives and gave all they had to protect and preserve life.

Emergency responders flooded the scene, literally putting themselves in the firing line.

Two police officers were shot while protecting the community and are currently in serious but stable condition after surgery. They ran toward danger while others ran away. I am in awe.

3. The woman who shielded a little girl throughout the shooting.

A father searching desperately for his daughter found a stranger lying on top of her, protecting her with her own body. The woman had been shot but told him: "I've got your daughter, I've been protecting her."

He said to her, "You've saved my daughter's life. I'll be indebted to you for the rest of my life." How do you ever thank a person for that kind of courage? For that level of sacrifice?

4. The everyday people who performed CPR, applied pressure to wounds, and gave first aid.

Footage shows civilians crouched beside victims, performing CPR, stemming bleeding, moving the injured to safety - all while uncertain if the danger had passed. Bystanders rendered aid for 40 minutes to keep victims alive until paramedics could take over.

5. The countless people who have lined up to give blood.

The lines at donation centres snaked around buildings this morning. Lifeblood issued urgent calls for O-negative blood, and Australians showed up. Blood banks are now working to open additional appointments because so many people want to help.

In the face of unspeakable hatred, look at what humanity offers in return: courage, sacrifice, protection, healing, solidarity.

That's what you tell your children. Evil tried to win yesterday. The world can be brutal. But look at all these helpers.

09/12/2025

🧡 Supporting our kids through the social media ban

With today’s ban on under-16s accessing social media, many young people are already feeling the impact. For families whose kids relied on online spaces to connect, this shift can bring real feelings of loss and uncertainty.

At home, I’ve been leaning into connection in simple ways, like watching a series "Gilmore girls" with my 12-year-old each night. It’s still screen time, but it’s shared time, and it’s helping us build something gentle and meaningful together. She picked the series and she is enjoying sharing it with me as she had already watched it. She is loving sharing it. It reminds me of growing up in the 90s our evenings were typically watching things. Compared to the isolation of phones and devices, TV series now seem so innocent.

If your tween or teen is struggling, try inviting them to lead. Follow their interests, sit beside them, and make space for their feelings. Connection doesn’t need to be big — just genuine.

As platforms begin closing accounts for under-16s, some kids are suddenly losing a familiar place to connect. The intention behind the change is safety, but the emotional impact is real. You might notice frustration, sadness or a sense of disconnection. Being present, creating small shared rituals, and showing curiosity about their world can make this transition feel a little less heavy.

Article:

A risk facing Australian families is the belief that technological restriction will solve the broader psychological burdens placed on young people. It will not.

03/12/2025

Beautiful resource for children impacted by family violence - Raindrop and Dreams

Our picture book Raindrops and Dreams helps parents and workers talk to children about family violence and shows kids that things can get better.

02/12/2025

✨ A little update I’m grateful to share ✨
I’m now officially an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW). This means that when space becomes available, I can offer Medicare-subsidised therapy for those who access a Mental Health Care Plan through their GP.

While I don’t have capacity for new clients until at least early next year, I wanted to share this update so people know this pathway is now available moving forward. It’s reassuring to know that more accessible options are opening up, especially for those who may have found cost to be a barrier.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. I’m honoured to keep doing this work and look forward to supporting more people when capacity allows. 💛

29/11/2025

Grateful for Dr Kate Renshaw's speech to parliament, representing Play Therapy as a specialist paediatric service to the enquiry into the Thriving Kids Program.

Historic Play Therapy Milestones in Australian Parliament:

1️⃣ 18 March 2024, the first day Play Therapy was mentioned in Australian Parliament by Dr Sophie Scamps MP. She advocated for the federal government to extend the Better Access mental health-care initiative to include Play Therapy

2️⃣ 28 November 2025, the first day a Registered Play Therapist delivered an address in Australian parliament. As an independent advocate, Dr Kate Renshaw delivered an address to the Thriving Kids Inquiry. She called for Play Therapy to be integrated into both universal programs and specialised supports for children aged conception - 8, families, schools, and communities. Dr Kate emphasised the need for paediatric specialists like Play Therapists to be offered as a choice to children and families across health (through medicare), education, and community services

🇦🇺 Let’s continue to make historic milestones for Play Therapy in Australia, for the benefit of children, families, teachers, and our society. We have highly trained Play Therapists in every state and territory of Australia let’s empower them to do their work that is evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, neuro-affirming, culturally responsive, and child and family centred

Image description: Dr Kate Renshaw in the marble foyer of Parliament House



Natalie Rae Playroom Therapy