Pave Your Way Therapy

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Pave Your Way Therapy

Empowering children, through personalised, play-based therapy. Supporting parents & schools. 🌈

02/10/2025

Ever asked your child what’s really going on inside?
That’s where Daniel Siegel’s SIFT strategy comes in handy helping kids notice their Sensations, Images, Feelings & Thoughts.
“What’s your body telling you right now?”
“What picture popped into your mind?”

My OT brain loves this layered with:
Stress Lens (Shanker): What hidden stressors are driving this?
Sensory Lens (Ayres): How is their body taking in (or overwhelmed by) input?
Interoception Lens (Mahler): What inner signals, tummy ache, hunger, heart racing are shaping how they feel?

When kids learn to SIFT, they build awareness, self-regulation & emotional intelligence.

A gem from one of my crew:
“My tummy is sore & it says I can ONLY eat lollies”. 😂

30/09/2025

Here’s what actually works: Connection before correction (another gem from Dr. Daniel Siegel)
Connect first: “That was really disappointing.”
Then redirect with logic once they’ve calmed.

Because kids don’t do logic until they feel seen.

Do I nail this every time? No! (3 boys = referee + coffee addict).
But when I do? It’s like flipping a switch. They soften, settle & start listening.

Some of today’s highlights from my crew:
“You’ve ruined my life” (because I asked for pants to be put on).
“I’ll never trust you again” (because I switched the TV off mid show).

29/09/2025

Ever tried reasoning with a child mid-meltdown?
Yeah… it’s like negotiating with a tiny, furious lawyer who skipped nap time.

Here’s what actually helps: Name it to tame it (thank you Dr. Daniel Siegel)
“You’re frustrated right now.”
“I can see you’re worried.”

Do I always remember to do this? Nope! (3 boys = chaos + coffee).
But when I do, they calm quicker, feel understood & start learning the words for those big tricky feelings.

Some moments from my boys today:

“I broke his heart” because I peeled his banana the “wrong” way!
“I’ll never recover from this” because I turned off Netflix after 5 episodes of his show!

26/09/2025

Melbourne’s gearing up for the AFL Grand Final… but in play therapy, kids are already kicking goals.
Their “grand final” moments happen in the everyday wins inside & outside of the playroom; finding calm, mastering a skill, or bravely facing big feelings.

24/09/2025

This is what makes play therapy so effective:
Feelings are played out instead of spoken directly, children don’t feel exposed.
✔️ Their experience is validated.
✔️ Difficult feelings feel normal.
✔️ New solutions can be explored.

Play therapy helps children develop new perspectives, resilience & confidence.

23/09/2025

A play therapy room looks full of toys…
But the real magic ingredient?
The play therapist.

Not taking notes. Not directing. Just waiting, listening & ready to step into the child’s world.
That’s where the healing begins.

22/09/2025

For children, it’s tricky to understand that one experience can create two feelings.
Like loving school and feeling anxious about it.
In play therapy, children can explore these “mixed emotions” safely, through play, not pressure.

21/09/2025

Children don’t think in words, they think in images.
While adults can see something & tell the story with words, children see far more than they can explain.
That’s why play therapy is so powerful, it gives children a way to process feelings when words aren’t enough.

20/09/2025

Every child grows best when met right where they are.

I’m Elaine, OT, play therapist & mum to three.
I get the big feelings, the tricky moments & the joy of seeing kids thrive.

Through play, I help children build on their strengths, sometimes with OT, sometimes with play therapy & often a blend of both.

Based in Spotswood (details in bio)

04/09/2025

Teach children that emotions are always safe to feel but not always safe to act on.

This means all feelings are welcome, but not all behaviours are.
With co-regulation, play & the right supports, kids can learn safe, brave ways to express big emotions.

If your child is struggling with big tricky feelings. Reach out to explore how Play Therapy can help.

27/08/2025

How Play Therapy helps Grieving Children
Children express emotions naturally through play. Symbolic play provides emotional safety & control.
Children process grief at their own pace without pressure.
Imaginative activities build coping skills, resilience & understanding of loss.
Play helps reduce behavioural & physical symptoms of grief.
Provides a safe, supportive environment for emotional security.

Children grieve differently than adults & their understanding of loss changes with age.
Young children may not grasp that death is permanent & often express grief through play, behaviour or regression. Older children & teens understand loss more but may struggle to put their emotions into words, often shifting between intense feelings & calmer moments.

Play therapy provides a natural way for children to express grief & helps parents/ guardians understand & support them.

26/08/2025

How Play Therapy Builds Social Skills

Improves communication, children practice verbal & non-verbal communication, they learn to express themselves & understand others.

Encourages cooperation, teaches turn taking, sharing & working together with others.

Builds emotional awareness, children learn to name, express & manage big feelings, making social interactions easier.

Develops empathy, helps children understand others’ perspectives & feelings.

Teaches problem solving, children learn to practice finding solutions & compromises.

Supports healthy social skills, helps children understand rules, respect others & feel confident in different settings.

Boosts confidence, increases self-esteem, helping children feel more comfortable in social situations.

Play therapy gives children the support they to connect with others & feel confident in their own way in social situations.

Address

Altona
Melbourne, VIC
3018

Telephone

+61439984554

Website

http://www.paveyourwaytherapy.com.au/

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