Safe Counselling Australia- Candise Adams

22/07/2025

This is a huge wake up call. Parents don’t believe that their kids would do this. Please show this to them.

17/07/2025

It’s not everyday that you get offered a place to study in the Oxford University Healthcare Leadership Program!
(I filled out a form to see if they did an online program- I didn’t even apply) absolutely shocked!!!

15/07/2025

In Protective Behaviours the statistic is 97/98% it’s someone that you know. But teaching children about stranger danger is still extremely important. This is a great resource to help open the conversation with your children.

19/06/2025

What is Vicarious Trauma? It is very real, it is being traumatised by an event that you witness - it is trauma that is stimulated by being exposed to someone else’s trauma.

This concept is particularly pertinent when discussing ongoing conflicts like the one in the Middle East, which involves distressing events that are being broadcast all over social media

This makes it so important to discuss with our children the use of Facebook and other social media apps that there may be feeds, images and videos that they are not mentally prepared to see. Put an action plan in place that your children shouldn’t click on feeds they don’t know what they are. Discuss with them that seeing visions that they may not want to see can not be undone. Open the lines of communication, let them know that if they do see something that you are available to discuss it with you.

🧠 Understand the Impact
Kids take news literally—war talk can feel like a personal threat. Her reactions are normal stress responses.

💬 Regulate First, Then Reassure
Calm her body (breathing, grounding, cuddles) before explaining:

“It looked scary, but it’s far away. We’re safe. I’m here.”
🛌 Handle Nightmares Gently
Stick to a soothing bedtime routine
Use a “magic protector” (toy, light)
Help her talk back to scary dreams

🧸 Give Feelings Words
“You sound scared—do you feel it in your tummy?”
Naming emotions helps her feel in control.

🎨 Use Play & Art
Let her draw, play, or tell stories to release fear safely.

🛑 Limit News Exposure
Keep news off when she's around. Talk with your partner about keeping her environment calm.

🤝 Seek Support if Needed
If anxiety continues, a child counsellor or play therapist can help

📚 Books to Help Children Process Fear, Anxiety & Safety

1. A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret M. Holmes
Theme: Trauma, fear, emotional healing
Why it's helpful: Without naming a specific trauma, it validates that "something scary" happened and shows how a child can begin to feel better through talking and support.

2. When Sadness Is at Your Door by Eva Eland
Theme: Emotional awareness, accepting feelings
Why it's helpful: Uses gentle metaphors to help children understand and accept difficult emotions like sadness or fear without being overwhelmed.

3. The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
Theme: Connection, comfort, separation anxiety, safety
Why it's helpful: Beautifully reassures children that love keeps us connected, even when apart or when scary things happen in the world.

19/06/2025

Finally!! HBF are now providing rebates for counselling!!

15/06/2025

"ABUSE ISN’T ALWAYS OBVIOUS 💔"

(It comes in many shapes and forms.)

🧠 It’s not just physical. Abuse can be emotional, verbal, psychological, and controlling.

Here are some subtle yet harmful behaviours that ARE abuse:

🚩Humiliating you in front of others
🚩Invading your personal space and boundaries
🚩Making you feel like you’re the foolish one
🚩Dismissing your thoughts or feelings
🚩Constant criticism that chips away at your confidence
🚩Making you doubt your own memory or reality
🚩Blaming you for their actions
🚩Using sarcasm as a weapon
🚩Controlling what you do, say, wear, or who you see

🛑 Abuse isn’t always loud. Sometimes it whispers.
If any of this feels familiar — you are not alone.
Help is available. 💬💛

📞 Safe Counselling Australia 0417457357
📩 Visit www.safecounselling.com.au to contact us

20/05/2025

Does anyone else ever feel completely overwhelmed by just the parenting part of life? As a mum of three, my brain is constantly in overdrive—like having 500 tabs open at once! With two teenage girls (18 and 16) and an 11-year-old boy, the chaos doesn’t slow down... it just changes shape.

And this—this—is why I’m always running on fumes. The jobs I apparently “volunteer” for include:

🌟 Chef
🌟 Cleaner
🌟 Uber driver
🌟 Counsellor (when I’m not actually at work doing that professionally!)
🌟 Cheerleader
🌟 Referee (for the never-ending sibling arguments)
🌟 Carpool Karaoke Driver (although my playlists never seem to make the cut)
🌟 Event Planner
🌟 Medic/Nurse

What have I missed? What roles would you add?

The list of jobs that come with being a mum/parent/caregiver is honestly never-ending—because we’re everything, everywhere, all at once.

18/05/2025

This weekend has brought heartbreaking news with the passing of Adam Selwood, only months after the tragic loss of his brother. Two lives gone far too soon, both struggling with mental health battles.

This is a painful reminder that even the strongest, kindest, and most admired among us can be facing storms we don't see.

If you're doing it tough right now — please, don’t carry it alone. Talk to someone. A friend, a family member, a professional. Your life matters. There is help, and there is hope.

Check in on your mates. Ask twice. Listen without judgment.

Let’s keep the conversation going and support each other — no one should have to suffer in silence.

If you need immediate support, please reach out to Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

You are not alone.

11/05/2025

Mother’s Day is tomorrow. Please remember there are many different mums out there. True heroes wear invisible capes! 💖💐

07/05/2025

"I have a sore tummy, I can’t go to school…"
This is something many parents hear—sometimes once, sometimes often. It can be hard to know what's really going on.

In some cases, physical symptoms like stomach aches or headaches are genuine signs of illness. But they can also be a way children express emotional discomfort, especially when they don’t yet have the language to describe anxiety, stress, or fear.

If your child frequently complains of feeling unwell on school mornings, here are a few things to consider:

😳Patterns: Does the discomfort happen mainly before school or during stressful times?
😳Environment: Could something at school—social pressures, learning difficulties, or bullying—be contributing?
😳Emotion as Somatic Expression: Young children often express emotional distress through the body.

Tummy aches can be very real, even if there's no medical cause.

Communication: Children may not always feel safe or confident to say “I’m scared” or “I feel anxious.”
‼️Instead, it shows up as “I feel sick.”
Navigating this can be confusing and emotionally draining for parents. Gentle curiosity, consistent routines, and emotional support all help. And sometimes, talking with a professional can bring clarity—for both parents and children.

You’re not alone in trying to understand what’s really behind those sore tummies.

07/05/2025

Parents, let’s talk about online safety.

In today's digital world, our kids are more connected than ever—games, social media, messaging apps, and more. But with that connection comes real risks.
‼️Gone are the days where locking our doors means keeping our families safe. Predators are entering our homes via screens. ‼️

Recent reports have shown how predators can manipulate children online and now even using rideshare apps to lure them into dangerous situations.

As a cyber safety expert, I urge all parents:

⚠️Know what apps your child uses. Check privacy settings and know who they’re communicating with.
⚠️Talk regularly about online safety. Make sure your child knows never to share personal information or agree to meet someone they only know online.
⚠️Monitor screen time and activity. This isn’t about spying—it’s about keeping them safe.
Set up parental controls and alerts where possible on devices and apps.
⚠️Create an open-door policy. Let your child know they can come to you about anything that makes them uncomfortable.

‼️It only takes a moment for something to go wrong—but with awareness and communication, we can keep our children safe.

The accused man sent the boy a ride-share car to pick him up after chatting to him online, police say.

16/04/2025

As Easter approaches and your feed fills with images of Easter bunnies, lavish egg hunts, and gift baskets, remember to focus on what truly matters for you and your family.

If you can’t afford fancy Easter displays or gifts, use what you already have—maybe it’s a toy bunny, a homemade egg hunt in the backyard, or simply spending time together. It’s not about how much you spend, but the memories you create.

Make traditions that suit your family and your budget. Teach your children that Easter is about kindness, hope, and togetherness—not just chocolate and presents.

If you’re finding this time difficult, please know you’re not alone. There are many organisations offering support, including Easter hampers and assistance for families doing it tough.

Food & Emergency Relief:
• Foodbank WA – Emergency food hampers and support
Www.foodbank.org.au
• St Patrick’s Community Support Centre (St Pat’s) – Food, vouchers, clothing, and bill advocacy
www.stpats.com.au
• WAConnect Directory – Find local services offering food and essentials
www.waconnect.org.au
• The Salvation Army – Perth Community Support Services – Hampers and emergency help
Www.salvationarmy.org.au

Easter Support for Kids:
• Angels Community Outreach – Easter baskets for children from families doing it tough
www.angelsoutreach.org

Need someone to talk to?
• Lifeline – 13 11 14
• Crisis Care WA – 1800 199 008