DOMIA Mind • Body • Connect

16/06/2025

DOMIA Mind Body Connect is accepting new therapy referrals for children, teenagers & adults as well as parent/carer coaching. Reach out for more info ☺️

21/02/2025

✨ Easy & Quick things to say to our kids to Strengthen Connection ✨

Sometimes sharing all the beautiful and positive things about our kids just doesn’t happen. Finding the right words and remembering to share that passing thought is tricky in a busy world.

But if you could share with your child something kind, the strengths you have noticed in them and what you are proud of, I can only imagine this would bring you closer together.

How often do you tell your kids you love them, what you are proud of and what strengths you notice in them?

Even when our kids challenge us and show up in ways that push our buttons, there is always opportunities to connect, and see the good inside.

So, what would you say to your child if you could every day to remind them of their strengths and how loved they are?

🌈 There is nothing you could say or do that would make me stop loving you!
🌈 I am proud of you for…
🌈 You are so… (kind/clever/gentle/strong/imaginative/funny)
🌈 You are my everything!

Try and find ways to weave little whispers of love and positivity in your child’s life! It may be that quiet chat before bed, or that passing comment whilst driving on the way home. Let your kids know you love and adore them everyday 💕

19/02/2025

Have you ever felt like you are not parenting in a way that aligns with your values? Maybe you have been wondering what parenting hack or strategy can help you manage big feelings and behaviours that consume and overwhelm your family?

If you have ever been curious, parent coaching can shift the trajectory for you, your child and your whole family! Let’s connect and support you to move towards experiencing deeper connection, less meltdowns, and more joy as a family 💕🌈☺️

14/02/2025

✨ Questions vs Lectures when Parenting ✨

I see time and time again, parents often using a lecturing approach to teaching their children. Whilst kids need to understand right from wrong and how to do things, stepping back a bit and letting go of control is powerful to support our kids learn, grow and build resilience.

We want to teach our kids HOW to think, not WHAT to think. I recently heard this statement and it landed for me as a parent. Helping our children to be curious, ask questions and problem solve without stepping in to give answers, or tell them the “right” way of doing things (according to us), lets them know we trust in their ability to navigate the task or situation at hand.

Lecturing and being told what to do all the time is disempowering and, at times, annoying for our kids and for us as adults. Now, I’m not saying to ignore tricky behaviours and let them run wild. I’m saying…

🌈 Step back and let them do the puzzle themselves, with your support.
🌈 Step back and support them to navigate tricky social situations by asking questions, instead of rushing to the teacher to intervene at school
🌈 Step back and support the sibling relationship, by guiding them with questions about how to resolve problems together
🌈 Step back and provide encouragement when your child is becoming frustrated that they can’t build lego- instead of telling them how to.

Notice the changes that come when our kids see that we believe in their abilities and skills to navigate the challenges that life throws their way 💕

04/02/2025

✨ Tips for managing ANGER & FRUSTRATION when parenting ✨

🌈 It is inevitable that we will lose our cool with our kids from time to time! It makes us human! So when we do, instead of criticising ourselves, let’s show ourselves Self Compassion.

🌈 Noticing & being Curious about where our triggers stem from can give us a deeper understanding of ourselves. So notice, when does your anger/frustration tend to show up? What behaviours or emotions do your kids present with when you feel anger/frustration? When have you had this experience before in your life? Where do you notice the anger/frustration in your body?

🌈 Finding ways to move through our emotions is important! Moving, breathing, nature, sensory experiences and anything else that you know fills your cup will help.

🌈 Journaling is one way to make sense of your thoughts and feelings. Understanding the anger and frustration through deep reflection can help us to hold compassion for those parts of us that we often try to push away!

🌈 Repair after showing up as angry with our kids strengthens relationships and helps build emotional intelligence. Prioritising repair as a parent is critical for supporting healthy development!

22/01/2025

✨ Here are 6 strategies that I use as a Mum and Therapist to create calm and strengthen my relationships with my kids when we are home ✨

🌈 Get outside & move: Being barefoot on the grass, getting in the water, getting dirty, jumping on the trampoline and having fun in the sun literally shifts our nervous system!
🌈 Cook & eat together: The food we give our kids impacts on how they function and behave. Cooking together is a fun way to introduce new and healthy food options whilst bonding!
🌈 Hand over Power & Control to your kids: Give your kids options, choices and freedom to make decisions (within boundaries). This lets them see you trust in their ability to make decisions and empowers them!
🌈 Acknowledging feelings: When we talk about feelings openly we remove shame, blame & guilt and create little human beings who are emotionally intelligent!
🌈 Be silly & spontaneous: Let loose and do something out of the ordinary with your kids- take them to a new park, go on a random getaway, pick them up from school and take the out for lunch! Life is too short to be serious and rigid all the time! Get them involved to think of some crazy ideas!
🌈 Lots of Play: Play is the way children grow, develop and and communicate! Get on their level and let your kids lead.

15/01/2025

I will be running this workshop once again for any parents who have some time to slow down, learn and pick up some tips and strategies to support your child move through big feelings ☺️

If you are interested or have any questions please reach out ☺️🌈

✨Counsellor✨

Offering:

🌈 Therapy for children, young people & adults.
🌈 Parent & foster/kinship carer coaching.
🌈 Specific therapy & care team support for children & young people in OOHC
🌈 Training and workshops

Telehealth & in person sessions

15/01/2025

✨ It is inevitable that our parenting will be influenced by our experiences being parented as children as well as our everyday stress.

Our experiences being raised as a child directly shape our brain and are a lens for which we view the world and understand relationships.

When we actively are curious about our experiences, even those that are incredibly painful and overwhelming, we can start to make sense of how we are continuing to replicate patterns (helpful and unhelpful) in our relationships now, especially with our children.

For most of us, this work is unheard of. We often parent with little awareness of why we are feeling or thinking or acting the way we do. Reflecting on our childhood and having a deep knowing of ourselves so that we can parent mindfully, helps us to connect to our authentic self and parent in a way that aligns with our values- removing shame, guilt and that inner critic.

If you are curious about how your childhood influences your parenting, reach out for a chat! ✨

08/01/2025

✨ Myths & Truths: Parenting & Child Behaviour ✨

As a counsellor working with parents and children, I come across many different child behaviours and parenting approaches.

We are always doing the best we can with the information that we have. Knowledge is power and understanding how to parent in a way that supports healthy child development can change a generation!

Check out some of the myths and truths I have shared!

Are you wanting to know how to parent in a way that supports healthy development! Reach out for some Parent Coaching support!

☺️🌈🌸

30/10/2024

✨ Self Compassion & Parenting ✨

As parents, we can be self-critical and harsh, particularly when we make mistakes or lose our cool.

It is important to try and catch ourselves when our inner critic pops up as it only makes us feel a whole lot worse.

We can try to be kind to ourselves and give ourselves grace wherever possible. Parenting is hard enough and putting ourselves down only makes for more chaos and stress!

Here are some of my ideas that I use when I feel my inner critic popping up! What would you say to your inner critic?

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15/10/2024

✨ 5 Strategies for Creating Safety for Kids in Care ✨

It’s heartbreaking to see over and over again, the pressures faced by the OOHC system, and the ongoing distress experienced by children, young people, carers, parents, schools and professionals.

What if the answers were right in front of us? Simple yet complex, it is possible to create and hold safety for kids in care. Read through some of my thoughts after working in this space for over a decade.

I am accepting new referrals for training, parent/carer coaching and counselling. Reach out for more info.

☺️🌈🌸

09/10/2024

✨ Movement as a Tool to Calm & Connect ✨

Have you ever noticed that moving is an easy way to ground ourselves and be present? After a gym session I can feel like a completely different person; less irritable, more energised and generally happier!

As a therapist and a Mum of two little munchkins, play and movement is a big part of my life! Playful movement in sync with your child whilst sharing your calm, can truely shift a stressful overwhelming day, to one that is joyful and connected.

Read through some of my play ideas and try them at home ☺️🌈🌸