Beyond the Surface Therapy

31/10/2025

29/10/2025

🌿 We’re Hiring! 🌿

We’re looking for a Psychologist, Counsellor, or Social Worker to join our neurodiversity-affirming team in Wangaratta.

This part-time role will help us support more children, teens, and families on our waitlist who are seeking individual therapeutic support.

If you’re passionate about working authentically with neurodivergent individuals, value connection over compliance, and want to be part of a space that truly understands neurodiversity & nervous system & mental health— we’d love to hear from you. 💛

📍 Wangaratta (some telehealth options available)
🕰 Part-time or flexible hours
💬 Start date: Early 2026 or sooner

To apply or learn more, email hello@beyondthesurface.au with a short intro about yourself and why this work matters to you.

29/10/2025

If your a parent that is struggling to self-regulate so that you can co-regulate with your child, that is okay. remember we grew up in completely different generations.

Its never too late.
You can outsource support for yourself or your children to support settling our nervous systems.

I am here for it all 🦋

27/10/2025

Finished another PD on understanding Traumatised Children's behaviours.🦋

24/10/2025

🌿𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴

Please note: I’m pausing new referrals for the remainder of 2025 as I prepare for the year ahead.

A new season is incoming, and I’m taking this time to ensure I start strong, refreshed, and ready.

Referrals will reopen early 2026 — thank you for your patience and support.

- Sarah 🦋

19/10/2025

🌪𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀
𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗱𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲
(Pathological Demand Avoidance)

Your child has an Autism diagnosis — but everything you’ve been told to do just doesn’t work.
They completely shut down during meltdowns, or become aggressive when faced with demands. You’re doing your best, but nothing seems to help.

💡 Your child may have a PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) profile — a unique presentation within Autism where anxiety and the need for control drive extreme avoidance of everyday demands.

Join me for a free 30-minute online session designed for parents who are curious to learn more about PDA and whether it might explain their child’s behaviour.

In this short but powerful session, we’ll cover:
✨ What PDA is (and how it differs from other Autism profiles)
✨ Common signs your child may have a PDA profile
✨ Why traditional approaches often make things worse
✨ Small shifts that can help your child feel safer and more understood
✨ Q & As.

Facilitator: Sarah- Registered Counsellor & Autistic adult with lived PDA experience
📅 Date/Time: Tuesday 28th October 11am.
📍 Where: Zoom (link provided upon registration)
💰 Cost: Free

You’ll walk away with fresh understanding and simple, affirming next steps — plus details on how to access deeper, individualised support if you’d like to continue learning.

🔗 Register here: hello@beyondthesurface.au

11/09/2025

🎨𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐍𝐒𝐖 🖌️

Looking for a fun, creative, and skill-building activity these school holidays? Join our Social Stencil Program, designed to help kids and teens connect with peers, build confidence, and develop tools for school and community engagement. (10+)

📅 Dates: Monday 29th September- Friday 3rd October
⏰ Time: 10am-12.30pm (morning tea provided)
📍 Location: Albury

In this hands-on workshop, participants will:
✨ Explore and understand friendships
✨ Develop social and emotional skills
✨ Build confidence and a “toolbox” for school and everyday life

✅ NDIS claimable – referral form attached!
https://form.jotform.com/243286429196871

Spaces are limited, so secure your spot today and make these school holidays creative, social, and meaningful!

16/08/2025

😍

🌱 Join the Nest5–9 Advisory Board!

We’re building something special for kids in Grades 5–9 — a safe, neurodiversity-affirming daytime hub where they can connect, learn, and belong.

Nest5–9 is run by professionals, but we want a small Advisory Board of passionate parents, educators, and community members to guide us. Your insights will help shape programs, policies, and the future of the hub.

Who we’re looking for:

Parents or carers of kids aged 10–15

Educators or counsellors with experience in neurodiversity or alternative education

Community members passionate about kids’ wellbeing and inclusion

Time commitment: 1–2 hours/month, plus occasional online meetings.

Interested? Send us a message — let’s build this community together! 💛

06/08/2025

Thought it was time i shared some of the terrific support that has made the world of difference for my family.

I engaged Jo from i hate Cooking around 8 months ago in Wangaratta but they provide service all around australia.

Very hard with the little capacity our family carries and having kids with ARFID and very selective eating to get anything into us with nutrition. Years of making 6 different meals per night and execute to perfection became mentally exhausting. I noticed that i would start having anxiety when it came to dinner and eventually just avoided it all together.

Our family loves Jo's meals, the shopping is incredibly affordable, full of nutrition and some of us have been able to expand our taste buds or have found a new safe food that's good for our bodies too.

depending on your NDIS plans this may also be claimable.
Sarah x

02/08/2025

Sessions still available.

We have opened up a couple of spots for skill development sessions.
1:1 & 2:1 with myself qualified autism swim teacher

Also

Do you have a young person (9-13) that still seems to have so much energy of an evening or struggles to wind down? Expressions of interest for a small group session designed to burn energy. Develop skills & regulate.

For NDIS participants can be used under capacity building skill development or social & community participation.

https://form.jotform.com/243286429196871

02/08/2025

✨ 𝐈 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 — 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐭 ✨

Meltdowns, shutdowns, tears, outbursts — these aren’t signs something is wrong with your child. They’re signs your child is learning how to navigate a world that sometimes feels too loud, too fast, or too much.

I support families, children and young people from age 4 with mentoring that honours their pace, respects their needs, and helps them build emotional awareness, understanding and safety — without shame, quick fixes, or unrealistic expectations.

🌱 If your child or yourself is feeling overwhelmed by big emotions or struggling to regulate, I have immediate availability for 1:1 mentoring sessions.

This is a neurodiversity-affirming space where all feelings are valid and children are never expected to “behave” before they feel understood.

📍 Sessions available Tuesday & Fridays.

💬 Reach out today to chat about what your child needs right now

If you are accessing NDIS funding you are currently able to access me without the higher price tag & instead at a lower rate of $70-$90 depending on age & goals.

30/07/2025

I've just finished a meeting with Dr Connie Buckingham- founder of the Social Stencil Program (Australian evidence based Social & Emotional Curriculum for children 8-15years, Grades 3-8).

To discuss and seek approval of adaption for our PDA & Neurodivergent families that may prefer a deepened delivery instead of maintaining capacity over 18 weeks.

I will be delivering this program in Wangaratta, Albury/Wodonga, Melbourne, Central Coast, Brisbane & Sunshine Coast through 2025 & 2026.

Please send me through a message if you would like more information or to enrol.
therapy.beyondthesurface@gmail.com

I look forward to seeing some of you again & meeting some of you for the first time.

Sarah x