CoRe Kids Therapy
3/3 Tuck St, Moorabbin VIC 3189
- Clinic
About CoRe Kids Therapy
CoRe Kids Therapy is an accredited allied and mental health service in Moorabbin and Yarraville offering child counselling, play therapy, and parenting support. They focus on helping children aged 2-12 with depression, mental health, parent/school issues, social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties through play-based therapeutic approaches.
What's offered
Clinic sessions
Services provided
CoRe Kids Therapy lists
- Child Counselling
- Children's counselling services with a focus on children between the ages of 2 to 12, addressing depression, mental health, and parent/school issues.
- Child-Centred Play Therapy
- By creating a safe, free, and protected space, children are given the opportunity to work through deeper emotional fears, anxieties, and experiences.
- Synergetic Play Therapy®
- Supports the child in changing their perceptions of perceived challenging events and thoughts in their life.
- Theraplay®
- Focuses on improving a child's behavioural and emotional wellbeing through the development of the parent/carer-child relationship.
- AutPlay® Therapy
- An integrative family play therapy approach with play and behavioural therapeutic models that can be therapist-led, parent-led, and/or child-led.
- Animal Assisted Play Therapy
- Play therapy with professionally trained and assessed therapy dogs, focused on building a bond with an animal through interaction and play (currently unavailable).
- Learn To Play
- The Play Therapist works with a child and parent/caregiver to develop the child's pretend play skills in a directive way using specific toys.
- Sibling Counselling
- Counselling services for siblings.
- Family Counselling
- Counselling services for families.
- EMDR Therapy
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy for children.
- Cognitive Assessments
- Structured assessments including ADHD and ASD (Autism) evaluations enabling targeted support for children.
- Filial Therapy (Child/Parent Relationship)
- Play therapy techniques parents can use with their own children.
- Parental Coaching & Support
- Parenting programs and counselling services for parents and families.
- Positive Parenting Program (Triple P)
- Evidence-based parenting program providing tools and strategies for parents.
- Parent Learn To Play
- Play-based parenting support program.
- Parent Effectiveness Training
- Training program for parents to develop effectiveness in parenting.
- Lego Group Therapy
- A type of play-based therapy where bricks play a central role in developing social skills.
- Core Connection – Social Skills Program
- Group program focused on developing social skills in children.
- Art and Social Connection Group
- Group program combining art and social connection activities.
- School Readiness Program – Sunshine Circles
- Program preparing children for school readiness.
- Grief and Loss Support
- Group support program for children dealing with grief and loss.
- Circle of Security Parenting
- Parenting group program based on Circle of Security approach.
- Tuning Into Kids
- Parenting group program focused on emotional attunement.
Get to know CoRe Kids Therapy
From CoRe Kids Therapy's website.
Our approach
Play is how children learn, develop and understand the world, and therapy rooms at CoRe Kids are designed as safe, welcoming and calming spaces where kids can communicate all their feelings without fear of judgement, punishment or losing control. A range of play-based therapies is available, including Child Centred Play Therapy, Synergetic Play Therapy, Theraplay, Autplay, and EMDR therapy for trauma. The team also offers counselling, parenting programs, and filial therapy where parents learn techniques to use with their own children. Sessions are tailored to each child's needs, with flexible scheduling available before school, after school, and during school hours.
Working with families
Parents and carers are actively involved throughout therapy, with parental coaching, filial therapy (teaching parents play therapy techniques to use at home), and family counselling all available. The practice offers several parenting programs including Positive Parenting Programme (Triple P), Circle of Security Parenting, Tuning Into Kids, Parent Effectiveness Training, and Parent Learn To Play. Clinicians work collaboratively with families to address areas of difficulty and support sustained positive change, recognising the importance of working with the systems surrounding the child.
Meet the team
The team includes Donna Lai (Principal Clinician, Play Therapist, Filial Therapist and Learn-2-Play Supervisor), Dr Aine Foran (Children's Counsellor and Associate Play Therapist), Amy Baillie (Synergetic Play Therapist, Children's Counsellor and Parent Coach), Daniela Diaz (Registered Psychologist and Associate Play Therapist), Iris He (Provisional Psychologist and Child and Family Therapist), Jovana Nikcevic (Registered Psychologist and Play Therapist), Kate Hall (Child and Family Therapist and Social Worker), Natalie Ryan (Child and Family Therapist and Social Worker), and Sara McGarvey (Social Worker and Play Therapist). The team also includes administrative support and works with trained therapy dogs. Donna Lai founded the practice in 2019 with 30 years of prior experience in public institutions, government entities, education and NGOs.
Locations & areas served
Moorabbin
3/3 Tuck St, Moorabbin VIC 3189
Get directions to Moorabbin (opens Google Maps in a new tab)
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