Developing Minds

Get to know Developing Minds

From Developing Minds's website.

• Our approach

  The practice uses flexible, evidence-based approaches tailored to each child's individual needs, age and development. Therapy commonly draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and other frameworks such as Positive Parent Training and Attachment Theory. Sessions help children and teens understand their emotions as a normal part of being human, while equipping them with practical skills to manage difficult feelings like anxiety, depression, anger and sadness. The team also works to support parents and caregivers to better understand and respond to their child's emotional and behavioural needs, reducing parenting-related distress and overwhelm.

• Working with families

  Parents and carers are actively involved in the therapeutic process. Psychologists work specifically with parents and caregivers to help them better understand their child's emotional and behavioural needs, reduce parenting-related distress, and become more attuned and responsive to their child. For telehealth sessions with children and young people, parents or guardians must remain in the same location throughout for safety reasons. The practice also offers seminars to parents about supporting children with challenges and big feelings, and psychologists facilitate parent groups on these topics.

• Meet the team

  The practice has 23 clinical and registered psychologists, all of whom specialise in working with children, teens and families. Every clinician has 6–8 years of tertiary study, and on average has 12 years of experience working with children and adolescents (with some having up to 25 years). The team meets weekly to monthly to train, consult and update each other on areas of development to provide the best care. Kirrilie Smout is the Director and a clinical psychologist with 25 years of experience; she also provides supervision to the team. The practice won the Australian Allied Health Paediatric Practice award in 2018 and holds full accreditation with the National Standards for Mental Health Services (Australia).