Family Minded

Get to know Family Minded

From Family Minded's website.

• Our approach

  Family Minded uses a collaborative, family-centred approach grounded in evidence-based practices tailored to each child's unique needs. Sessions combine a mix of talking, play-based work, drawing, and child-friendly therapeutic activities, with both individual and joint parent-child sessions depending on what will support your family best. The team draws from multiple therapeutic frameworks including cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, schema therapy, trauma-informed interventions, and play therapy. Therapy aims to be engaging and developmentally appropriate, with flexibility to accommodate how your child learns best, whether that's face-to-face in their welcoming offices or online via telehealth.

• Working with families

  Family Minded values open communication and active partnership with parents and carers throughout the entire process. Parents are involved in assessment, feedback sessions, and therapy planning, with sessions often combining both parent and child work to support shared goals and family wellbeing. The team provides wrap-around services when multiple family members would benefit, and can arrange parallel appointments so parents and children are seen at the same time to reduce burden on busy families. Regular communication, feedback opportunities, and flexibility in how sessions are structured demonstrate the provider's commitment to supporting families as partners in their child's progress.

• Meet the team

  Family Minded is a team of child and family-focused clinical and registered psychologists led by Katherine Hill, the director, who specialises in trauma, attachment, autism and neurodivergence. The team includes Betul Mercandagi, Luke Mill, Catherine Cheang, Fiona Fox, Michael Phung, Vanessa Ng, Katerina Botin, and Sam van den Bosch—all registered psychologists or registrars with relevant qualifications in psychology or clinical psychology. Team members hold diverse training across cognitive behavioural therapy, schema therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, play therapy, EMDR, and neurodiversity-affirming practices, with many having experience in education, community health, youth services, and trauma work. The team operates across offices in Sunbury and Sydenham, with specialisations including neurodevelopmental assessments, autism support, family work, and play therapy.

• Your first visit

  At a first appointment, the team usually meets with your family to hear about your concerns and hopes in a supportive environment. The initial assessment typically involves a mix of sessions with parents/carers and children, sometimes together and sometimes separately, allowing the psychologist to understand your situation fully. Following these initial sessions, you'll have a dedicated feedback session with parents/carers to discuss findings in more detail and work together to develop a tailored intervention plan that matches your child's specific needs. This collaborative approach means your input and participation are valued at every step, from assessment through to planning and treatment.