Relational Minds

Get to know Relational Minds

From Relational Minds's website.

• Our approach

  The approach at Relational Minds combines evidence-based child psychiatry, attachment-focused therapy, and practical family strategies within a whole-family framework. Sessions are grounded in trauma-informed care and neurodevelopmental understanding, with a focus on strengthening the parent-child relationship and supporting emotional safety. The team uses playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy to help families navigate complex emotional and behavioural challenges. Therapy can include family sessions, individual psychology, art therapy, and therapeutic parenting support, all coordinated through a multidisciplinary team that integrates psychiatric input when needed. The service prioritises evidence-based care delivered with connectedness and acceptance, considering the complexities within the child, family, and broader context.

• Working with families

  Relational Minds prioritises close communication and partnership with parents and carers throughout the therapeutic journey. Parents receive practical tools, strategies, and guidance designed to strengthen connection, improve communication, and support families navigating complex challenges at home. The service offers evidence-based parent programs using attachment-focused and DDP/P.A.C.E. frameworks, with parent coaching specifically designed to help parents become confident guides for their child's emotional development. The team collaborates with schools, GPs, and other professionals, keeping carers informed through regular communication, detailed reports, and review discussions. Family involvement is considered central to the model, with parents recognised as having the power to influence their child's brain and emotional growth through their relationship.

• Meet the team

  The team is a multidisciplinary group of experienced professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, art therapists, nurses, and mental health clinicians who work collaboratively. Key leadership includes Dr Alberto Veloso (Director and Psychiatrist), Dr Talia Maayan (Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrician with over 20 years' experience), and Dr Dan Mirmilstein (Child, Adolescent and Family Psychiatrist). Clinicians include AHPRA-registered psychologists, Masters-qualified family clinicians, registered Arts Psychotherapists with membership in ANZACATA, and accredited mental health social workers. The team is described by families as knowledgeable around neurodivergence, caring, professional, and invested in the wellbeing of the whole family.

• Your first visit

  At an initial appointment, families first choose their support pathway with guidance from the team, who help identify the most appropriate service for their child's needs. The intake process involves discussion with the team to understand your family's situation and determine next steps, which may include comprehensive assessment or direct entry into therapy or parent coaching. For families pursuing neurodevelopmental assessment, this involves integrated cognitive testing, emotional profiling, sensory evaluation, and relationship mapping to provide a complete picture of your child's strengths and challenges. The team is responsive and understanding throughout, with parents often reporting that the process felt clear and supportive from the beginning. If assessment is recommended, families receive detailed reports with clear recommendations and practical next steps personalised to their child and family's needs.