Child and Adolescent Counselling

For children and young people aged 5–25

Sometimes children and young people need a space that’s just for them — somewhere they can talk, think, and work through what’s going on without feeling judged or rushed.

Child and Adolescent Counselling at Riptide offers exactly that. Whether your child is struggling with anxiety, big emotions, friendship difficulties, trauma, or just going through a tough time, Amy works collaboratively with them using evidence-based approaches tailored to who they are — their age, their personality, their strengths and their goals.

Sessions can be conversational, creative, skills-based or experiential — whatever works best for your child or young person. For neurodivergent young people, all approaches are adapted to be genuinely affirming rather than one-size-fits-all.

You don’t need a referral to get in touch, though Medicare rebates are available with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.

About:

Riptide Therapeutic Services offers Child and Adolescent Counselling for children and young people aged approximately 5 to 25 years, using a range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches tailored to the individual needs, goals and developmental stage of each child and young person.

At Riptide, counselling is collaborative, relational and flexible. We recognise that engaging in therapy can feel daunting for many children and young people, particularly during adolescence and early adulthood. Building trust, safety and genuine connection is prioritised, with therapy paced in a way that feels respectful and empowering.

Therapeutic approaches are selected based on the child’s or young person’s presenting concerns, strengths, preferences and therapeutic goals. Sessions may be creative, conversational, skills-based, reflective or experiential, depending on what best supports engagement and change. Where helpful, sessions can include flexibility in how therapy is delivered, such as incorporating movement, walking sessions, shared activities or the involvement of a trusted support person in early sessions.

Riptide has experience supporting both neurotypical and neurodivergent young people, and offers a strengths-based, affirming approach that honours different ways of thinking, feeling and relating.

Eye Movement desensitisation and reprocessing (emdr)

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach that supports children and young people to process distressing memories, traumatic experiences and negative beliefs that continue to impact how they feel, think and function in the present.

EMDR is based on the understanding that when a distressing experience is not fully processed, it can remain stored in the nervous system in a way that feels raw, present and overwhelming, even long after the event has passed. Trauma, adverse experiences and painful memories can become “stuck,” continuing to drive emotional distress, unhelpful beliefs and behavioural responses. EMDR supports the brain and nervous system to process these experiences more fully, so they lose their emotional charge and can be integrated as part of the past rather than felt as present threat.

EMDR does not require children or young people to talk in detail about what happened. Instead, bilateral stimulation (such as guided eye movements, tapping or sounds) is used while the child or young person briefly focuses on a distressing memory or experience. This process supports the brain’s natural healing capacity, allowing difficult experiences to be processed and integrated at a neurological level.

At Riptide, EMDR is delivered in a developmentally adapted, child and young person-friendly way. Preparation and stabilisation are prioritised before any trauma processing begins, ensuring children and young people feel safe, resourced and ready. For younger children, EMDR may be integrated with play-based and creative approaches to support engagement and felt safety throughout the process.

EMDR sessions may include:

• Preparation and resourcing to build safety and stabilisation
• Identifying distressing memories, experiences or negative beliefs
• Bilateral stimulation to support processing and integration
• Strengthening positive beliefs and emotional resources
• Reviewing progress and consolidating gains

EMDR can support children and young people experiencing:

• Trauma and post-traumatic stress (PTSD)
• Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
• Anxiety, panic and phobias
• Grief and loss
• Medical trauma or distressing procedures
• Attachment and relational wounds
• Negative core beliefs such as “I am not safe,” “I am not enough,” or “It was my fault”
• Emotional dysregulation linked to past experiences
• School refusal or avoidance with a trauma basis
• Neurodivergent experiences of trauma, masking and invalidation

How EMDR is used at Riptide

EMDR is not used as a standalone protocol in isolation. At Riptide, it is integrated thoughtfully within a broader trauma-informed, neuro-affirming therapeutic framework. The pace, format and delivery of EMDR is always guided by the child or young person’s nervous system capacity, developmental stage and readiness.

For some children and young people, EMDR will form the primary therapeutic approach. For others, it will be used alongside play therapy, creative therapy or counselling to support processing at different levels.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy supports children and young people to understand the relationship between their thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and behaviours and how these patterns can maintain distress over time.

In CBT children and young people are supported to identify unhelpful or rigid thinking patterns (such as catastrophising, perfectionism, black-and-white thinking or excessive self-criticism) and explore how these thoughts influence emotions and behaviour. Therapy focuses on gently challenging and reshaping these patterns, while also supporting behavioural change.

Sessions may include:

• Mapping links between thoughts, feelings, behaviours and body responses
• Identifying thinking traps and developing more balanced perspectives
• Building problem-solving and coping skills
• Behavioural experiments or gradual exposure to feared situations
• Developing routines and strategies that support mood and functioning

CBT is collaborative and practical, with skills introduced at a pace that feels manageable. For neurodivergent young people, CBT is adapted to be concrete, visual and strengths-based.

CBT is commonly used to support:

• Anxiety and panic
• Depression and low mood
• Perfectionism and academic stress
• Social anxiety
• Low self-confidence
• Avoidance and procrastination

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is a structured, skills-based approach designed for children and young people who experience intense emotions, emotional dysregulation, impulsivity or relationship difficulties.

DBT recognises that big emotional responses often make sense in context, while also supporting young people to develop new skills to cope more effectively. Therapy balances validation and acceptance with change and skill development.

DBT skills typically focus on four core areas:

• Emotional regulation: understanding emotions, reducing vulnerability and managing emotional intensity
• Distress tolerance: coping with overwhelming feelings or crises without making things worse
• Interpersonal effectiveness: communication, boundaries and relationship skills
• Mindfulness: noticing thoughts, feelings and body sensations without judgement

Sessions may include skills teaching, practising skills in real-life situations, and reflecting on what works. DBT is delivered in a supportive, non-judgemental way and adapted to suit developmental stage and learning style.

DBT is particularly helpful for children and young people experiencing:

• Emotional overwhelm or rapid mood shifts
• Self-harm urges or risky behaviours
• Intense relationship conflict
• Difficulty managing anger or distress
• Trauma responses
• High emotional sensitivity

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy focuses on helping children and young people develop psychological flexibility, the ability to experience thoughts and feelings without being overwhelmed by them, while still moving toward a meaningful life.

ACT supports children and young people to notice thoughts and emotions as experiences rather than facts, reducing the struggle to “get rid of” difficult feelings. Therapy also helps children and young people clarify what matters to them and take steps aligned with their values, even when things feel uncomfortable.

ACT sessions may involve:

• Learning skills to unhook from unhelpful thoughts
• Developing mindfulness and present-moment awareness
• Exploring personal values (what kind of person they want to be)
• Building willingness to experience discomfort in service of growth
• Practising self-compassion and flexible responding

ACT is particularly helpful for children and young people who feel stuck, overwhelmed by worry, or unsure of their identity or direction.

ACT can support:

• Anxiety and chronic worry
• Depression and low motivation
• Stress and burnout
• Identity exploration
• Perfectionism and self-criticism
• Life transitions and uncertainty

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, strengths-based approach that supports children and young people to explore ambivalence and build motivation for change in a respectful and non-confrontational way.

Rather than telling children and young people what to do, MI helps them clarify their own goals, values and reasons for change. The therapist works alongside the children and young person, supporting autonomy and choice.

MI sessions may involve:

• Exploring mixed feelings about change
• Clarifying goals and priorities
• Strengthening confidence and self-belief
• Identifying barriers and supports
• Supporting readiness for change at the young person’s pace

MI is especially helpful when a child and young person feels unsure, resistant, disengaged, or pressured by others to change.

MI can support children and young people with:

• Engagement in therapy
• Behaviour change
• Substance use or risk-taking
• School refusal or avoidance
• Health-related behaviours
• Building motivation and confidence

Interpersonal Psychotherapy – Adolescent (IPT-A)

Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents focuses on the connection between relationships, life events, and emotional wellbeing, particularly mood.

IPT-A supports young people to understand how changes or difficulties in relationships can impact emotions and to develop healthier ways of relating and communicating. Therapy is structured, time-limited and focuses on current interpersonal issues rather than past experiences.

IPT-A typically focuses on one or more of the following areas:

• Grief and loss
• Role transitions (e.g. changing schools, family changes, identity shifts)
• Interpersonal conflict
• Social isolation or friendship difficulties

Sessions may include:

• Mapping key relationships and communication patterns
• Developing communication and conflict-resolution skills
• Exploring emotional responses to relationship changes
• Strengthening social support and connection

IPT-A is particularly effective for adolescents experiencing depression, relational stress, or significant life changes.

How Modalities Are Used at Riptide

These approaches are not used in a rigid or one-size-fits-all way. Therapy is tailored to the children and young person’s:

• Presenting concerns
• Developmental stage
• Neurotype
• Emotional regulation capacity
• Goals and preferences

Approaches may be integrated and adapted over time as needs change.

Concerns Child and Adolescent Counselling can support

Counselling at Riptide may support young people experiencing:

• Anxiety, worry, panic, or social anxiety
• Low mood or depression
• Emotional dysregulation or mood swings
• Trauma, stress, or adverse life experiences
• Low self-esteem or confidence
• Identity exploration and self-understanding
• Friendship or relationship difficulties
• Family conflict or communication challenges
• Academic stress, perfectionism, or school avoidance
• Behavioural challenges or impulsivity
• Neurodivergent experiences, including autism and ADHD
• Life transitions, grief, or loss

Service Structure

Individual Counselling

Riptide offers bespoke individual counselling tailored to each child and young person.

• An initial intake session is conducted with the parent/carer (and young person where appropriate) to understand the child’s and young person’s background, strengths, preferences and goals for therapy.
• Ongoing sessions are held with the child and young person, using therapeutic approaches that best support engagement and change.
• Parent/carer check-ins or family sessions may be incorporated where helpful and appropriate.

Sessions aim to empower children and young people, build emotional insight and coping skills, and support their capacity to navigate challenges in their lives.

Benefits of Child and Adolescent Counselling

Child and adolescent counselling at Riptide Therapeutic Services supports young people’s emotional, psychological, relational, and functional wellbeing. Therapy is tailored to the individual and grounded in evidence-based practice, with benefits often extending beyond symptom reduction to support long-term resilience and self-understanding.

Improved emotional awareness and regulation
Young people develop a greater understanding of their emotions and how these show up in their body, thoughts and behaviour. Through therapy, they learn practical strategies to manage intense emotions, recover from emotional overwhelm and respond more flexibly to stress.

Stronger coping skills and distress tolerance
Counselling equips young people with tools to manage anxiety, low mood, frustration, and distress. Skills drawn from CBT, DBT and ACT support young people to cope effectively during challenging moments rather than feeling overwhelmed or stuck.

Reduction in anxiety, low mood, and emotional distress
Evidence-based interventions support a reduction in symptoms related to anxiety, depression, trauma and stress, while also addressing the underlying patterns that contribute to ongoing difficulties.

Increased self-esteem and self-confidence
Through insight, validation, and strengths-based support, young people develop a more compassionate and realistic view of themselves. Therapy supports confidence, self-belief and a stronger sense of personal identity.

Improved relationships and communication skills
Counselling supports young people to develop healthier ways of communicating, setting boundaries, and navigating conflict. Skills from DBT and IPT-A support improved relationships with peers, family members, and other important people in their lives.

Greater psychological flexibility and resilience
ACT-informed approaches support young people to respond more flexibly to difficult thoughts and emotions, helping them stay engaged in life even when things feel hard. This builds resilience and adaptability over time.

Improved problem-solving and decision-making
Young people are supported to think through challenges, consider options and make informed decisions aligned with their values and goals.

Increased motivation and engagement
Motivational Interviewing supports young people to clarify what matters to them, build confidence in their ability to change and feel more invested in therapy and life goals.

Behavioural understanding and change
Counselling helps young people understand the underlying drivers of behaviours such as avoidance, withdrawal, aggression, or risk-taking, and supports the development of more adaptive responses.

Academic and functional support
Therapy can support focus, motivation, organisation and stress management related to school, study or work, contributing to improved performance and confidence.

Support for neurodivergent strengths and needs
Counselling is adapted to honour neurodivergent ways of thinking and processing. Therapy supports emotional understanding, self-advocacy and practical strategies that work for the individual.

Empowerment and self-advocacy
Young people are supported to understand their needs, communicate effectively, and seek support when needed, fostering autonomy and independence.

Family understanding and improved dynamics
Where appropriate, family involvement supports improved communication, empathy and understanding within the family system, strengthening relationships and reducing conflict.

Long-term wellbeing and prevention
Skills developed in counselling support ongoing mental health, emotional resilience, and wellbeing beyond the therapy room, helping young people navigate future challenges with confidence.

Creative Therapy (Sensorimotor Art Therapy)

For children and young people aged 2–25

Not every child can find the words for what they’re feeling — and sometimes words aren’t the right tool at all. Creative Therapy at Riptide offers a different pathway: one that works through the body, the senses and the creative process rather than conversation.

Sensorimotor Art Therapy is grounded in the understanding that many emotional experiences — particularly trauma, stress and early relational difficulties — are held in the body and nervous system rather than in thoughts or language. By working with tactile materials, movement, image-making and sensory processes, children and young people can express, process and integrate experiences that feel too big, too confusing, or too hard to put into words.

Riptide offers four creative therapy approaches: Sensorimotor Art Therapy, Clay Field Therapy, Initiatic Art Therapy, and Guided Drawing. Each offers a different way in, and Amy will guide which approach best suits your child’s needs, nervous system and readiness.

No artistic skill is needed — and there is nothing to produce or explain. The focus is entirely on the process, not the outcome.

You don’t need a referral to get in touch, though Medicare rebates are available with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.

Sensorimotor Art Therapy

Riptide Therapeutic Services offers Sensorimotor Art Therapy as a body-based, developmentally informed therapeutic approach that supports emotional regulation, integration and healing for children and young people.

Sensorimotor Art Therapy is grounded in the understanding that many emotional experiences (particularly stress, trauma and early relational experiences) are held within the body, sensory systems, and nervous system, rather than solely in thoughts or language. For children and young people whose verbal and cognitive capacities are still developing, sensorimotor approaches provide a vital pathway for expression, regulation and meaning-making.

This approach uses tactile, sensory, movement-based and image-making processes to support the gradual integration of emotional, sensory and relational experiences. Therapy does not rely on talking about experiences. Instead, children and young people are supported to engage directly with materials in ways that feel safe, contained and attuned to their nervous system capacity.

The therapist maintains a calm, responsive and attuned presence, supporting co-regulation, felt safety and internal organisation as the child or young person engages in the creative process.

The Role of the Body and Nervous System

Sensorimotor Art Therapy recognises that emotional experiences are closely linked to bodily sensations and nervous system responses. Stress, trauma and overwhelm can disrupt regulation, organisation and a child or young person’s sense of safety in their body.

Through sensorimotor art processes, children and young people are supported to:

• Increase body awareness and interoceptive sensing
• Regulate arousal and emotional intensity
• Release tension, hyperarousal, or shutdown held in the body
• Develop grounding, agency and embodied presence

Healing occurs through felt experience, rather than cognitive insight alone, making this approach particularly supportive for children and young people who struggle to access emotions through words.

Clay Field Therapy

Clay Field Therapy is a deeply embodied, sensorimotor and non-verbal therapeutic approach that uses soft clay and water to support emotional regulation, integration and psychological development through direct bodily experience.

The child or young person works with clay on a contained surface, engaging through touch, pressure, rhythm, movement and form. There is no expectation to create a recognisable object, produce artwork, or explain what is happening verbally. The therapeutic focus is on the process of engagement with the material, rather than the outcome.

Clay is uniquely responsive and resistant, allowing children and young people to push, pull, break, smooth, collapse and rebuild. Through this sensory dialogue, impulses, emotions and internal states that may be pre-verbal or difficult to articulate can be safely expressed and transformed. Experiences of control, vulnerability, frustration, strength, repair and agency often emerge naturally through the clay process.

The therapist provides quiet, attuned accompaniment, carefully tracking body cues, breath, movement, emotional shifts and engagement. This non-intrusive presence supports nervous system regulation, containment and integration, allowing deep emotional work to occur within a safe relational field.

Clay Field Therapy can support:

• Regulation of emotional flooding, shutdown, or hyperarousal
• Safe expression and integration of anger, fear, grief, and tension
• Trauma processing and early developmental repair
• Increased body awareness, grounding, and internal organisation
• Strengthening of agency, boundaries, and self-cohesion

Initiatic Art Therapy

Initiatic Art Therapy is a guided, depth-oriented art therapy approach that supports emotional integration, psychological development and inner coherence through a structured yet responsive creative process.

In this approach, the therapist gently guides the child or young person through a sequence of artistic steps. The guidance provides containment, pacing and safety, while remaining flexible and responsive to the child or young person’s emotional state, nervous system capacity and readiness. The process is relational and collaborative, not directive or interpretive.

The focus is not on artistic skill or producing a finished image, but on engaging with inner experience as it unfolds through image, colour, form and sensation. The step-by-step structure allows emotional material, internal images and symbolic themes to emerge gradually, supporting integration without overwhelm.

Initiatic Art Therapy supports:

• Emotional integration and meaning-making
• Identity development and self-understanding
• Exploration of inner resources, strengths, and resilience
• Processing complex or layered emotional experiences
• Increased emotional coherence, organisation, and reflective capacity

This approach is particularly well suited to children and young people who benefit from structure, who are navigating emotional complexity or identity development, or who are ready for deeper reflective and integrative therapeutic work.

Guided Drawing

Guided Drawing is a structured yet flexible art-based therapeutic process that combines verbal guidance, imagery, and drawing to support emotional awareness, regulation and integration.

The therapist offers gentle prompts, themes, or sensory-based invitations that provide focus and containment while allowing full creative freedom. This balance of structure and autonomy supports safety while encouraging authentic self-expression.

By translating internal experiences into line, shape, colour, and image, children and young people can externalise emotions, thoughts and sensations that may otherwise feel confusing or overwhelming. Seeing their inner experience on paper supports reflection, emotional organisation, and increased insight.

Guided Drawing can support:

• Emotional regulation and grounding
• Processing transitions, stressors, and life changes
• Reduction of anxiety and internal overwhelm
• Increased emotional awareness and reflective capacity
• Development of focus, sequencing, and expressive skills

Concerns Sensorimotor Art Therapy can support

Sensorimotor Art Therapy can support children and young people experiencing a wide range of emotional, relational, and developmental challenges, particularly where experiences are held in the body rather than words.

This approach may be helpful for children and young people who are experiencing:

• Anxiety, chronic stress, or emotional overwhelm
• Trauma, developmental trauma, or adverse life experiences
• Emotional dysregulation, shutdown, or dissociation
• Aggression, impulsivity, or difficulty managing big emotions
• Sensory processing differences or interoceptive awareness challenges
• Neurodivergent experiences, including Autism and ADHD
• Difficulties expressing emotions verbally
• Attachment and relational difficulties
• Low self-esteem, identity confusion, or emotional fragmentation
• Difficulties with transitions, boundaries, or routine changes

Benefits of Sensorimotor Art Therapy

Sensorimotor Art Therapy offers a range of therapeutic benefits that support children and young people’s emotional, relational and developmental wellbeing. By working directly with the body, sensory systems and nervous system, this approach supports change at a foundational level.

Nervous system regulation and stabilisation
Children and young people are supported to recognise and respond to internal states of arousal. Through tactile and sensory engagement, they develop an increased capacity to move between states of activation and calm, supporting emotional balance and physiological regulation.

Embodied emotional awareness
Sensorimotor art processes help children and young people become more aware of bodily sensations linked to emotions. This increased interoceptive awareness supports emotional literacy and helps children recognise early signs of distress before becoming overwhelmed.

Safe expression and integration of emotions
Creative, non-verbal processes provide a safe and developmentally appropriate way to express complex emotions such as anger, fear, sadness, or confusion. This supports emotional processing and integration without pressure to verbalise experiences prematurely.

Trauma processing and healing
By engaging the body and nervous system, sensorimotor art therapy supports the gradual integration of traumatic or stressful experiences. This can reduce emotional reactivity, support a sense of safety and promote recovery in a paced and contained way.

Increased sense of agency and control
Working directly with materials supports choice-making, mastery and self-directed action. Children and young people experience themselves as capable and effective, strengthening their sense of agency and autonomy.

Strengthening of identity and self-cohesion
Sensorimotor art therapy supports children and young people to develop a more integrated sense of self. Through repeated experiences of expression, reflection and relational safety, identity becomes more coherent and stable.

Improved emotional regulation and distress tolerance
Over time, children and young people develop increased tolerance for emotional discomfort and greater capacity to recover from emotional overwhelm, supporting resilience in everyday life.

Enhanced self-esteem and confidence
Experiences of being seen, understood and valued (alongside opportunities for mastery and creativity) support positive self-regard and confidence.

Relational safety and attachment repair
The therapist’s attuned and responsive presence provides a lived experience of safety, consistency and trust. This can support the repair of relational wounds and strengthen the child or young person’s capacity to engage in healthy relationships.

Support for neurodivergent needs and strengths
Sensorimotor art therapy offers a flexible, affirming approach that honours neurodivergent ways of sensing, processing and expressing. It supports sensory regulation, emotional understanding and self-advocacy.

Integration beyond the therapy space
Skills developed through sensorimotor art therapy (including regulation, awareness, and coping strategies) gradually generalise to home, school and community environments, supporting long-term wellbeing.

Service Structure

Sensorimotor Art Therapy Sessions

• An initial parent/carer intake session is conducted to understand the child or young person’s developmental history, presenting concerns, sensory profile, and therapeutic goals.
• Ongoing sessions are held with the child or young person using sensorimotor art processes suited to their readiness and nervous system capacity.
• Parent/carer consultation sessions are incorporated to support understanding, reflection, and continuity across environments.

Sessions are typically recommended on a weekly/fortnightly basis, with frequency and duration guided by the child or young person’s needs, pace and therapeutic goals.