Psychology & Counselling Services
Request a Psychologist or Counsellor
What does a Psychologist vs Counsellor do?
Psychologists
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Have university qualifications in psychology and are registered with AHPRA (the national health regulator).
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Are trained to assess, diagnose and treat a wide range of emotional, behavioural and developmental concerns.
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Often work with more complex presentations such as anxiety disorders, trauma, developmental differences or behavioural challenges.
Counsellors
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Have specialist training in counselling and therapeutic communication.
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Focus on providing a safe, supportive space for children to express feelings, develop coping skills and navigate life changes.
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Work with children experiencing everyday worries, emotional regulation difficulties, grief, changes in family circumstances or stress.
How they work together
At GROW Paediatrics, both psychologists and counsellors use play-based, child-led approaches and collaborate closely with families. While the main difference is the depth of assessment and clinical training, both roles work to support children from birth to 8 years to:
- Helping children understand, express and regulate their emotions
- Supporting behaviour, coping skills and social–emotional development
- Using play-based and evidence-informed therapy to make sense of big feelings
- Providing support for anxiety, trauma, grief and family changes
- Working alongside parents and carers to strengthen connection and wellbeing at home
Everything we do is grounded in warmth, safety and trust—ensuring your child feels understood, supported and empowered every step of the way.
Our Approach
Our psychologists and counsellors take a gentle, child-centred and trauma-informed approach, tailoring therapy to each child’s developmental stage, strengths and emotional world.
We work closely with families to understand what’s happening beneath behaviours or emotions, and create practical, compassionate strategies that can be used at home, school and in daily life.
Therapy may include play-based support, emotional coaching, parent-child work, cognitive strategies, or counselling—always guided by what feels safe and meaningful for your child.
Who we help
Children who are
- Experiencing big emotions or difficulty regulating
- Neurodivergent and needing support with emotional or social skills
- Showing changes in behaviour, mood or coping
Children with
- Anxiety, worry or stress
- Trauma histories or attachment challenges
- Developmental delays affecting emotional or social development
- Grief, adjustment or family change difficulties (e.g., separation, illness, loss)
What to expect
When you work with our psychology team, you can expect a gentle, warm and relationship-based approach. We begin by getting to know your child—what they love, what they find hard, and how they communicate—so therapy feels safe and engaging.
Sessions may include play therapy, emotional regulation strategies, parent coaching, behaviour support, and counselling techniques that help children make sense of their feelings and experiences.
We keep families involved every step of the way, offering practical tools you can use at home and coordinating care with other therapists, teachers and professionals. Our goal is to help your child feel supported, capable and emotionally secure—while supporting families with clear guidance and compassionate care.
