Articles
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Self-Compassion: How to be Kind to Yourself
Compassion is defined as sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress along with the desire to alleviate it. Self-compassion is the same idea, but applied to ourselves. If a friend or loved one came to you and said ‘I just made a big mistake at work’, would you be critical and respond by calling them an ‘idiot’? No?…
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What Do Children Worry About?
A survey conducted by ABC’s Behind the News asked children what worries them, and what makes them feel happy and sad. 20,000 Australian children aged between 6 and 16 years of age participated in the survey. What do children worry about? According to the survey children feel most worried about their future, with 43% of…
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Effects of Parental Anxiety on Children
The terms ‘bubble-wrap parents’ and ‘helicopter parenting’ are being used more and more in our society. The media appears to be constantly reporting crimes, natural disasters, and health epidemics, which can create the illusion that the world is becoming a more and more dangerous place. This, along with a general increase in the prevalence of…
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Conversing with Parents of Children with Autism – What Not to Say
Despite good intentions, it’s easy to accidentally say the wrong thing when talking to parents of a child with autism. Autism is a sensitive subject, and saying something inappropriate can leave the parents feeling hurt or misunderstood. While all circumstances are contextual, this list of what not to say is designed to give you a…
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Bereaved By Suicide
Losing someone you love is devastating in any circumstance, but when we lose someone to suicide, there is often an added layer of complexity. Common experiences/thoughts experienced by those bereaved by suicide Shock (didn’t expect this, didn’t know the person wasn’t happy, no time to prepare for it, or if you were aware they were…
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Modern Ways to Raise a Happy Family
Finding balance in modern families can sometimes be difficult. Easy access to the internet has brought with it a sea of information – and conflicting opinions – about every parenting issue under the sun. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the veritable ocean of parenting advice that comes your way, but there are ways…
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Creative Ways to Help Children with Learning Disorders
While the causes of learning disorders are still under investigation by neuroscientists worldwide, what we do know is that learning disorders – sometimes called learning disabilities – affect a child’s ability to process and store information. On an everyday level, this commonly translates as feelings of confusion, difficulty concentrating, poor memory, difficulty reading and writing,…
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Is ADHD Real?
ADHD, the short term for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a term that is used often today. It is used to describe a disorder that occurs in around 5-10% of children in Australia, but is also thrown around quite often when describing undiagnosed children who appear hyperactive or inattentive. The looseness of the terms’ use…
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Infographic: Exam Stress & How To Conquer It
Navigating the demands and pressure of exams can take a significant toll on your mental health. Whether you’re a student facing the stress of end-of-year assessments or a professional preparing for a high-stakes certification exam, the anxiety and overwhelm can be debilitating. Our team of experienced psychologists at Strategic Psychology are here to support you…
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Preparing for the Death of a Loved One
A profound result of medical advancements is that death has become less of a sudden and unexpected event and more of a prolonged process that begins with a diagnosis, proceeds through a period of treatment, and ends eventually in death. This process means that both terminally ill individuals, and their support network, increasingly must ‘live…
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How to Manage the Most Challenging Autism Behaviours
Parenting children who display challenging behaviours is always tricky, but parenting children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents a new challenge. Because children with autism can have difficulty coping with many situations, they may often experience feelings of confusion, frustration, lack of control or anxiety. Here’s a great video from Kidspot on what it’s like…
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Ways to Boost a Child’s Confidence
Part of being a child is having the confidence to explore, discover and play. To do this, it is very important for children to feel a sense of worth and belonging in the family. Causes of low self esteem Child psychologists often find that low self esteem arises from things like bullying, harassment, or poor…
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Understanding the Different Levels of ASD
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong disorder that affects up to one in 100 Australians. If you’ve noticed your child interacts, communicates or behaves differently from their peers on a regular basis, and it is impacting their daily life, it could be time to seek a professional assessment from a child psychologist. By following…
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Bonding with Children with Autism
It’s normal for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to have difficulty communicating and forging relationships. Depending on the severity level of ASD, this difficulty can range from not responding to social overtures to severe deficits in communication skills and can result in social anxiety. For parents of children with autism, it can be extremely…
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Dyslexia: Steps to Help Your Child
Learning difficulties such as dyslexia can be tough on both children and parents. Your child may find it hard to read, write, have trouble spelling, sounding out words, identifying syllables and so on. In a school setting, dyslexia can be very challenging for children and can lead to feelings of frustration, inadequacy and being “left…
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Parenting Strategies to Support Children with ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – or ADHD – is increasingly common in Australia. This disorder affects up to one in 20 children in Australia and an unknown number of adults. It manifests in a number of ways: some signs of ADHD include above average restlessness, inability to focus, being easily distracted, inattentive and fidgety and…
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Sexual Dysfunction: Causes and Effects
Sexual dysfunction refers to any difficulty experienced at any phase of the sexual response cycle (excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution) that prevents the experience of satisfaction as a result of sexual activity. Research suggests that 43% of women and 31% of men report some sexual difficulties, however, many are hesitant to discuss it. Because treatment…
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How Do I Know if my Child has Learning Difficulties?
Because many children experience learning difficulties, it can be hard for parents and teachers to determine when a child is really struggling to keep up. Problems that most children experience across the board – including difficulty concentrating and remembering complex information – can go unnoticed in a classroom or a busy home environment. Taking time…
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Effects of Technology Addiction on Children and Adolescents
Do you find that your child or teenager spends the majority of their down time glued to a screen? Do they appear to find it difficult to direct their attention to a lengthy task for an extended period of time without flicking across to Facebook or glancing down at their text messages? Do you find…
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From Pre-School to Primary School: Benefits of a School Entry Assessment
If you’re unsure whether your son or daughter is ready to move on from pre-school and take the big step into primary education, an educational assessment from a child psychologist can help you make an informed decision. An educational assessment helps psychologists to more accurately understand the child’s intellectual development and achievements in order to…
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How To Choose A Child Psychologist
There are many things to consider when looking for a psychologist suitable for your child. It is essential to choose a child psychologist who will be able to meet your specific requirements and provide you with the best possible care to assist with the difficulties your child is facing. This article explores some of the…