Emerging Minds Podcast

In this episode, we’re joined by Kerryn Roberts, coordinator of infant massage at Relationships Australia South Australia (RASA). Kerryn shares her knowledge and experience in delivering cue-based infant massage to families in various settings. She explains the value of cue-based infant massage for infant mental health and the emphasis this program places on relationship development, encouraging parents to follow the infants’ lead. She also explores the importance of working alongside the parent-infant relationship and how this contrasts to intervening in the relationship.

In episode two of this two-part series, Dana Shen, Mel Lambert and Yasmin Sinclair share practical tips to support effective co-design with lived experience families.

In episode one of this two-part series, Dana Shen, Mel Lambert and Yasmin Sinclair share what establishing the Department of Human Services’ Lived Experience Network has taught them about co-design.

In this episode, psychologist Lauren Keegan explores how genograms provide a structure for collaborative and relational assessment conversations with parents. Lauren discusses how the development of a genogram provides a visual map of a family’s generational relationships, and how genograms can be useful in infant mental health assessments.

In this episode, Belynda Smith shares her considerable experience in practicing deep, unhurried and supportive listening with parents, and how this process helps to build safe, healing and reflective environments.

Belynda Smith is a parenting facilitator at Meerilinga Young Children's Foundation in Western Australia, as well as a certified Hand in Hand parenting instructor. Belynda has listened to many thousands of parents in her work at Meerilinga, helping them to provide their children with rich, safe and supported experiences.

Belynda is committed to creating time and space for parents to consider their relationships with their children, their preferences, challenges and stories of success. It is through this reflective process that parents begin to understand more about their relationship with their children, growing their confidence and allowing them to move beyond challenges.

In this episode, we talk with Nikki Taranis, a social worker and therapeutic specialist, about working with children and caregivers to explore children’s relationship with video gaming.

In part two of this two-part series on bullying, we’re joined again by Jessica Staniland, clinical psychologist and Director of Counselling and Psychological Services at Trinity Grammar School, who shares some of the key considerations for supporting the mental health of children who engage in bullying behaviour. She discusses how practitioners can work through children’s protests and support them to engage in conversation. Jessica talks about the importance of recognising children’s preferences and values, and how practitioners can help children to draw these out.

In part one of this two-part series on bullying, we’re joined by Jessica Staniland, clinical psychologist and Director of Counselling and Psychological Services at Trinity Grammar School, who shares some key considerations for supporting the mental health of children who experience bullying behaviour. She discusses how practitioners can open up conversations with children to explore their experiences of bullying sensitively. Jessica talks about the importance of moving away from self-blame and how practitioners can support children to do this.

The period from pregnancy to the infant’s first birthday brings major life changes for parents, as they navigate the emotional and practical tasks of parenting. In this episode, Emerging Minds Child and Family Partners, Sarah and Claudius share an honest account of navigating the first year of parenting. They discuss the parenting joys and hopes they discovered and the challenges they faced in the first twelve months of parenting their son.

In this episode, we speak with two social work students, Rachael and Megan about their career aspirations and discoveries about infant mental health. Rachael and Megan (who have since graduated) reflect on their placement experiences and how peer learning has increased their knowledge and confidence in working with infants and families.