Foundations and Friends

26/03/2026

🌿 Nature Play Holiday Program
Wednesday 8th April

Join us for a calming, creative and connection-focused Nature Play session, designed to support children’s wellbeing through sensory exploration, play, and connection with the natural environment.

This unique session blends sensory play, nature-based learning, and therapeutic support, creating a safe, engaging space where children can build confidence, develop social skills, and regulate their nervous systems.

🌱 What to Expect
Children will engage in:

Nature-based sensory play
Creative outdoor exploration
Imaginative and child-led play
Gentle group connection activities
Mindfulness and grounding experiences

🌿 Why Nature Play?
Nature-based experiences (Ecotherapy) are known to:

Reduce stress and anxiety
Support emotional regulation
Improve focus and attention
Build confidence and independence
Enhance social connection and communication

🌿 Our Approach
This program is neurodiversity-affirming, child-led, and relationship-based, supporting each child to engage at their own pace in a way that feels safe and meaningful.

🌼Facilitated by Holistic Counsellor
Jennifer Prince Holistic Counsellor and Wellness Coach

Spaces are limited 🌿 Secure your child’s place via the link below https://tinyurl.com/Foundationsgroupsignup

23/03/2026

🌿 Term 2 Groups – Enrolments filling quickly! 🌿

We are excited to be running a range of small therapeutic groups for children and families during Term 2 at Foundations & Friends in Emerald.

Our groups are designed to support children’s confidence, emotional wellbeing, creativity, social connection, and sensory needs through engaging, play-based experiences facilitated by qualified therapists.

📍 Location
Foundations & Friends
15 Kilvington Drive, Emerald

📩 Enrolments now open for Term 2
Places are limited as groups are kept small.
If you would like more information or to enrol your child, please send us a message or email us.

We would love to welcome your child to one of our groups this term 💛 Enrol now: https://tinyurl.com/Foundationsgroupsignup

20/03/2026

I love coming to work each morning and playing spot the Bluey gnomes… they’re in a new place most days 👀💙

Still trying to work out if they’re being moved by cheeky kids… or if we’ve got a full Toy Story situation on our hands ✨🔎

19/03/2026

Feeling overwhelmed, stretched, or constantly “on”?

You’re not alone, and you don’t have to keep pushing through it on your own.

We’re so excited to be offering a Stress Management Workshop for Parents & Caregivers, facilitated by Jennifer Prince, Holistic Counsellor & Wellness Coach 💛

This gentle, supportive 10-week program is designed to help you:
✨ Better understand your stress and triggers
✨ Learn practical, real-life coping strategies
✨ Reduce stress levels, overwhelm and build resilience
✨ Take time each week to pause, reset, and reconnect

💛 Most importantly - you’ll be alongside others who get it.
This small group creates space for shared experiences, connection, and feeling less alone in the juggle of everyday life.

Each session includes:
🧠 Understanding stress
🛠 Practical tools and strategies
🌿 Guided relaxation and reflection

No pressure, no expectations — just a safe, welcoming space to slow down, connect, and feel supported.

📅 Fridays 9:30–10:30am
📍 Emerald
💰 $400 full program

Spots are limited to keep the group small and supportive.

💌 Get in touch to learn more or register:
[email protected]

🌼 If group settings feel overwhelming or the time doesn’t suit, Jennifer also offers individual sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays.

19/03/2026

🐾 Calm Companions – Now Enrolling 🐾

A gentle, supportive space where children can build confidence, connection, and emotional understanding… with the help of our therapy dogs 💛

Our Calm Companions program supports children aged 8–12 to explore emotions, manage anxiety, and develop regulation skills through animal-assisted, play-based experiences.

With our therapy dogs by their side, children will:
✨ Build emotional awareness and confidence
✨ Learn calming and mindfulness strategies
✨ Practise reading social and emotional cues
✨ Develop safe and meaningful peer connections

This is a small, neurodiversity-affirming group, allowing each child to participate at their own pace in a calm and engaging environment.

🐶 NDIS & privately funded participants welcome (Limited spots available)
📍 15 Kilvington Drive Emerald 3782

follow the link to register!

https://foundations-for-childhood.splose.com/public-form/a1892e38-eb4d-47d6-9994-afee1fb14f89

05/03/2026

APRIL SCHOOL HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS

We will be running a series of workshops during the April school holidays as part of PAVED Festival Week in Emerald.

These sessions provide wonderful opportunities for children to connect, create, explore, and build confidence in a supportive environment.

Parents are welcome to stay and participate alongside their child, or if their child is comfortable and settled, parents may choose to explore the PAVED Festival activities around Emerald while the session runs.

All sessions are facilitated by qualified therapists to ensure a safe, engaging and positive experience for every child.

📍 Foundations & Friends
15 Kilvington Drive
Emerald VIC 3782

Book your place here- https://tinyurl.com/Foundationsgroupsignup

19/01/2026

🌿 Therapist Spotlight – Katie 🌿

Katie is a Master’s-qualified Play Therapist and Registered Teacher, and the founder of Connected Hearts Play Therapy.

At Connected Hearts, Katie believes deeply in the power of play therapy to help children heal, grow, and thrive. She brings a unique perspective to her work, combining over 10 years of experience as a teacher with the lived understanding of a neurodivergent parent.

As a local Dandenong Ranges resident, Katie is passionate about supporting children to feel safe, heard, and understood, and about uncovering the stories they hold through play. Her work with children from diverse cultural backgrounds sparked a desire to move beyond academics and connect with children at a deeper emotional level. Play therapy became that bridge.

Katie offers a child-centred, humanistic approach, creating a nurturing space where children can explore their experiences at their own pace. She supports children who may be seeking healing, emotional safety, or social-emotional guidance.

Strong relationships sit at the heart of Katie’s practice. She values collaboration, transparency, and authenticity, and works closely with families and other supports to ensure each child is surrounded by care, respect, and consistency.

✨ Services offered:

Learn to Play sessions

Child-Centred & Humanistic Play Therapy

Filial Therapy

Group Therapy

🎓 Qualifications & registrations:

Bachelor of Education (Primary)

Master of Child Play Therapy

Registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching

Associate Member, Play Therapy Practitioners Association

You can get in contact with Katie [email protected]

17/01/2026

🐾 Therapist Spotlight – Sharon 🐾

Sharon is a qualified Psychologist with over 20 years of experience supporting children, young people, and families through a range of mental health and developmental challenges.

Sharon has completed postgraduate studies in Educational and Developmental Psychology and has recently returned to study to complete her Master of Clinical Psychology. She brings a strong foundation of experience alongside a commitment to ongoing learning and best practice.

She is passionate about delivering evidence-based therapy in ways that feel engaging, safe, and child-friendly, incorporating play-based techniques and animal-assisted therapy to help children explore emotions and express themselves in a natural, supported way.

Sharon also has extensive experience working with adolescents and young adults, using a compassionate, trauma-informed approach. Drawing on a range of evidence-based psychological modalities, she tailors each intervention to meet the unique needs of the individual.

An important part of Sharon’s work is her therapy dogs, Skip and Pogo, who are carefully integrated into sessions as part of the therapeutic process. Together, they support children and young people to build resilience, emotional growth, and meaningful change in a nurturing and supportive environment.

Welcome to Paws to Play Psychology, where professional expertise and the calming presence of therapy dogs come together to support children, young people, and families.

✨ Services offered:

Individual psychology sessions
School readiness support
Parent support
Education observations and collaboration
Group therapy

To find out more or book in appointments contact Sharon at https://ptppsychology.com.au/contact-us/

15/01/2026

✨ Therapist Spotlight Week ✨
This week, we’ll be sharing a daily therapist spotlight.
Stay tuned to meet some of the amazing practitioners at Foundations & Friends – Emerald 3782.

🌿 Therapist Spotlight – Lauren 🌿

Lauren is a Creative Arts Therapist and Clinical Counsellor, specialising in creative, neuro-affirming support for children and young people.

Lauren works with children and youth living with neurodevelopmental and neurological disabilities, as well as a range of mental health challenges, offering flexible support across clinic-based sessions, in-home and school visits, and online.

Her approach is holistic, person-centred, strengths-based, trauma-informed, neuro-affirming, and culturally sensitive, with a unique transpersonal lens. With an extensive background in the arts and human services, Lauren is passionate about integrating body-focused (somatic and sensorimotor) therapies with visual arts, dance and movement, music, play-based modalities, and more.

Lauren also facilitates Creative Community Workshops, delivering therapeutic art and expressive movement experiences in community spaces.

✨ Services offered:

1:1 Creative Arts Therapy

Counselling / Psychotherapy

Creative Community Workshops

Neuro-affirming psychoeducation

When not holding space for others, Lauren can often be found spending time with her young adult human and senior Siamese cat, exploring the outdoors, dancing with friends, reading, or creating art.

📅 Immediate availability for individual sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Self refer here: https://www.innerworldsartstherapy.com.au/for-foundations-friends-emerald-referrals-1

14/01/2026

✨ Therapist Spotlight Week ✨
This week, we’ll be sharing a daily therapist spotlight.
Stay tuned to meet some of the amazing practitioners at Foundations & Friends – Emerald 3782.

Meet Jennifer- Holistic Counsellor

Providing compassionate, strengths-based support for children, teens, adolescents, and parents across a range of emotional, behavioural, and wellbeing needs.

Support areas include:
-Behavioural challenges
-Trauma and emotional regulation
-Social anxiety, stress, and worry
-Mental health and general wellbeing
-Parent support and guidance
-Navigating school systems and transitions
-Building practical tools and strategies for everyday wellbeing

Sessions draw on a holistic, integrative approach, including:
-Nature-based therapy
-Play-based and art-based approaches
-Coaching and skills-building
-Reflective and spiritual guidance

✨ Immediate availability for individual sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Sessions may be privately funded, or self-managed with NDIS when supports are working towards clearly identified goals.

To find out more contact Jennifer through her business page or email her directly at [email protected]
Jennifer Prince Holistic Counsellor and Wellness Coach

If you’re feeling unsure, overwhelmed, or just know your child or family needs support, this referral pathway is for you.

07/01/2026