Erinnah

Erinnah: peaceful, conscientious, hope.

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I'm glad you've found your way here.

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I believe your child is wonderful.  You're here because you're having a hard time understanding or responding or getting through to your child. Maybe something has gone off balance in your family. Perhaps your child is angry, anxious, not listening, fighting you. You're worn down. Perhaps you yourself would like therapeutic support with your issues that may be affecting your parenting or wellbeing. When we find ourselves in this place of overwhelm, we can spin out of control and feel like the situation is hopeless.  

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How I help: 

• Take time to understand your family, from every member's viewpoint (should they wish to participate). 

• In-home observations (optional) and assessment. Your family can be themselves in their own environment.

• Bring clarity to your goals 

• Help you understand the behaviour issues and see the emotion connection

• Work out strategies with you to make behavioural changes, whilst working on the emotional issues connected to them

• Help you put our strategies into practice by coaching and supporting you.

• Engage in non-directive play therapy with children. Build trust between practitioner and child, allowing them to feel comfortable to express and explore their feelings.

• Engage child in age appropriate psycho-education activities and therapeutic sessions. 

• Private sessions with parents.

What I wont do:

• Judge you

• Boss you

• Recommend harsh discipline. I'm more creative than that. Qualified in behavioural science, and a keen observationalist, I can provide tailored strategic advice on managing happier families

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Professional Values:

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• Being respectful of all parenting styles

• Supporting a nurturing relationship between parent and child

• Attentive listening and empathising with families going through sensitive issues

• Maintaining a high level of professionalism and support to the client

• Working within a strengths based framework underpinned by attachment theory 

• Guiding clients through tailored solutions born from a place of understanding and respect

• Belief that parents are the experts of their own lives

• Confidentiality.  

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About Kel Whittaker, MSW(Q), BPsySc

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Kel feels her understanding gained through her Master of Social Work (Q) and Bachelor of Psychological Science (including attachment theory and cognitive development) have been fundamental in adapting her approach.  Kel values building trust and connection with her young clients and finds this engaging style to be effective in supporting children, as families report seeing improvement within 2 to 5 sessions. Kel Whittaker found her gift for helping families when she combined her two passions: sleep and children. For the past six years, Kel has been visiting families in their homes to help them with behavioural sleep and parenting issues. Further to this end, she now teaches her approach to professionals through founding the Institute of Sensitive Sleep Consulting after identifying a need in the child sleep industry to support and educate professionals who identify themselves as respectful of attachment parenting values, positive parenting principles and other parenting styles that nurture the parent-child bond, whilst guiding clients to respectful solutions to their sleep issues. She has trained consultants in USA, Switzerland, Denmark, New Zealand and Australia. She is trained in Child Aware practices supporting children of parents with mental illness. Kel has completed training in Mental Health in People with Intellectual Disabilities (University of Queensland.) She holds a certificate in Insomnia Diagnosis and Treatment and certificate in Infant Mental Health Foundations (University of Auckland) and is trained in crisis counselling (Lifeline Australia), a Certified Child Sleep Consultant and Happiest Baby Educator.  Kel is the Australian Representative for the International Association of Child Sleep Consultants. She is also a Professional Associate of Attachment Parenting International, a published contributor to the International Maternity & Parenting Institute and a featured Wisdom Expert for the Birth Institute. She also has a background as a Children's Ministry Leader (ages 1-4 years). She has counselled children and parents in community organisation settings as well as new parents in a large hospital setting.  Throughout her experiences with assisting parents, she has shaped her practice of assessing and coaching families to one that ultimately listens to the client and guides and counsels them to find their own solutions from a place of love and understanding.

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Kel does not claim to be an 'Expert' - the world does not need more Experts, it needs Encouragers.

Kel and her husband live on the Gold Coast with their little boy and girl.

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Kel holds a valid professional Working With Chilren's Blue Card and maintains accredited social worker status through regular professional development and supervision