Big Bear's Treehouse

03/09/2026

12/08/2026

Such an amazing resource that all children and young people and the adults who care for them should be aware of

Kids Helpline Official

Let's bust a myth. 👀
Kids Helpline counsellors aren't just good listeners, they're highly trained professionals with the qualifications, experience and ongoing training needed to support young people through life's challenges.
Whether you're 5 or 25, you can feel confident you're talking to someone who's there to listen, understand and help. 💛

06/08/2026

It’s so important that we allow our kids a fresh start.

05/08/2026

One of the greatest privileges of my work is being invited into the lives of children and families.

Over the years, I've come to believe something more and more deeply...

People don't grow because we change them.

They grow because they feel safe enough to discover who they already are.

That's what I hope Big Bear's Treehouse is always about—creating spaces where people feel safe enough to heal, connect and grow.

❤️🐻🌿

05/07/2026

This week I've found myself thinking about the pressure many parents carry.

There seems to be an expectation that we should always be teaching, entertaining, enriching or making every moment count.

But childhood has never been about perfection.

Children don't need us to be watching, talking or playing with them every minute of the day.

They also need space to play on their own, to imagine, to wonder, to become absorbed in their own little world.

And parents need space too.

To make dinner.
To fold the washing.
To have a cup of tea.
To simply catch their breath.

Perhaps it's not about trying to make every moment magical.

Perhaps it's about making sure there are enough moments where our children feel seen, safe and important.

A shared story before bed.

A giggle over breakfast.

Building a cubby on a rainy afternoon.

Sitting together watching the rain.

Listening to the endless story they've been trying to tell you.

Those moments don't have to be big.

They don't have to happen all day.

But over time, they quietly tell a child,

*"I matter."*

And I think those are the moments that help shape who they become.

💚

29/06/2026

Lately I've found myself reflecting on something that sits at the heart of everything I do.

Whether I'm working with a child, a parent, a foster carer or a family, I keep coming back to the same thought...

**Healthy relationships matter.**

Not just in childhood, but throughout our lives.

As a society, we often talk about children's behaviour, learning, development and diagnoses. Yet sometimes I wonder if we spend enough time talking about the relationships that shape all of those things.

Young children don't need perfect parents.

They don't need parents who have all the answers.

They need adults who notice them, delight in them, repair when things go wrong, laugh with them, comfort them, and help them feel safe enough to simply be children.

I also know that parenting today isn't easy. Many families are juggling work, financial pressures and the endless demands of everyday life. It's no wonder so many parents finish the day feeling exhausted.

This isn't about blame.

It's about remembering what matters.

Sometimes the most valuable moments aren't the big moments at all.

They're reading one more story.
Building a cubby together.
Sharing a giggle over dinner.
Sitting on the floor and letting your child lead the play.

Relationships are built in those ordinary moments.

As a play therapist, I have the privilege of slowing down long enough to see children. My hope is always to help the important adults in their lives slow down too, because healing and growth happen most powerfully within healthy relationships.

Perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can give our children—and each other—is simply our presence.

💚

13/06/2026

This quote from Karen Young really resonated with me.

Recently, someone shared with me that a child had been asked not to hear the word “no”.

It made me think.

Life is full of “no”.

The goal isn’t to protect children from every disappointment. The goal is to help them learn that disappointment is something they can survive.

Children need both love and limits.

Connection and boundaries.

As Karen says, children need both the limit and the love — at the same time. 💚

Karen Young - Hey Sigmund

12/06/2026

Today the play therapy community has lost one of its greatest pioneers.

It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Dr. Garry Landreth, founder of the Center for Play Therapy and author of Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship.

Garry’s work has influenced generations of play therapists around the world and, through them, countless children and families.

One of his quotes has stayed with me throughout my journey as a play therapist:

“I have discovered that when I am with children, the person I am is much more important than anything I know how to do in my mind.”

To me, those words capture the heart of therapeutic work with children. Long before techniques, interventions, or strategies comes relationship. Children heal when they experience safety, connection, acceptance, and genuine presence.

Thank you, Garry, for the legacy you leave behind and for the countless therapists, children, and families who have been touched by your work.

Your influence will continue to live on in playrooms around the world. 💚

10/06/2026

🌳 International Day of Play

One of the questions I often ask adults is:

“When was the last time you played?”

Not achieved.
Not produced.
Not performed.

Played.

Children learn through play.
Children connect through play.
Children heal through play.

Yet play is often the first thing squeezed out of childhood when life becomes busy, stressful, or difficult.

Today, on International Day of Play, let’s remember that play is not wasted time.

It is some of the most important work a child will ever do.

And perhaps, as adults, we could all benefit from a little more of it too. 💚