At Playful Minds, we are trained to understand the deeper meaning behind a child’s play and to respond in ways that help them process difficult emotions, build self-esteem, develop coping skills, and strengthen their ability to relate to others.
I’m Renee, a child therapist on the Sunshine Coast, and the founder of Playful Minds. I support children aged 3–12 through evidence‑based play therapy and child‑centred approaches.
Renee has over two decades of experience supporting children and families through her work as an inclusive education teacher, author, wellbeing consultant, and integrative play therapist. Her training spans multiple modalities – including Humanistic Play Therapy, Systematic Play Therapy, and Learn to Play which allows her to tailor each treatment plan to your child’s unique personality, developmental stage, and emotional needs. Rather than following a single method, Renee draws from a rich therapeutic toolkit to offer flexible, child-led support that meets children right where they are. Her work is guided by a deep respect for each child’s inner world and the healing potential of play.
Renee holds a Master of Child Play Therapy, a Graduate Certificate in Positive Psychology and a Bachelor of Education (Special Education). She is an APPTA Registered Play Therapist (TM), a Learn to Play Practitioner, and a Facilitator of LEGO®-Based Therapy.
She has also been known (depending on the day and the storyline) to be an astronaut, a mermaid, a dragon tamer, and a super hero sidekick – as imagined by the children she has had the joy of playing alongside.
Her inner child is never far away – especially when it’s time to host an elaborate tea party with teddy bear guests and endless refills of imaginary tea….
What Renee can offer:
- Play Therapy for children – ages 3-12 (Sunshine Coast)
- Emotional regulation and early intervention support
- Parent consultations with positive behaviour support strategies
- Clinical play observations and naturalistic play assessments
- Pretend play assessments
- Early education observations and assessments
- Case consultations for early childhood providers/organisations
- Capacity building supports for NDIS plan-managed and self-managed participants