Our Approach

At Family Minded, we look beyond the behaviour itself.

We aim to understand the person in context — including development, neurotype, relationships, environment, stress, skills and current capacity.

Our approach is family-centred, neurodiversity-affirming and developmentally informed. We focus on understanding what is happening, identifying what support is needed, and building sustainable skills and confidence over time.

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Understanding before changing

Behaviour is information.

Rather than focusing only on how to stop a behaviour, we ask:

• What is contributing to this?

• What is the person communicating?

• Is the demand greater than their current capacity?

• What support or environmental change may help?

• What skills can be built over time?

This helps us move away from blame and toward a more useful understanding of what is happening.

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Neurodiversity-affirming practice

We recognise autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental differences as part of human diversity.

Our work is not about making someone appear more neurotypical or prioritising compliance over understanding.

We focus on:

• recognising strengths and support needs

• supporting regulation and wellbeing

• reducing unnecessary mismatch between the person and their environment

• building self-understanding and self-advocacy

• developing practical strategies that fit the individual

• supporting participation without forcing conformity.

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Family-centred care

Children and young people do not develop in isolation.

Families, schools, relationships and everyday environments all influence how someone is coping.

That is why our work may include individual therapy, parent or carer consultations, family counselling, school collaboration and consultation with other professionals.

Sometimes the most effective way to support a child is to work with the adults around them.

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Support and skill-building

Support is not the opposite of growth.

Sometimes a person needs more support because stress, overload or developmental demands are exceeding their current capacity. At other times, they may be ready to practise new skills, tolerate manageable challenge or take greater responsibility.

Our aim is to find the right balance between supporting now and building for later.

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Working collaboratively

We see formulation and treatment planning as a collaborative process.

We bring psychological knowledge and clinical experience, while clients and families bring essential knowledge about their own lives, strengths, needs and priorities.

Where appropriate, we also work with schools, GPs, paediatricians, allied health professionals and other services to build a more coordinated understanding.

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Practical, not just theoretical

Understanding matters, but it also needs to translate into everyday life.

We focus on practical changes that can be used at home, school, work and in relationships.

The goal is greater understanding, stronger connection, improved wellbeing and more sustainable ways of managing challenges over time.

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Evidence-informed and flexible

Our psychologists draw from a range of evidence-based and psychologically informed approaches, depending on the person, their goals and presenting needs.

These may include:

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Schema Therapy

• psychodynamic-informed approaches

• Collaborative & Proactive Solutions

• trauma-informed approaches.

 

A number of our psychologists are also undertaking formal training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) alongside their existing therapeutic approaches.

We do not apply one model to everyone. Therapy is adapted to the person’s developmental stage, neurotype, strengths, preferences and circumstances.

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Our Values

Our values guide how we work with clients, families, colleagues and the wider community.

Celebrate diversity
We honour different perspectives, identities and lived experiences.

Integrity
We build trust through honesty, responsibility and professional accountability.

Collaboration
We believe better outcomes are achieved when people work together.

Curiosity
We seek to understand each person’s experience rather than making assumptions.

Compassion
We approach relationships with sensitivity, respect and care.

Creativity
We recognise that complex challenges often need flexible and thoughtful solutions.

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USB — Understand • Support • Build

Our USB — Understand • Support • Build framework reflects much of this approach.

It encourages families and professionals to:

• Understand what is happening beneath behaviour and what may be affecting capacity.

• Support the person in ways that reduce unnecessary stress and help them access their skills.

• Build skills, confidence and independence gradually when the person has capacity to stretch.

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