Hello and welcome!
I'm so glad you're here.
​
Reaching out for support can feel like a big step, whether you're a parent trying to understand your child's behaviour, a young person navigating life's challenges, or an adult beginning to make sense of experiences that have followed you for years.
At Thriving Young Minds, my goal is to create a space where people feel genuinely understood. Rather than asking, "What's wrong?", I start by asking, "What might this be telling us?"
Behaviour, emotions and nervous system responses all have meaning, and together we work to understand what they are communicating.
​
I work with children, adolescents and adults across a range of emotional, behavioural and developmental concerns, with particular experience supporting anxiety, OCD, emotional regulation, Autism and ADHD. I also provide comprehensive Autism and ADHD assessments for children, adolescents and adults.
My approach is neuroaffirming, trauma-informed and grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Therapy is always tailored to the individual. For children, this often means using creative, visual and play-based approaches that match how they naturally learn and communicate. For adolescents and adults, sessions are collaborative, reflective and practical, helping build insight while developing strategies that can be applied in everyday life.
​
For parents, therapy is rarely about simply managing behaviour. Instead, I work alongside families to better understand their child's unique brain, nervous system and environment, so that responses at home feel more connected, more confident and more sustainable. Where helpful, I also work collaboratively with schools and other professionals to create consistency across the environments that matter most to a child.
My hope is that every person who walks through the clinic leaves with a clearer understanding of themselves or the people they love, along with practical tools that help life feel just that little bit easier.
Meet Rachel
Rachel Richardson
Registered Psychologist
B. A Psychology (Honours), Master Professional Psychology
​
For more than 15 years, Rachel has worked alongside children, young people and families, helping them better understand the emotional, behavioural and developmental challenges they face. Her career has spanned youth and family services, education and private practice, providing a depth of experience that continues to shape the way she approaches therapy today.
​
Rachel is a registered psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and works with children, adolescents and adults. She has extensive experience supporting individuals experiencing anxiety, OCD, emotional dysregulation and school-related challenges, as well as those exploring or navigating neurodivergence, including Autism and ADHD.
Rachel also provides comprehensive Autism and ADHD assessments for children, adolescents and adults.
​
Rachel believes meaningful change begins with understanding. She works collaboratively with children, families and schools to make sense of behaviours, emotions and patterns that may feel confusing or overwhelming, helping everyone develop a shared understanding of what is happening and why.
​
Parents are an important part of the therapeutic process. Rachel enjoys supporting families to better understand their child's unique profile while providing practical, evidence-informed strategies that can be confidently used at home and, where appropriate, in partnership with schools and other professionals.
​
Families often describe Rachel as warm, thoughtful and easy to talk to. She values building genuine relationships and creating a safe, collaborative space where children, young people and adults feel understood, supported and empowered to move towards the life that matters most to them.
​
​
​
​
