Child Psychologist Sunshine Coast

Children don't always have the words for what's going on. What looks like difficult behaviour or big emotional outbursts is often a child trying to manage something they don't yet have the tools for.

Seeing a child psychologist isn't about something being wrong with your child. It's about giving them the right support, at the right time, in a way that makes sense to them. That might be through play, through activity, or just through talking. Whatever helps them feel safe enough to open up.

Who this helps: Families with children and teenagers dealing with anxiety, big emotions, behaviour challenges, low confidence, friendship troubles, school stress, sleep problems, or the effects of family change. Parents are actively involved throughout. Progress happens between sessions too, not just during them.

What a child psychologist can help with

Child therapy can be useful for a wide range of concerns, including:

Big emotions — meltdowns, trouble calming down, emotional sensitivity
Behaviour challenges — defiance, aggression, or behaviour that's hard to manage at home or school
Low confidence — a child who's become withdrawn, self-critical, or scared to try new things
Friendship troubles — trouble making or keeping friends, feeling left out or misunderstood
Life changes — separation or divorce, a new sibling, moving schools, grief and loss
School stress — reluctance to attend, pressure that's become too much
Sleep — bedtime worries, night waking, nightmares
Strain between you and your child — when the relationship is under pressure and you want help rebuilding it

If your child is dealing with anxiety or OCD, or has recently been diagnosed with ADHD or autism, we have dedicated pages for those too.

How sessions work

For younger children, play is the natural language of therapy. It lets them explore and express what's going on without having to sit across from someone and explain how they feel. That might mean structured activities, sandplay, storytelling, art, or simply playing alongside them until trust builds.

Older kids and teens usually prefer to talk. Sessions are shaped around what works for your child, not the other way round.

Meet Dean — your child psychologist in Maroochydore

Dean Neighbour is the Principal Psychologist at Neighbourhood Psychology. BPsychSci(Hons), MPsych(Clin), and before psychology, 13 years as an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force.

Kids tend to warm to Dean because he's calm, straight-talking and doesn't fuss. Parents tell us the same thing. There's no clipboard-across-the-room energy here. Just someone who takes your child seriously and meets them where they are. About Dean

Parents are part of the work

Most families who come to us are doing everything right. They're engaged, caring parents who've found that what usually works has stopped working. That's not failure. That's a signal.

Sometimes parents attend with their child. Sometimes separately. Sometimes a parent-only session is the best place to start, especially if your child isn't keen on the idea yet. We'll work out what makes sense for your family.

If the whole family is part of the picture, we also offer family therapy.

Working with schools

With your consent, we can liaise with teachers and school counsellors so home and school are pulling in the same direction. For kids struggling in the classroom, this is often the single most useful thing we do.

Wondering about ADHD, autism or a learning difficulty?

Sometimes therapy raises bigger questions. If assessment becomes part of the picture, we do that here too — ADHD assessments, autism assessments using the ADOS-2, and learning assessments. No starting again with a new practice. No re-telling your child's story from scratch.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my child needs therapy?

If you've noticed a change in your child's behaviour, mood or wellbeing that's been ongoing for more than a few weeks, or that's affecting their daily life, school or relationships, it's worth getting a professional opinion. You don't need to wait until things are at a crisis point. Early support tends to produce better outcomes.

Do parents attend sessions with their child?

This depends on the child's age and what we're working on. For younger children, parents are usually closely involved. For older children and teens, we'll discuss what level of parental involvement makes sense. Parent-only sessions are sometimes the most useful place to start.

What age children do you see?

We work with children from early primary school age through to adolescence. If you're unsure whether we're a good fit for your child's age or presentation, just get in touch and we'll let you know.

Do I need a referral?

No referral is needed to book an appointment. If you'd like to access Medicare rebates through a Mental Health Care Plan, a GP referral is required. We can walk you through this process.

My child doesn't want to come. What should I do?

This is very common, especially with older children and teens. It's often helpful to start with a parent-only session so we can discuss the situation and think together about how to approach it. Forcing reluctant attendance rarely helps — but there are usually ways to make the idea of coming feel less daunting.

What does a child psychologist do?

A child psychologist helps children understand and manage feelings and behaviour that have become too big to handle alone. With younger kids that mostly happens through play and activity rather than sitting and talking. Parents are involved throughout, so what happens in the room carries through to home and school.

How much does seeing a child psychologist cost?

Session fees are listed on our fees page. Medicare rebates are available with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, and we can walk you through how that works.