SUNSHINCE CIRCLES® TRAINERS

Melita Bond is a Certified Group Theraplay ® Specialist and Trainer with 20 years of Social Work experience within the community sector in Perth and regional Victoria.  She has provided support to individuals and families, as well as over 15 years of leadership and supervision experience, within a range of roles across the sector including Family Services and the last 10 years within Early Years programs. Melita delivers Sunshine Circles ® groups in kindergarten settings, working closely with and coaching educators.  She enjoys working collaboratively with other services and educational settings to provide holistic support to children and families to enhance positive and sustainable outcomes. She is passionate about building meaningful, connected relationships with children and families, and feels privileged to do this work every day. 

Kathryn Lewer, B App Sci (Occupational Therapy),Grad Dip Ed,is a registered Mental Health Occupational Therapist and Expressive Therapist. Kate is a Certified Theraplay® Practitioner, Trainer and Supervisor and is on the Australian Advisory Board to The Theraplay Institute in Chicago. Kate has some 30 years mental health experience having worked in Bushfire Recovery, domestic &family violence, foster/adopt and Indigenous communities. Kate was initially inspired to integrate Theraplay® after participating in one of the first Theraplay® Trainings in Australia conducted by Dr Phyllis Rubin in 2005. Kate incorporated Theraplay in her work immediately and since then has worked tirelessly promoting Theraplay in Australia. Kate is passionate about the importance of attachment in the parent/child relationship to experience joy and prevent mental health and intergenerational dysfunction. Kate strongly believes healthy attachment is the foundation for social, emotional and cognitive development. Kate is equally passionate about supporting parents, teaching others and sharing her wisdom. Kate continues to inspire practitioners to integrate Theraplay® into their practice and is training and supervising practitioners inAustralia and overseas to spread Theraplay®. Kate has also actively promoted Group Theraplay®in Schools, Kindergartens and Parent Education Sessions. In 2017 Kate and Nexus partnered with Ben Monaghan from Compass Seminars Australia which has enabled Theraplay training to be offered widely throughout Australia. In late 2017, Kate was certified as a Trainer and in 2019 delivered the first Australian Level 1 trainings in the Gold Coast, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and Townsville. Kate currently works at Nexus Primary Health Inc. in rural Victoria, Australia as a Practitioner and Theraplay Coordinator and is excited about building the network of Australasian Theraplay® practitioners to support one another and further develop Theraplay® in Australasia. 

Alison Saxton (PhD, B. Psych (Hons) MAPS) is a registered psychologist with over 15 years experience working in the child trauma field with health, statutory and non-government organisations. Alison is a Certified Theraplay® Therapist, Trainer and Supervisor-in-training. Alison works with children and parents/carers from out of home care, adoption, reunification and child protection contexts. Informed by trauma and attachment theories, she has integrated Theraplay® into her practice to provide reparative relational experiences in the treatment of child abuse and neglect. Alison also provides professional supervision and consultation and is a lecturer in post graduate psychology programs at two Sydney universities.