Welcome

Child-Centred Sydney is a specialist counselling practice for children aged 3 to 10 and girls between 11 and 16 years old. Based in North Narrabeen, on the northern beaches of Sydney.

This service can help children who are struggling with social, emotional or behavioural difficulties that affect their wellbeing or ability to learn and grow optimally.

Frequent concerns

• Anxiety, depression, stress and low mood.
• Common childhood problems and concerns (e.g. emotional dysregulation; poor social skills; behavioural issues; bullying and low self-esteem).
• Trauma (e.g. medical, relational or developmental).
• Grief and loss, including parent separation and family breakdown.
• Communication difficulties (e.g. struggling to express thoughts, feelings and emotions).
• Adjustment to life events (e.g. parent separation; birth of sibling; starting school or moving house away from family and friends).

Founder Alejandra Hayes specialises in child-centred play therapy, activity therapy and person-centred counselling. Her practice is evidence-based and trauma-informed. She uses a developmental lens, with a strong foundation in modern attachment theory and interpersonal neurobiology. 

While Ale’s work with teenagers may draw from solution-focused, cognitive behavioural and sand tray therapeutic modalities, her primary clinical approach is rooted in person-centred theory. 

NOTE: Play therapy is a highly effective complementary treatment for neurodiverse children, as they tend to have concurrent emotional problems. Children don’t need to be verbal to benefit from play therapy.