Professional Therapy and Support Services
At Nurturing Therapy SA, we provide specialist Play Therapy, Education, and Mentoring services for children with additional needs and NDIS plans. We take the time to get to know each family and their situation, so we can provide the required care and support to improve each individual's outcomes.
Located in Mawson Lakes, we offer services to the local area and northern suburbs of Adelaide. We can provide therapy support to children in our clinic, at their home or in their educational environment.
All staff have an up-to-date DHS Working With Children Check (WWCC) and a Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide Clearance.
From 2026, we will also be offering Counselling and Developmental Educator services.
What is Play Therapy?
Play Therapy provides a safe space for children to communicate with others, express feelings, modify behaviours, develop problem-solving skills, and learn a variety of ways to relate to others, all through the power of play. Play Therapy is a child-centred, non-directive approach, where each child has the flexibility to explore and express themselves.
At Nurturing Therapy, we hold each child in the highest regard and support them as they progress through their therapeutic journey. During this therapeutic journey, children develop the ability to express emotions, enhance their communication skills, modify behaviour, discover problem-solving skills, and process their inner thoughts and lived experiences.
We support children 2-10 years of age who are experiencing: grief and loss, separation and divorce, anxiety and childhood depression, attachment concerns, school difficulties, trauma, situational mutism, peer relationships, sibling conflict, and self-esteem and identity issues. We also support neurodivergent individuals.
Our Staff
At Nurturing Therapy, we have highly experienced staff, who cater to individuals with a range of differing needs.
Kate Love
Director & Play Therapist
Kate has worked in education and allied health for over 20 years and is passionate about improving the quality of care for people with additional needs. Kate specialises in Play Therapy, tailoring therapeutic interventions to suit each child's needs and goals, which can be provided in our clinic, within the home, school, preschool and/or childcare centre.
Kate's services:
Play Therapy
Kate's qualifications:
Master of Education (Leadership)
Master of Counselling (in progress)
Graduate Certificate in Play Therapy Studies
Graduate Certificate in Education (Early Childhood Leadership)
Bachelor of Education (Junior Primary & Primary)
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
Kate's additional courses / training:
Level 1 Theraplay & MI
Working with Attachment: Safe, Seen and Soothed
Intro To Synergetic Play Therapy
Neurodiversity Affirming Practice for Paediatric Allied Health Professionals
Anxiety & Autism
Supporting Autistic Girls & Gender Diverse Students at School & Beyond
Introduction to Family Centred Practice
Trauma Responsive Practice - Education
Basic Key Word Sign
Parenting PDA: Through Neuroscience & Compassion
Children's Self-Regulation
DIRFloortime 101
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)
Kate's registration & membership:
Play Therapy Practitioners Association
Teachers Registration Board of South Australia
Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (student)
Australian Counselling Association (student)
Dr Tom Putnam
Educator & Mentor
Tom Putnam is a registered teacher, mentor, musician, personal trainer and fitness enthusiast who is passionate about supporting people from diverse backgrounds to improve their skills, confidence and outcomes.
Tom has taught Reception to Year 12, as well as at university, and completed a PhD focusing on social justice in education. For the last 20 years, Tom has worked with Aboriginal students and their families, as well as with children in care, students with additional needs and from trauma backgrounds. Tom has won the Nova Teacher of the Year award, an SA Government Public Education Award, and has supported numerous students to complete their SACE and progress into positive pathways.
Tom can provide support to children, young people and adults within the NDIS Capacity Building category, such as educator, mentoring, skill development & training, as well as transition through school and to further education.
Tom's services:
Education
Mentoring & Skill Development
Developmental Education (from 2026)
Tom's qualifications:
PhD (Education)
Master of Education
Master of Autism and Neurodivergent Studies (in progress)
Bachelor of Education
Diploma of Music
Certificates 3 & 4 in Fitness
Tom's additional courses / training & assessments:
Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT)
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales
WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0)
Life Skills Profile - 16 (LSP-16) Assessment
Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS)
Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS)
Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Children & Adolescents (HoNOSCA)
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)
Provide First Aid (HLTAID011)
Financial Literacy
Management of Actual or Potential Aggression (MAPA) training
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Safety Training
Working Together - Cultural Awareness Introduction
Introduction to supporting gender diverse, intersex and sexually diverse children and young people
An Introduction to Regulation
Protective Practices training
Berry St Education Model Leadership Program (trauma informed practice)
Mental Health First Aid training
Interoception training
Child Protection Curriculum training
SACE Community Learning Assessor
Tom's registration & membership:
Teachers Registration Board of South Australia
Developmental Educators Australia Inc. (student)
