psychologists, functional medicine certified health coach, heartmath certified health professional
Ros Nealon-Cook, was untill 2021 a Registered Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia, a licensed Medicare provider, Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, HeartMath Certified Health Professional and founder of Integrated Kids.
Due to her stance on calling out the government for the damage being done to childrens mental health by the lockdown she was deregistered by a kangaroo court for reasons that have not been communicated to her at the time of writing this.
Ros has over 15 years experience working with children, youth and their families in a variety of settings including private practice, schools and non-profits. Being qualified in both Psychology & Functional Medicine enables me to work with clients from a fully integrated perspective, considering all the aspects of a young person’s life which fit together like a puzzle that makes up their mental health.
She LOVES meeting new people and learning new things. She is especially passionate about following the latest research in psychology, epigenetics and functional medicine .. often staying up way too late checking out the latest journal articles.
Beyond the world of work, she is “Mum” to a gorgeously spirited and highly sensitive daughter who brings a whole layer of beauty and craziness to my time on this planet. Without question she teaches me something new every single day. She is also a keen swimmer who loves to travel (let’s hope we can again soon). My idea of heaven would be sitting around a campfire under the stars, laughing with friends.
Ros is passionate about helping families who are navigating the joys and challenges of neurodiversity, helping parents manage the overwhelm and enabling kids to enjoy their childhood and be the best versions of themselves possible.
Her areas of special interest are Health Psychology, ADHD, Autism, epigenetics, trauma, anxiety, attachment issues, mindfulness and biofeedback to name but a few!
She has received specialised training in multiple evidence-based psychological modalities including:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): a form of therapy based on the idea that psychological pain results from continued avoidance of experience. Instead of focusing on “changing” thoughts or emotions, ACT includes acceptance, exploration of values and commitment to action as focuses of treatment. Grounded in Mindfulness theory.
Mindfulness: a practice that helps people learn to slow down and observe different parts of their being such as sensory data, as well as thoughts and emotions from a neutral, more objective viewpoint. A fast-growing body of research supports regular mindfulness practise providing multiple benefits including stress management, emotional regulation, increased concentration, improved immune function as well as a more positive outlook on life.
Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback (HRV BF): an approach that educates people about their body’s physiology to stress and which is harnessed to improve focus and increase emotional wellbeing. Research demonstrates that different patterns of heart activity are communicated directly to the brain which then impact our thoughts and behaviours either positive or negatively. A non-intrusive ear sensor provides a window into the quality of these heart-brain communications as well a platform from which to learn and practise emotional balancing and resilience-building techniques.
The Attachment, Regulation & Competency Framework (ARC): a program developed for children and youth who have experienced complex trauma, along with their caregiving systems. ARC’s foundation is built upon four key areas of study: normative childhood development, traumatic stress, attachment, risk and resilience. The program works on developing key skills and competencies which are routinely shown to be negatively affected by traumatic stress and attachment disruptions.
Motivational Interviewing (MI): an approach focusing on engaging and encouraging “intrinsic” motivation within a person in order to facilitate behaviour change. In other words, seeking a reason for change that is true for the client, rather than trying to force the will of others who may want to see this change such as parents, teachers or even partners.
Cognitive Affective Training (CAT): a method developed for helping inspire and structure conversations regarding thoughts, emotions and behaviour using specifically designed visual tools, known as the CAT-KIT. The CAT-KIT is particularly useful for children who are still developing emotional literacy as the additional visual element makes conversations not only more accessible, but frequently, a lot of fun too.