Karmyn Smith

I am a dedicated child and adolescent counsellor in private practice. I work with children and adolescents experiencing challenges in their behaviours and emotional regulation. I work with both diagnosed and undiagnosed neurodivergent clients, as well as an Alcohol and other drug counsellor and case manager with uniting communities in New Roads.

I am passionate about helping individuals find strategies to help them reach their full potential. As the owner of Steppingstones Wellbeing, a private counselling practice with a certificate in trauma-informed coaching, I work with co-morbidity and co-complex clients. I am committed to helping my clients understand their own mental health and well-being, along with providing education ,strategies and support for families caring for these children. My qualifications include a completed degree in the Diploma of Counselling, a certificate in early childhood autism spectrum disorder, a trauma-informed coaching certificate, and a certificate in early childhood.

I am expanding my professional development in this industry with a Bachelor of Psychology at the University of South Australia. I am also a parent of three children. Two of my children are both living on the spectrum with diagnosed ASD and ADHD. So, I understand first-hand the challenges of raising children who require different levels of needs. As a registered member of the ACA Australian Counselling Association, I uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethics in my work. My special areas are in working with families, children, and adolescents with neurodiversity, providing them with the therapeutic tools and support they need to achieve their goals. I advocate for the social inclusion of all children and adolescents living with neurodiversity in our community. I do this through my community work by collaborating with our local cinema for Stepping Stones Wellbeing to host a sensory session for children to enjoy going to movies, which will support their sensory needs of lowered sound and lighting.

I solely facilitate a parent support group; the support group is designed to offer resources and guidance to help families better understand and manage the challenges of raising neurodivergent children or children who present challenging behaviours and build on their social connections within their community. I facilitate this group once a month to support the families and children here in our local community so they don't feel isolated as we live in a regional area, and the waitlists for OT, speech, counselling, and paediatrics is quite lengthy. Parents have access to information I have gained through networking with both our local and online communities, along with my own personal resources and strategies to help support parents.

I am passionate about assisting children and families of all ages, helping them find their voice, and advocating for them in our community and schools. I love my community and supporting families and children with non-diagnosed or diagnosed neurodiversity..