The team of psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists at Relational Minds Child and Family Mental Health Clinic have supported children, adolescents and adults experiencing mental illness with a range of family therapy-based mental health services since 2019.
Director, General Paediatrician and Child and Family Psychiatrist, Dr Alberto Veloso established Relational Minds with the hope that he could help to connect children with their parents and caregivers and promote emotional growth through their relationships.
Taking a collaborative and holistic approach to child psychology and mental health care starts with providing a child’s parents and caregivers with the tools and strategies they need for effective emotional communication with their child.
As part of that ongoing strategy to create effective parent/child emotional engagement, Dr Veloso has shared the details of five books he rates highly, and suggests parents and caregivers should read.
No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame
Written by Janet Lansbury, certified Parent/Infant Guidance Class instructor, podcaster and author, this book is a must for parents of toddlers. It is a great example of how a parent can create emotional safety for their child through setting limits. The lessons within are very adaptable to older kids who still have toddler brains at times.
Brain-Based Parenting: The Neuroscience of Caregiving for Healthy Attachment
Written by Daniel A. Hughes and Jonathan Baylin, Dr Veloso describes Dan Hughes as the father of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, a principle that forms the basis of many Relational Minds’ parenting programs. In this book Hughes and Baylin help parents understand what is happening in their child’s brain, and what to do to be able to connect with them on an emotional level, thereby helping to heal their traumas.
Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child
Written by John Gottman Ph.D for parents of children of all ages, Dr Veloso describes this book as one of the first books that got him interested in Child Psychiatry. This book talks about how to understand your children so you can coach them to regulate their emotional world thereby improving their self-confidence, school performance, physical health and social relationships.
No-Drama Discipline
Subtitled “The Whole-Brain Way To Calm The Chaos And Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind”, this is another excellent read from prolific author Dan Siegel. Dan Siegel has written so many books but this one stands out to Dr Veloso. He describes it as a brain-based method of implementing discipline and nurturing your child through difficult times.
Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain
Another top read by best-selling author Dan Siegel, Dr Veloso describes this as one of the only books that delves in and discusses the turmoil that goes on inside a teenager’s brain. A must-read for parents of teens.
Expanding your parenting knowledge and skills with help from these expert authors is a great way to support your family therapy sessions with Relational Minds.
If you’re struggling to connect with your young person who is experiencing a mental illness, contact our Sunbury or Mildura mental health clinics for an appointment today.
