About Mindful Directions
Debbie Kenwright – Educational Psychologist
MA EdPsych (Hons), PGdEdDevPsych (Merit), NZPB Registered, NZPS
Educational Psychologist, Debbie Kenwright has worked in the education sector since 2011 and before that she worked as a social worker supporting youth and adolescents where were placed in care and protection of MSD. She has been a psychologist since 2020 and now works with children, their families, and teachers to best meet children’s unique educational and social needs. Her work with such a diverse range of children, young people, and their families over the years, in a wide variety of settings and situations, uniquely equips her to understand the demands made on children and adolescents, both psychologically in the world and in terms of their learning demands, through a trauma lens.
What Mindful Directions does
Mindful Directions provide a range of psychological and academic assessments, focusing on your child’s developmental, educational, social/emotional, behavioural, and vocational needs.
To further support teachers and schools, Debbie delivers professional development workshops to educators; providing them with information and strategies they can use to improve learning outcomes for their students.
Mindful Directions also run anxiety programmes for children and parents; helping children and their families learn more about anxiety and giving them practical skills, they can use to manage their anxiety better.
How Mindful Directions help children
Throughout the assessment process, Debbie works with your child, family, teachers, and wider support network to understand why your child may be struggling. She then provides evidence-based recommendations to better manage your child’s individual needs in a way that helps them to thrive.
Through her teacher-training workshops, Debbie works with teachers to strengthen their competence and confidence in the classroom, giving them best practice and evidence-based professional development in areas ranging from child’s social and emotional development and positive behaviour management, through to Dyslexia, ADHD and Autism.
The ‘Cool Kids Anxiety Programme’ and the ‘Triple P Fearless Anxiety Programme’ are designed as family intervention programmes; where parents and families learn about anxiety and develop skills for reducing its impact on their child and family. The ‘Cool Kids Anxiety Programme’ uses child and parent participation, whereas the ‘Triple P Fearless Anxiety Programme’ asks parents to attend sessions where they learn ways to support their child to manage their anxiety.
Where the assessments take place
All assessments are undertaken in the Albany office of Mindful Directions or in the family home by arrangement.
In-home and in-school observations are available within the Auckland North Shore and Hibiscus Coast areas from Northcote to Warkworth, including Birkenhead, Birkdale, Beach
Haven, Glenfield, Takapuna, Milford, Browns Bay, Torbay, Long Bay, Whangaparāoa, Gulf Harbour, Red Beach, Silverdale, Orewa, Waiwera, Puhoi, Mahurangi, Algies Bay, Snells Beach and Sandspit.
All professional development workshops take place online.
Anxiety programmes are typically delivered online or can be face to face by arrangement.
The atmosphere Debbie creates
Debbie takes the time to understand your needs and tailors her services to best meet them.
She talks with you via a 15-minute consultation before undertaking any assessments or professional development workshops with you, to establish your areas of concern and ideal desired outcomes.
Your child’s needs and your referral questions are foremost in her mind as she works through the assessment process with your child. She continues to consult you every step of the way, including seeking your consent before speaking with your child’s wider support network of teachers and professionals, and seeking your feedback before finalising her report.
In her online professional development workshops, Debbie limits the number of attendees and allocates time within her presentation for question-and-answer sessions; ensuring teachers leave with information and strategies they can put into practice in their own classrooms.
We would love you to know
Debbie has an article published about mindfulness programmes in schools. You can read it here! Debbie Kenwright, Tara McLaughlin & Sally Hansen (2021) Teachers’ perspectives about mindfulness programmes in primary schools to support wellbeing and positive behaviour, International Journal of Inclusive Education.
Email Debbie today to discuss your concerns and make a plan.
Services
· Educational Psychology Assessments
· Professional Development for teachers
· Anxiety programmes for children and their families
This is a mobile service.
Services
· Educational Psychology Assessments
· Professional Development for teachers
· Anxiety programmes for children and their families
