Want to know a secret? Working with young people is so much fun! They are funny, dynamic and oh so observant. Most therapists have no idea how fun and rewarding it is to work with children and teens, but - shhhh - don't tell them. I want to work with them all mwha-ha-ha-ha. I know how to listen when kids talk - not just through their words but through their actions, play, dreams and interactions. I find patterns in what they say and do, and help them make connections to themes running through their lives. It's not usually the new teacher, the school formal, or the driving test that is the problem - these issues most often stem from a deeper message our young people have learnt about themselves in relationship with others. Can I let you in on another secret? This same pattern is usually what most grown-ups encounter too. I really enjoy working with adults to discover their self-image and their relational patterns. Life happens in relationship with others. Figuring out your patterns and working to shift the less healthy or helpful ones is a rewarding outcome of the therapeutic process. My therapy dog, Hugo, joins me in Red Hill on Mondays and is usually at my feet during telehealth sessions. Linda Anderson Clinical Psychology Registrar