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About us.

At Positive Minds Australia, we provide compassionate, consistent care through a variety of mental health and educational services. Our team comprises experienced professionals in counselling, psychology, and education, offering a broad range of services including school incursions, parent workshops, professional development sessions, and keynote speaking engagements.

We focus on practical, evidence-based tools to enhance wellbeing, resilience, confidence, and emotional intelligence. Our programs, such as character development workshops for academic success, are tailored to meet the diverse needs of individuals and institutions.

Our team is highly skilled in addressing neurodivergence—including Autism, ADHD, and learning difficulties—as well as anxiety and behavioural challenges. We are committed to ensuring that every individual we serve feels acknowledged, understood, and appreciated.

Our Director, Madhavi Nawana Parker, is a recognised leader in the field. She was recently honoured with the Global ‘Women Changing the World’ award in Education and was a finalist in the ‘Hall of Fame’ category for her more than two decades of contributions to mental health, wellbeing, and education. This accolade was announced in London in April 2023, underscoring her significant impact on the sector.

At Positive Minds Australia, we are committed to nurturing your child’s potential, helping them build a brighter, more resilient future.

Our books have reopened and our waiting list is now open:

Register Your Interest

Positive Minds Australia specialise in building confident, resilient and capable people.

Our professional development opportunities help teams reduce stress, to increase wellbeing, connection and productivity.

Keynotes and Professional Development for organisations on wellbeing, stress management, avoiding burnout and creating happier workplaces, are delivered by Madhavi Nawana Parker, Director of Positive Minds Australia. Madhavi has addressed conferences and events around Australia and overseas for over two decades.

Professional Development for schools and kindergartens on ‘Inclusive Classroom Culture’, ‘Neurodivergence in the classroom,’ and ‘How to Connect with Students to improve productivity and behaviour’ are delivered by Senior Teacher, and Workshop Facilitator, Nikki Wadewitz.

Practical workshops for young people are offered in schools and kindergartens. Topics include: How to be a pro social friend, Bullying and what to do about it, Build your resilience and wellbeing from the inside out, Social emotional literacy skills, Emotional regulation and Resilience. Led by Nikki Wadewitz, Madhavi Nawana Parker, Katie O’Reilly and a team of allied health and education professionals, these sessions use evidence based and globally published programs, ‘The Resilience and Wellbeing Toolbox’, ‘The Confident Minds Curriculum’, ‘Educator Wellbeing’ and ‘What’s the Buzz? social-emotional literacy programs,’ to help create class and school cultures of kindness, empathy, connection, social awareness, self awareness and emotional regulation.

Our skilled team offer the following services at our Unley rooms and in Schools:

Counselling for 4-18-year-olds.

Group counselling and Social – Emotional Confidence Building for 4-18 year olds.

Parent Coaching sessions with Madhavi Nawana Parker.

Behaviour Support sessions teaching emotional regulation and social confidence skills, using Role Modelling, Role Play and Counselling.

Whole Classroom Workshops for students on Emotional Regulation, Friendship Skills, Conflict Resolution, Resilience, Wellbeing, Confidence and much more. (Three to five visits per School package).

Counselling for children after family separation. Parent sessions on co parenting and blended families.

Mentoring for Autistic Teenagers and Adults.

Counselling support for disengaged high school students.

Programs offered include, ‘What’s the Buzz?’ ‘The Resilience and Wellbeing Toolbox,’ and ‘The Confident Minds Curriculum.’

Managing Director, Author, Coach and Speaker.

Madhavi Nawana Parker, Director of Positive Minds Australia, is one of Australia’s leading experts on Wellbeing and Resilience. Madhavi is known for her warm, optimistic, and compassionate attitude towards others. She is a passionate supporter of young people, their families, and schools, and as a widely published author, Madhavi’s books and programs are implemented in schools, homes, and allied health care settings around the world.

Madhavi specialises in Workplace Wellbeing, Mindset training and Parent Coaching.

Madhavi was proud to recently launch, Thriving Minds, an online wellbeing program, the first of its kind in South Australia. Thriving Minds equips Teachers, Students and Parents with practical tools to support their Mental Health, Wellbeing and Connection to each other, through an online program that fits in with the Australian Curriculum and meets the Professional Standards for Teachers. https://positivemindsaustralia.com.au/thriving-minds/

Madhavi is a regular podcast and radio guest and writes for a broad range of magazines. Madhavi can be contacted at madhavi@positivemindsaustralia.com.au

Madhavi is married with three children and lives in South Australia. Madhavi consults in Unley on a Wednesday and at other locations throughout the week.

Yet another wonderful CPD experience with Madhavi today. We are so lucky to have such an inspirational woman right here in Adelaide, championing the way to a more positive and kind future. A wealth of knowledge and experience!

Kate Ringvall

Paediatric Occupational Therapist, OTeam

Our Team of Compassionate, Big Hearted Professionals.

Children's Counsellor, James Parker standing wearing white collared shirt with arms folded.

James Parker

Child and Youth Counsellor. Senior Developmental Educator

Meet James
Our senior consultant, Nikki Wadewitz wearing black long sleeved shirt.

Nikki Wadewitz

Senior Teacher. Social Emotional Intelligence and Peer Relationships Specialist. Workshop Facilitator in Schools

Meet Nikki

Katie O'Reilly

Senior Teacher. Confidence and Social Emotional Literacy Specialist in Schools

Meet Katie

Nick Bennett

Kung Fu teacher and Workshop Energiser (School and Workplace Wellbeing)
.

Meet Nick

Millie Grant

Early Childhood Specialist and Senior Social Worker specialising in anxiety, emotional regulation and behaviour.

Meet Millie

Sam Taylor

Senior Psychologist specialising in group work and individual counselling for anxiety, mindset and emotional regulation.

Meet Sam

Lizelle Picota

Psychologist specialising in Early Childhood anxiety, emotional regulation and behaviour. She holds a Masters in Psychology and a Masters in Education and is known for her warm, gentle and compassionate approach to everyone she meets.

Chelsea Lambert

Chelsea specialises in our accounts and administration and works part time as an SSO while studying to become a teacher. Chelsea is known for her warm and genuine nature and her exceptional organisational skills and commitment to smooth account systems.

Jill Moss

Jill specialises in special projects and communications. Jill holds a Bachelor of Journalism and Communications and keeps and is known for her friendly and bubbly nature.

Story of Postive Minds Team, James and Madhavi

Where it began.

Madhavi Nawana Parker and James Parker met in 1999 at Autism SA, where Madhavi was writing and developing Social Confidence Building Programs, fresh out of studying Psychology and Counselling at University. They shared a genuine interest in finding creative and respectful ways to teach Autistic children and adults. This led to the development of a pilot program in Art therapy, utilizing Madhavi’s background in Psychology and Counselling and James’s background as a Graphic Designer and Youth Worker.

A first of its kind Art program for Autistic children and teenagers was launched and successfully delivered across South Australia in 2000. James returned to University to qualify in Developmental Education (and in 2023, James will complete a Masters in Education), pursuing his commitment to understanding and supporting neurodivergent children and adults. James continued professional work at various organisations in Developmental Education, Counselling and Family Separation.

Madhavi established her private practice in 2001 at the Behavioural Medicine Institute of Australia, extending her work to involve Schools, Organisations, Families and Young people, specialising in Resilience, Confidence, Social Emotional Intelligence and Wellbeing tools.

Positive Minds Australia was launched in 2019 in response to Madhavi’s year long waiting lists, with the aim to find other like minded professionals to serve the growing list of families and organisations waiting for services.

Enter, those who Madhavi affectionately calls, ‘the world’s best team,’ Child and Youth Counsellor and Developmental Educator, James Parker, Senior Teachers, Nikki Wadewitz and Katie O’Reilly, Early Childhood Specialist and Social Worker, Millie Grant, followed closely by Workshop Energiser and Wing-Chun Teacher, Nick Bennett. These outstanding professionals bring humility, compassion, warmth and humour to work every day, and share the Positive Minds vision of a more compassionate, connected and happy world.

The Positive Minds Australia team not only share a deep sense of meaning and purpose in our work, but we are also great friends with enormous amounts of gratitude and mutual respect for each other. Will we keep growing? Of course, but only when the time is right, so we can continue honouring the sensitive work we carry, to the highest and best standards.