About Better You HQ Therapy & Counselling Clinic

Hiya, I'm Prue. Meeting someone new to talk about personal stuff? Yeah… that can feel a bit awkward. So here’s what you should know before you come in...

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I’m Basically an Emotions Coach

Think of me like a sports coach — but for your brain.

 

A coach helps you build skills, handle pressure, improve confidence and learn better strategies. That’s what I do — just with things like stress, anxiety, big emotions, overthinking, confidence, friendships, and family stuff.

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You’re not here because you’re “broken”—there's nothing wrong with you. In fact, I’d bet there’s a whole lot that’s right about you. You’re simply here to build some extra tools and skills to help you handle life a little more confidently.

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What Actually Happens in Sessions?

It’s not lying on a couch (move about if you want!). It’s not being judged (just acceptance!). And it’s definitely not me lecturing you (no one wants that!).

 

If anything, it’s the opposite. I believe kids and teens already have a lot of the answers — sometimes no one has just slowed down enough to ask or work it out with them. Sessions are about collaborating, not being talked at.

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No grades. No pressure. No perfect answers required. Most sessions look like:

• talking things through

• understanding what’s happening in your brain

• spotting patterns (like anxiety spirals or big reactions)

• testing strategies that actually work

• using games or activities to practise skills

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You’re In Control (aka Boss!)

You get a say in what we work on. You don’t have to:

• share everything straight away

• have the “right” words

• talk about something you’re not ready for​

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We Work as a Team

You’re not doing this alone. Your parents or carers are part of the team too — not in our sessions (they are just for you), and not to spy on you, but to help support what you’re working on outside of sessions.
 

The truth is, kids don’t come with instruction manuals (and parents don’t either). Sometimes that means they learn new skills as well or make a few changes at home. Everyone is kind of figuring it out as they go.

So if we’re building new tools for you, sometimes we build a few for them too — so things work better all round​​.

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What About Privacy?

What you talk about with me is private. That means I don’t go and repeat everything to your parents. If there’s something you don’t want shared, we talk about that.
 

The only time I would need to share something is if:

• you’re at serious risk of being hurt

• you’re planning to seriously hurt yourself

• you’re planning to seriously hurt someone else
   

That’s about safety — not getting you in trouble.

If something ever needs to be shared, we talk about it together first. No surprises.

My goal is to build trust — not break it​.

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Quick Brain Fact

Your brain is still developing — especially the part that manages emotions, decision-making, and impulse control. So if things feel intense sometimes, that’s not weakness. It’s biology.

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A Few Things About Me

Firstly, I’m someone in your corner. You don’t need to impress me. We’ll take it one step at a time.

Some other things about me:

• I’m a Mansfield local and a mum of two young adults — so yes, I’ve survived the rollercoaster of growing up (and lived to tell the tale). Safe to say, I know a thing or two about the ups, downs, eye-rolls, and “it’s fine” moments — and I genuinely care about helping young people figure things out.

• I’m slightly obsessed (understatement!) with how brains work.

• I drink too much coffee. I'm trying to drink more water, but it hasn't happened yet.

• I’m learning golf because the golf course is basically in my backyard… which means I don’t really have an excuse not to practise. Let’s just say it’s teaching me a lot about patience (and how to laugh at myself!)

• When I worked in a school, the kids used to call me Mrs Lobster instead of Mrs Longstaff. It all started when one very cute Prep couldn’t quite pronounce my last name — and somehow the nickname just stuck! I even have a giant lobster onesie!

• Kids and teens tell me I’m one of the kindest (and actually helpful) adults they’ve met — which I’ll happily take as a five-star review.​​​

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You don’t have to have it all sorted — we’ll figure it out together, one step (and probably one laugh) at a time.

Warm regards,

Prue