Services

Play Therapy

Play Therapy offers children and young people a safe, non-judgmental space to express and process their experiences through play. Using creative, play-based approaches, we help children who may struggle to put their feelings into words — including non-verbal children — to communicate, explore, and heal.

Suitable for: Children and teenagers Available: In person (Surrey & South London) | Online

Family Therapy

Our family therapy sessions take a systemic, whole-family approach — exploring how family relationships, patterns, and dynamics shape each member's experience. Rooted in attachment-informed and trauma-informed principles, we work collaboratively with families to understand challenges and build on strengths together.

Suitable for: Families with children and teenagers Available: In person (Surrey & South London) | Online

Parent Support Groups

Navigating a child's neurodiversity assessment or diagnosis can feel overwhelming. Our specialist parent support groups provide a space to connect with other families on a similar journey — sharing experiences, building understanding, and developing practical strategies for home and school.

Available: In person (Surrey & South London) | Online

Training

We provide tailored training for schools, education staff, foster carers, social workers, and other professionals. Topics include:

  • Attachment and child development

  • Trauma-informed practice

  • Neurodiversity awareness and behavioural support

  • Play therapy techniques

  • Supporting neurodivergent children in educational settings

Available: In person (Surrey & South London) | Online

Areas of Specialism

We have particular expertise in supporting children, young people, and families affected by:

  • Neurodiversity & autism — including assessment journeys, post-diagnosis support, and strategies for neurodivergent families

  • Trauma & attachment — trauma-informed work, disrupted attachment, neglect, and abuse

  • Anxiety & emotional wellbeing — anxiety, low mood, emotional dysregulation, and self-harm

  • Behavioural support — understanding and responding to challenging behaviour at home and school

Meet Carmen

I'm Carmen Nel, a qualified Social Worker and Play Therapist with over 24 years of experience supporting children, young people, and families. My career has taken me across statutory services, CAMHS, private fostering, and school-based emotional wellbeing — and throughout, my focus has remained the same: helping children and families feel seen, supported, and understood.

I work creatively and relationally, using play-based and nature-based approaches that allow even the youngest or most non-verbal children to express their inner world. I'm trained in Systemic Family Therapy, and everything I do is grounded in systemic, attachment-informed, and trauma-informed principles.

I'm registered with Social Work England, an Associate Member of Play Therapy UK, and I hold an enhanced DBS check. I am fluent in both English and Afrikaans.

Qualifications & Memberships:

  • Registered with Social Work England

  • Associate Member, Play Therapy UK (PTUK)

  • Student Member, Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT)

  • Trained to Intermediate level in Systemic Family Therapy

  • Enhanced DBS checked

  • Fluent in English and Afrikaans

Meet Awie

I'm Awie Nel, a software engineer with over two decades of experience delivering technology solutions across fintech, banking, and beyond. I've led engineering teams in the banking industry and at a fintech startup, and I've had the privilege of speaking on blockchain technology at international conferences.

But the project closest to my heart is mindmux.

When my son was diagnosed with autism and PDA, my wife Carmen and I discovered first-hand the barriers that neurodiverse families navigate every day. It was through co-planning activities with my son — using digital tools to communicate in ways that worked for him — that I saw the real potential technology holds for families like ours.

That realisation led me to found mindmux: to build tools that genuinely help neurodivergent families communicate, connect, and thrive.

Pricing

Fees are not listed on this page — clients are invited to get in touch to discuss their needs and find out more.

mindmux daily — Coming Soon

What Is mindmux daily?

mindmux daily is a daily check-in tool built specifically for neurodivergent families — delivered straight through WhatsApp, with no app to download and no new platform to learn.

Caregivers can create personalised routine questionnaires and schedule them to be sent to their child or dependant each day. Responses come back through WhatsApp, giving families a simple, low-demand way to stay connected and track how their child is doing — on their terms, in their own time.

Key features:

  • Daily check-ins and routine surveys — designed by you, for your family

  • Delivered via WhatsApp — familiar, accessible, no extra app needed

  • AI-powered — understands natural language, so you can interact in your own words

  • Tracks wellbeing metrics over time (anxiety levels, energy, mood)

  • Built with GDPR compliance and family privacy at the core

  • Designed for neurodivergent children and young people, including those with autism and PDA

Register Your Interest

mindmux daily is currently in development. We're building it with real families in mind — and we'd love to hear from you.