Circle of Security for Parents and Carers at WOMB, Machans Beach

In Cairns, parents and carers can access a range of Circle of Security – Parent (COS-P) programs available through local community and family support services. These free programs offer invaluable support for families and play an important role in strengthening parenting confidence and connection.

Unfurl EMDR Therapy and Counselling have partnered with Wisdom of Mothers Bond (WOMB) to offer COS-P as a fee-for-service program at WOMB's beautiful, perinatal wellbeing space in Machans Beach, Cairns. While the Circle of Security framework remains evidence-based and consistent, the way it is delivered at Unfurl is intentionally trauma-informed and personalised for parents and carers with lived experiences of trauma. Unfurl offers a strong focus on parent and carer wellbeing, relational safety and understanding children’s emotional worlds.

Circle of Security Parenting with a Focus on Emotional Wellbeing

Circle of Security is grounded in decades of attachment research and supports parents to better understand their child’s emotional needs, strengthen connection and respond to behaviour with greater confidence and care.

At WOMB, COS-P is facilitated by Unfurl's trauma therapist, with extensive experience as a child and youth mental health clinician, bringing a depth of understanding about child development, emotional regulation and the impact of stress and adversity on families.

This approach is especially supportive for parents who are:

• Parenting children with big emotions or challenging behaviour
• Supporting children who feel anxious, overwhelmed or unsettled
• Feeling triggered, exhausted or unsure why certain parenting moments feel so hard
• Looking for parenting support that supports their own emotional wellbeing as well as their child’s

Rather than focusing on “fixing” behaviour, COS-P at Unfurl supports parents to understand what sits underneath emotional reactions and behaviour (for both adults and children) and how emotional connection helps children feel safe and supported. Parents often report that when they take attention away from managing behaviour and invest in the relationship with their children, it actually results in greater emotion regulation and improved behaviour, as children feel more secure.

A Trauma-Informed COS-P Program in Cairns

Unfurl’s Circle of Security Parenting program is delivered in a trauma-informed and emotionally safe way. This means the program is paced carefully and held with compassion, recognising that parenting can stir up strong emotions and past experiences.

Parents can expect:

• A respectful, non-judgemental space for all parents and carers
• No pressure or expectation to share personal history or information
• Gentle exploration of emotional responses and parenting patterns - self-compassion and curiosity encouraged!
• A strong emphasis on safety, choice and respect for diverse family structures, values and cultures

This approach helps parents feel supported rather than overwhelmed, particularly if previous parenting programs have felt confronting or invalidating.

Child and Youth Mental Health Experience - With a Relational Approach

COS-P at Unfurl is facilitated by a practitioner with extensive experience in child and youth mental health, including working with families impacted by trauma, mental illness, family violence and complex life stressors.

This experience allows parenting conversations to be grounded in real-world experience and a deep understanding of how children’s emotional needs, behaviour and development are shaped by their environment and relationships, while still keeping the focus on practical, everyday parenting.

Parents often find this brings reassurance and clarity, especially when navigating behaviour that feels confusing or worrying.

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Lived Parenting Experience - Because Raising Chidlren Is Deeply Personal

Alongside professional experience, COS-P at Unfurl is informed by lived parenting experience. Parenting is emotional, demanding and rarely simple or tidy.

Having a facilitator who understands this, both professionally and personally, helps create a space where parents feel genuinely understood. Conversations are realistic, compassionate and grounded in the realities of family life. Perfection is never the goal.

Why Invest in a Private COS-P Program in Cairns?

Free COS-P programs in Cairns can be a great option for many families. Choosing a private Circle of Security Parenting program at Unfurl is about investing in:

• Smaller, more contained groups and individualised support options
• Greater emotional attunement and flexibility
• Trauma-informed delivery
• Led by a practitioner with deep experience in child and youth mental health, parenting and trauma therapy
• Support that can sit alongside counselling or EMDR therapy if one-on-one support alongside the group program feels beneficial

For parents wanting deeper reflection, stronger emotional safety and more personalised support, this investment can offer lasting value.

Supporting Secure Relationships, Not Perfect Parenting

COS-P at Unfurl is not about doing everything right. It is about strengthening your relationship with your child, learning to repair when things go wrong, and building confidence in your ability to support your child through both calm and challenging moments.

At Unfurl EMDR Therapy and Counselling in Cairns, Circle of Security Parenting is offered with care, experience and a deep respect for the emotional work of parenting.

Because secure attachment grows from connection, understanding and compassion, not perfection.

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