The Circle of Security Parenting (COSP) program is a renowned and research-based intervention designed to help caregivers, including parents, foster parents, and childcare professionals, create and maintain secure attachment relationships with the children in their care. This program is grounded in decades of research on attachment theory and provides an accessible framework for understanding and addressing the emotional needs of children.
The Circle of Security is a visual map representing a child’s emotional development journey. The core idea is simple yet powerful: children need a "secure base" from which to venture out and explore their world and a "safe haven" to return to when they experience distress or discomfort. This "circle" represents the continuous loop of exploration and comfort-seeking that is fundamental to a child’s development.
Caregivers are taught to recognise and interpret the signals that children give as they move through this circle. By understanding and responding appropriately to these signals, caregivers can provide children the emotional support to feel secure, confident, and understood. This process strengthens the child-caregiver bond and lays the groundwork for the child's social, emotional, and cognitive development.
The COSP program is typically delivered over 8-10 sessions, with each session focusing on a different aspect of the circle and the dynamics of secure attachment. The program is facilitated by trained professionals who guide participants through the material using videos, discussions, and reflective exercises. The content is designed to be relatable and actionable, making complex psychological concepts accessible and practical for everyday use.
Session Breakdown:
The Circle of Security program is deeply rooted in attachment theory, a psychological framework that describes how the quality of the caregiver-child relationship influences a child's emotional and social development. Secure attachment, the primary goal of the COSP program, has been linked to numerous positive outcomes for children, including better emotional regulation, higher self-esteem, stronger relationships, and greater resilience in the face of adversity.
Research has shown that children with secure attachments are more likely to develop into well-adjusted adults with healthy relationships and a strong sense of self. The COSP program helps caregivers understand their vital role in this process by providing them with the tools and language needed to foster these secure attachments.
The Circle of Security Parenting program is ideal for anyone involved in caring for young children, particularly those aged 0-6. It is especially beneficial for caregivers who want to deepen their understanding of their child's emotional needs and improve their ability to respond effectively to those needs. The program is also highly effective for caregivers facing specific challenges, such as managing difficult behaviours or navigating complex family dynamics.
Session groups run on Wednesday evenings from 7pm. The next intakes are:
Theunis brings a warm, accepting, and non-judgmental presence to both individual and group therapy settings. With extensive experience facilitating group programs, Theunis creates spaces where participants feel safe to speak honestly, connect with others, and work through difficult emotions together. His groups draw on the unique power of shared experience, helping people realise they are not alone in their struggles and learn from one another alongside a skilled therapist.
Theunis has worked with clients across a wide range of cultural backgrounds and life circumstances, both in Australia and South Africa, giving him a deep appreciation for the diverse ways people understand and experience their mental health. He works with adults and young people aged 12 and above, offering psychotherapy in both English and Afrikaans.
His areas of special interest include trauma and post-traumatic stress, anxiety (including social anxiety), depression, grief and loss, anger management, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, parenting challenges, and adjustment to significant life changes.
Theunis takes an integrative approach to therapy, meaning he tailors his methods to each client's individual needs rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model. His training spans a broad range of evidence-based modalities, including EMDR, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, and Psychodynamic Therapy, all of which inform how he designs and facilitates group work as well as individual sessions.
