Providing specialised mental health support, counselling, and therapy to children and their families
About Us
Sun Rose Children's Therapy
Our Story
At Sun Rose Children's Therapy, we believe that every child has a story worth understanding.
Children communicate in many different ways. Sometimes they use words, but often they communicate through their behaviour, emotions, relationships, play, and the ways they respond to the world around them. Rather than asking, "What is wrong with this child?" we ask, "What might this child be trying to tell us?"
The name Sun Rose is deeply personal. The director's name, Golnaz, is a Persian name associated with the Baby Sun Rose (Mesembryanthemum cordifolium), a resilient and vibrant flowering plant that flourishes when provided with the right conditions. The name reflects our belief that children naturally move towards growth, healing, and development when they experience safety, connection, acceptance, and understanding.
Our approach is grounded in the understanding that children do not develop in isolation. Their wellbeing is shaped by the interaction of many factors, including their biology, neurology, emotions, relationships, family experiences, culture, community, and life circumstances. This means we look beyond behaviours and symptoms to understand the whole child and the unique story that has shaped them.
Sun Rose Children's Therapy provides therapeutic services and parent support for children and families. We recognise the importance of relationships, belonging, emotional wellbeing, and the environments in which children grow and develop. We believe meaningful change occurs when children feel emotionally safe, caregivers feel supported, and families are empowered to understand themselves and one another more deeply.
Our work is guided by five core values:
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Humanity: We meet children and families with compassion, empathy, dignity, and respect.
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Connection: We believe relationships are at the heart of healing, growth, and resilience.
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Balance: We recognise that life is complex and support families to find balance between acceptance and change, independence and support, challenge and safety.
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Inclusion: We welcome and celebrate diversity and strive to create a space where all children and families feel valued, respected, and understood.
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Hope: We hold hope for children and families, even during difficult times, recognising their capacity for healing, growth, and positive change.
At SunRose Children's Therapy, our goal is not simply to reduce symptoms or change behaviours. Our goal is to help children and families build stronger relationships, deepen their understanding of themselves and one another, and create opportunities for growth, healing, and connection.
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Golnaz Behgoo
Founder & Director
Golnaz Behgoo is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and Registered Play Therapist with over 15 years of experience supporting children, families, and communities. She holds a Master of Social Work and a Master of Play Therapy and is passionate about helping children and families navigate life's challenges with compassion, understanding, and hope.
In addition to her clinical work, Golnaz is a clinical supervisor and educator who is passionate about supporting the next generation of practitioners. She has supervised psychologists, social workers, counsellors, play therapists, students, and allied health professionals across a range of settings and enjoys helping practitioners develop confidence, clinical skills, and reflective practice. Golnaz has also worked as an Academic at Deakin University, where she has taught and supervised students undertaking professional placements and postgraduate studies.
Our Therapists
Golnaz's passion for working with children is deeply personal. Growing up, she witnessed the impact that adverse childhood experiences could have on children, families, and communities. Seeing the effects of these experiences on herself, her siblings, and her peers shaped her desire to make a positive difference in the lives of children and families.
Her professional journey has been anything but conventional. At the age of eighteen, Golnaz began studying Chemical Engineering and spent six years in the field. After moving to Australia, she felt increasingly drawn towards a profession that aligned more closely with her values and desire to support others. This led her to pursue Social Work and begin a career dedicated to supporting children, families, and vulnerable communities.
Over the years, Golnaz has worked across a range of settings, including community services, family support, mental health services, education, and private practice. While working as a Social Worker, she discovered the powerful role that play can have in helping children communicate, process experiences, and heal. This inspired her to complete a Master of Play Therapy and become a Registered Play Therapist.
Today, Golnaz combines her Social Work and Play Therapy training to provide a holistic and child-centred approach. Her work is informed by an understanding that children's wellbeing is shaped by many interconnected factors, including their biology, neurology, emotions, relationships, family experiences, culture, and environment.
Those who know Golnaz often hear her describe herself as "a big child”. She finds joy in creativity, imagination, storytelling, and play. Whether it is watching a favourite movie for the tenth time, getting her hands in the sand, creating spontaneous scribbles, or joining a child in their imaginative world, she remains deeply connected to the wonder, curiosity, and creativity of childhood. This connection helps her build authentic and meaningful therapeutic relationships with the children and families she supports.
Golnaz established Sun Rose Children's Therapy to create a space where children feel understood, caregivers feel supported, and families can find hope, connection, and healing. She feels privileged to walk alongside children and families as they navigate challenges, celebrate strengths, and discover their capacity for growth and resilience.
Luna
I am a Registered Child Play Therapist at Sun Rose Children’s Therapy, offering children’s therapy and play therapy. With over eight years of experience across early childhood and therapeutic settings, I bring steadiness, clinical insight, and cultural sensitivity to my work. I find deep joy and meaning in supporting young lives and consider it a privilege to walk alongside children and their caregivers through seasons of growth and challenge.
I approach each child with genuine curiosity, respect, andprofessional care, recognising that every child’s inner world is unique. My work is grounded in a neuro affirming and developmentally responsive framework, supporting children experiencing anxiety, emotional regulation difficulties, separation concerns, behavioural challenges, or neurodiversity-related differences.
Families often describe my therapeutic style as warm, perceptive, and quietly contained. I offer a thoughtfully attuned therapeutic space where children feel secure enough to express themselves freely through play, and where parents feel supported, understood, and gently guided throughout the process.
I speak English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, and welcome families who feel more comfortable communicating in their home language. I understand the profound role cultural context plays in children’s emotional development and value working collaboratively with families from diverse backgrounds.
Meg Evans
Meg is a warm, playful and empathetic Play Therapist whose genuine and caring nature fosters strong therapeutic relationships with children and families.
Meg started her career with children as a ‘Fairy’ children’s entertainer and has since gained over 17 years’ experience working with children and families through a variety of contexts, including primary schools, holiday programs, disability support work and volunteering in children’s hospitals and vulnerable communities overseas. She is passionate about working with children using their natural language of play, in both group settings and through Child-Centred Play Therapy. She has a Masters of Child Play Therapy from Deakin and through her work has a well-developed understanding of trauma, attachment theory, family systems, Neurodivergence and the Therapeutic Powers of Play.
As a proud member of the neurodivergent community herself, Meg brings lived experience and professional development expertise to her work, providing child & family-centred support and education using a neuroaffirming lens.
Meg meets every child and family with unconditional positive regard, kindness and empathy. She works with a holistic lens to supporting children, collaborating with parents/ carers, families and systems to best meet the needs of the child.
Qualification:
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Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Social Justice
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Master of Child Play Therapy from Deakin
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PACFA Registered
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“We have been seeing Golnaz weekly for 4 years. She has built a wonderful relationship with our son Rocky and our family. We have seen such great progress.
Golnaz has been such an asset to our team helping Rocky build on his skills and communication through play.Play therapy with Golnaz is by far Rocky’s favourite therapy and lights up when Golnaz arrives with her box of games and activities.
It’s been an absolute joy to see our son Rocky blossom and learn through play with Golnaz.”
Krystal at Altona VIC