Hot Chocolate Circle Program

Girls empowering girls, one mental health conversation at a time.

The Hot Chocolate Circle is centred on creating a safe and supportive environment for girls to navigate their mental health journeys. We understand that mental health challenges can be overwhelming and isolating, and often girls may feel hesitant to seek support. We aim to break down these barriers which is why we have developed a unique approach to supporting girls. By sitting in a circle and sipping hot chocolate, we create a comfortable and safe space for girls to share their experiences, support one another, gain insights and develop practical evidence-based coping strategies to manage their mental health challenges effectively. We aim to build a community of girls who feel empowered to navigate their mental health journeys and equipped with the tools and resources to lead fulfilling lives.

Our Objectives

Create a safe and supportive space for girls to share their experiences and support one another.
Increase understanding and awareness of mental health challenges among young girls and reduce any shame associated around it.
Equip girls with evidence-based coping strategies and tools to manage their mental health challenges.
Foster a sense of community among young girls, promoting healthy friendships and fostering resilience.

Our Programs

Our programs consist of 8 weekly sessions, each lasting 60 minutes.
There is a maximum of 6 girls in each session.
Our programs, designed for girls aged 8 to 17, are grouped into smaller age ranges for peer alignment.
Our programs have been carefully developed by Carmen Nielsen and are led by a team of mental health professionals.
Our programs employ evidence-based strategies rooted in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Positive Psychology.
Each session is thoughtfully organised around a central theme, offering a blend of interactive and creative activities, discussions, reflections, and so much more!

Your Facilitators

Carmen Nielsen

Lead Hot Chocolate Circle Facilitator

(MProfPsych; BPsychSc(Hons))

Carmen is dedicated to empowering young girls and guiding them towards reclaiming control over their mental well-being. With her master’s in psychology and extensive experience working with young people, she strives to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young girls, providing them with the necessary tools to navigate their mental health journeys. Carmen recognises the unique challenges faced by young girls in today’s world.

Her mission is to foster an environment where girls can openly discuss their mental well-being, free from judgement or fear. Carmen’s soft and calm demeanour instantly puts girls at ease, cultivating a space where they feel comfortable, safe, and empowered to share their thoughts and experiences. Through the Hot Chocolate Circle Program, she skilfully integrates effective techniques, strategies, and tools, equipping girls with the necessary skills to nurture and safeguard their mental well-being. Carmen inspires them to embrace their true potential and embark on a journey of self-discovery and resilience.

Keely Watson

(BA-Psych, DipCounselling, BA- Business)

Keely is passionately dedicated to empowering young girls by enhancing their self-awareness and navigating their unique emotions and situations. As a trained counsellor with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, she possesses a profound understanding of the significance of coping skills in fostering well-being and assisting young girls in overcoming daily challenges. Keely firmly believes that mental health and well-being should be at the forefront of everyone’s priorities. Through her warm, understanding, and non-judgemental approach, Keely excels at building strong relationships within the community she serves. Her primary goal is to support girls in comprehending, learning from, and flourishing as their authentic selves.

Tanika Slack

(Trained Strengths-based Mentor)

Tanika radiates energy, creativity, and kindness, serving as a guiding light for girls in their journey towards self-empowerment and fulfillment. With an unwavering belief in the inherent beauty of every individual, she possesses a remarkable ability to uplift and inspire.

As a strengths-based mentor, Tanika is dedicated to unlocking the full potential of young girls, guiding them towards a path of personal growth. Her vibrant personality allows her to effortlessly connect with the girls, establishing strong and meaningful relationships built on trust and understanding. Infusing each session with her creative touch, Tanika transforms learning into an enjoyable and engaging experience. Her sessions are filled with excitement and imaginative activities that foster a sense of joy. With her compassionate nature and unwavering dedication, she consistently brings smiles to the faces of those she interacts with.

Reviews

My daughter week after week looks forward to the weekly sessions and is taking in the strategies that are being taught. She has also become more positive, her stress levels are lower, she is a lot less reactive in stressful situations and she is looking after herself a lot better too. I can’t thank the team enough for this positive impact on my daughter and going forward how this is going to benefit her every day throughout her life .

HCC is 10/10. My daughter is enjoying it and it’s helping her to cope with stress.

We have been very impressed by the professionalism of the Hot Chocolate Circle team, the quality of the content taught to the teenage girls and the genuine investment being made by Carmen and her team. We commend their work and would love to see it continued so more young people struggling with anxious thoughts/stress are able to learn simple, yet life changing strategies at such an early age.

I would highly recommend this program to other parents. Having a space that is fun, inviting and most importantly safe has been a huge draw card for my anxious and shy teen. She felt like she could be herself and could hang out with other teens whilst receiving the support she needed. Her mood has improved significantly since attending the Hot Chocolate Circle.

My daughter has been attending the Hot Chocolate Circle for the past few months. Not only has she enjoyed participating with the other girls but actually looks forward to it every week. It's clear that the program is doing great things for her mental health. She always feels welcomed and safe, allowing her to discuss sometimes uncomfortable subjects comfortably. It is definitely something we would continue to participate in if possible in the future.

Thank you so much for everything you have done for my girl. She has loved every minute of HCC and I know she can’t wait to be involved with future programs. This past two weeks I have noticed a real shift in her attitude at home. She has been speaking to me with more respect and in situations when she would normally explode out of frustration or anxiety, she has remained calm — not every time — but enough times that I can see she is really trying to put into practice what she has been learning. Thanks again Carmen and Tanika, I’m so grateful that you have both chosen to bless us in this way.

Thank you so much for everything you have done for me! I had so much fun. You're amazing at your job and a life saver! Your book is awesome and a life saver too.

For more information, please email miind@strengthpotential.com.au or enquire below.