About
Sandi Phoenix is the founding company director and principal facilitator of Phoenix Support for Educators. Sandi is dedicated to supporting educators, families, communities, and educational practices, with a special focus on enhancing children's wellbeing and fostering inclusion and improved outcomes for all children. Under her leadership, Phoenix Support for Educators has flourished into its second decade, now boasting a substantial team across Australia, mirroring her blend of passion, creativity, and strategic foresight.
Beginning in 1998, Sandi has spent her whole career blending psychological science and education, starting her career as an educator while she completed her degree. Following that, since 2009, Sandi's leadership roles have been diverse and impactful, encompassing in-service coaching, mentoring, conference speaking, teaching the Diploma of Early Childhood Education, resource development, and consulting on software design for curriculum planning and service operations. Sandi's coaching and consultancy style is rooted in a strengths-based perspective, informed by an in-depth understanding of the National Quality Framework and its underlying theories.
Her unique ability to merge theoretical knowledge with practical application led to the creation of The Phoenix Cups framework. This pioneering model, adopted by educators and teachers nationally and internationally, revolutionises the application of humanistic and positive psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience in education, thus elevating the wellbeing of both children and educators.
As a keynote speaker, Sandi captivates audiences with her insightful perspectives and engaging style. Her workshops and professional development sessions are renowned for their practical relevance and transformative influence.
Qualifications
- Currently studying a Masters in Neuroscience and Mental Health at UniSC.
- Graduate Certificate in Professional Studies (Leadership for Wellbeing, Values-based leadership, Positive Psychology in Education, First Peoples Social Justice) from Griffith University.
- Bachelor of Psychological Science from Griffith University.
- Cert IV in Training and Assessment.
- Affiliate of the Australian Psychological Society and currently holds membership of the APS.
Keynotes and conference workshops presented by Sandi...
From Behaviour Management to Fostering Wellbeing
When behaviour
management isn’t working
A reflective, research-informed keynote that reframes behaviour as an attempt to meet an unmet need, and shows educators how to move from writing behaviour plans to planning for wellbeing and fulfilment.
Strong Leaders for Stronger Teams
Leadership & Change Agency in Education & Care
A leadership keynote rooted in positive psychology, strengths-based practice and needs-based leadership, it shows leaders how to build teams where people feel safe, valued and motivated to grow.
The Neuroscience We Weren’t Taught
Updating the brain myths that shape emotional development in
education and care
The brain science many of us absorbed in training has been superceded in research years. This keynote updates it, and shows what current affective neuroscience means for how we support children’s emotional development.
You Can’t Teach Emotions with Emojis
Why needs literacy comes before emotional literacy
Feelings charts and emoji faces are everywhere, but they were never going to be enough. This keynote shows why needs literacy comes before emotional literacy, and provides educators with a concrete way to teach it.
Sensory Pathways, Emotional Highways
Harnessing sensory
and schematic play for emotional development
A practical, science-rich keynote on how sensory development and schematic play build the foundations for emotional regulation and wellbeing, connecting eight areas of sensory development, children’s play schemas, and the role of flow.
Flow Pedagogy
How positive psychology can inform curriculum in the early
years
Sandi explores psychology informing our pedagogy and how 21st century positive psychology can move us from managing behaviour to planning for flow, engagement and sustained play.
The Perfect Storm
How trauma shapes the
developing brain, and the case for hope
A nuanced, hopeful presentation on how early trauma affects the developing brain and behaviour, and how the same neuroplasticity that makes children vulnerable also makes recovery and growth possible.
Obedience Isn’t Safety
Strengthening the relationships that keep children safe
Sandi challenges a comfortable assumption that a compliant child is a safe child, arguing that it is trust, not compliance, that keeps children safe. This session explores how everyday relationships are a powerful protective factor.
Motivated to Play
The neurobiology of
why children play
What actually motivates children to play? This keynote offers a fresh, science-forward answer: play is need-driven. Drawing on the neurobiology of play and the Phoenix Cups® framework, it reframes play as an essential way children meet their most fundamental needs.
Taking Action for Educator Wellbeing
Educator wellbeing as
a positive psychology intervention
Wellbeing can, and should, be taught, but we can’t expect educators to build children’s wellbeing while their own goes unmet. This keynote makes the case for putting educator wellbeing first, and frames it as a positive psychology intervention for a sector under strain.
A Cup-filling Curriculum (schools)
Beyond Positive Behaviour Support
A keynote for schools and those who support them, challenging the Positive Behaviour Support model and offering a curriculum grounded in needs fulfilment, inclusion and emotional development instead.
Empowered Educators
Co-presented With Christopher Phoenix
A flexible full-day program pairing Christopher Phoenix’s Educator Wellbeing with one of Sandi’s keynotes. Wellbeing first, then a topic of the service’s choosing.
Life Needs Balance Is the New Black
Co-presented With Christopher Phoenix
A warm, entertaining keynote introducing the Phoenix Cups® framework as the key to the elusive work-life balance.
Children’s Behaviour Masterclass
Co-presented With Dr Louise Porter
A full masterclass with Dr Louise Porter and Sandi Phoenix, rethinking and reframing behaviour management and the educator’s role in supporting children’s emerging social competence.
The Phoenix Cups Foundations
A customised session introducing your audience to the Phoenix Cups framework
If we could see each other’s basic human needs, they’d look like Cups. This keynote introduces the Phoenix Cups® framework through a story about staff meetings that mirrors a team’s own quirks, helping educators recognise their Cups and plan to keep them full.
The Phoenix Cups for Business
Redefining work-life
balance and leading others with full cups
The Phoenix Cups® framework, translated for leaders in business. A warm, practical keynote on redefining work-life balance, filling your own cups, and using a shared language of needs to support the people you lead, coach and mentor.
Testimonials
A Personal Word From Sandi
You kept scrolling, down this page, so you get the long version of my bio - the story with a twist. Firstly, I run a pretty amazing company and lead a freakin' awesome team, steering the ship of multiple brands, products, and a whole lot of services. I have mixed feelings about labels like 'boss babe' or 'leaders in heels' (ergh) – they kind of irk me, but I can't help feeling immensely proud of my powerful women colleagues who are out there, kicking arse and making a real difference. Anyway, I'm usually too caught up in running an actual company and doing lotsa real work to dwell on this too much. So I'm here to tell you what I DO do because a friend nudged me to write a less snooze-worthy bio and I'm procrastinating on my morning jog (or more realistically, a walk), I thought, why not?
Here's a little secret (you'll know this if you've read The Phoenix Cups novel, If you haven't, spoiler alert)... I changed my name and started my business after I ended up on the front page of every paper on the Redlands coast and Brisbane, and all over the 6 o’clock news when I was in my late 20s. In 2009, my house in Redland Bay was engulfed in flames while my children and I were asleep inside. I managed to get them out safely, and that moment was a wake-up call. And I realised I was squandering my superpowers. So, I finished my degree and launched into the business world, creating something I had always dreamed of - a consultancy.
Now, I run Phoenix Support for Educators, a Brisbane-based company with a reach that spans Australia AND internationally. I present at conferences all over Aus (over 50 domestic flights for me most years!), in the UK and also NZ, and our online courses and podcasts are taken up by people all over the world. We're a diverse group of 16 employees and a handful of contractors, all united in our mission to do great things for children in early childhood settings and schools. As Principal Facilitator, my absolute favourite thing is delivering keynote presentations at conferences. I often present about my revolutionary framework, The Phoenix Cups, which helps educators and parents alike understand children's behaviour (and each other's, for that matter). This framework has evolved into its own business at www.phoenixcups.com.au, and we even released a book about it, which I co-authored with my fantastic husband. These days I'm also loving translating neuroscience for the education and care sector with cutting edge actual science.
If you're still reading, it looks like you're dodging your emails or hiding from the phone just like me... so good luck with that. If you want to connect, find me on social media or give me and my team a call at 1300 361 243. Let them know you've read my entire bio to the end, and that they should try to put you through to me instead of letting me dodge phone calls today. Happy Cup Filling!