I am an accredited Play Therapist from Cloughjordan, serving the areas of Nenagh, Roscrea, Borrisokane and North Tipperary as a whole with private in-person play therapy sessions.
Background
Upon earning my degree in Social Care in 2011, I quickly decided to embark on a career where I could allow people to thrive through recreation. This career path lead me to work with neurodiverse children and adults and individuals who needed acute in-person support. I earned my Post Graduate Diploma in Practice Based Play Therapy in 2015. Over the years, I have developed extensive skills regarding working with children exhibiting developmental delay or learning disabilities. I have worked with children and families in developing strategies tackling behaviours of concern including anger and aggression both inside and outside the classroom. Working therapeutically with children in an environment where they have the opportunity to heal and thrive is something I find immensely rewarding. Practicing Play Therapy to children has been a most fulfilling and enjoyable journey.
Where I Practice
I perform sessions at my family home in Cloughjordan, a comfortable space rooted in the countryside where we have all the privacy and conditions for a meaningful practice.
Play is Essential
Play is as important to human happiness and well-being as love and work (Schaefer, 1993). Some of the greatest thinkers of all time, including Aristotle and Plato, have reflected on why play is so fundamental in our lives.
Play is a fun, enjoyable activity that elevates our spirits and brightens our outlook on life. It expands self-expression, self-knowledge, self-actualization and self-efficacy. Play relieves feelings of stress and boredom, connects us to people in a positive way, stimulates creative thinking and exploration, regulates our emotions, and boosts our ego. Play allows us to practice skills and roles needed for survival. Learning and development are best fostered through play.
How Can Play be Therapeutic?
Play therapy is a child-led, theory based approach to therapy that builds on the communicative and learning processes of children (Carmichael, 2006; Landreth, 2002; O’Connor & Schaefer, 1983). The restorative power of play is used in many ways. Play therapy gives children an outlet to express what is troubling them when they do not have the verbal language to express their thoughts and feelings. In the playroom, toys are like the child’s words and play is the child’s language (Landreth, 2002). It is the job of the Play therapist to correctly interpret what the child is communicating and to help them find their way toward a positive outcome. Through play, therapists may help children learn more adaptive behaviors when there are emotional or social skills deficits (Pedro-Carroll & Reddy, 2005). The positive relationship that develops between therapist and child during play therapy sessions can provide a corrective emotional experience necessary for healing (Moustakas, 1997). Play therapy may also be used to promote cognitive development and provide insight about and resolution of inner conflicts or dysfunctional thinking in the child (O’Connor & Schaefer, 1983; Reddy, Files-Hall, & Schaefer, 2005).
Want to get started today, or just see how I can help?
How can I help?
Through Play Therapy, I can assist your child with:
- Facing medical procedures, chronic illness or palliative care
- Developmental delay or learning disabilities
- Behaviours in school
- Anger and aggression
- Family issues such as divorce, separation or the passing of a family member
- Traumatic events
- Domestic violence, abuse or neglect
- Anxiety or depression
- Grief
- Eating and toileting disorders
- Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD)
- Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
