My Story
My Aim
To share a variety of information and inspiration that I wish I had known as a young teacher and that I am so glad to know as a parent. Simple things can make all the difference.
My Education
I completed a four year Masters programme in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy specialising in Play Therapy with the renowned Children’s Therapy Centre. Prior to this I graduated with a Bachelor in Primary Education from Mary Immaculate College. I am accredited with IAPTP.
My Experience
I have over 10 years experience working with children, parents and teachers both in education and therapy settings.
As a therapist, I have worked both privately and within numerous organisations in Ireland and London.
I support children from aged 2 up to 18 years and their families, addressing a wide range of concerns. These include anxieties; low self-esteem; bereavement; self-harm and suicidal ideation; trauma; behavioural issues and relationship difficulties.
Prior to working as a therapist, I was a Primary School teacher teaching infants as well as working in special educational needs across all age groups.
My Journey
Three years after graduating as a Primary school Teacher, I went on to study Play Therapy as a means to better understand the emotional needs of my pupils, something I felt was missing from my teacher training.
Embarking on further study was initially meant to simply up-skill my teaching approach but instead took me down the road of changing my career entirely. I went on to complete my Masters in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy with a specialism in Play Therapy.
My idea
As parents, teachers and caregivers we often lack basic information about children’s brains and how to respond to all their emotional needs.
So many times parents have come to me seeking therapy for their child to realise it isn’t actually necessary. Instead talking through their worries shifted them from feeling stuck and unsure to empowered enough to support their child themselves. Everyone parent needs support sometimes; to be heard and understood, to be shown alternatives, to be reminded of their capabilities.
Within my work in schools, teachers would often want to discuss concerns they were observing in the classroom. During our support sessions they would be delighted to gain knowledge and ideas that they could easily implement. The demands of teaching are huge and yet most teachers I have worked with are seeking to know how to respond better, to be their best selves so that they can effectively support the children or teenagers in their care. To do so they also need support as well as recognising all that they were already doing so well to support the pupils.
The goal of The Be Room is to inform, inspire and empower parents, teachers and anyone working with or caring for children and teenagers.
My Belief
In acknowledging our strengths and seeking to improve our weaknesses that we give hugely to our children. The Be Room is a space to reflect on both. "
MA Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy