Why Choose Me?

I have a natural affinity with children and work intuitively as well as professionally. I originally trained as a teacher, but pursued a career in publishing for 14 years. Eventually I realised my real skills lay in working with children, especially troubled children, on a one-to-one basis, so I trained specifically in Play Therapy, with the largest UK based organisation, PTUK.

It was like coming alive again as I realised just how versatile and effective this type of therapy can be. The course was very thorough and included hours of both practical and theoretical training. As a parent, carer, teacher or other worker you can be assured of an entirely professional as well as a genuinely human approach to your child and the problems he or she may be experiencing.

I hold a BA honours degree in Drama and Education from Warwick University, and am a fully qualified play therapist, holding a post graduate Diploma in Practise Based Play Therapy from the Academy of Play and Child Psychology, accredited by Play Therapy UK, which is run collaboratively with Canterbury Christchurch University. I have over 400 hours worked therapeutically with children in both school, home and other workshop settings. The Diploma is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Comments from clients / parents

"I liked the way Emma led the group and and planned all the activities. Her pointers were all very much to the point and concrete. It was a needed and refreshing experience."

"I learned a lot on Emmas course. I liked that there was lot of practice."

" The build up of the course was good and professional"

"I liked the fact that I could set my mind free, and learn practical skills on Emma's course"

"L has been able to cope and come to terms with the death of her dear friend with the help and support from you Emma. She was a credit to you and managed to be very strong at the Cremation and Memorial Service. Since the counselling she is more able to talk about her feelings and problems." Mrs U

"We have noticed big improvements over recent months, R is a lot more confident most of the time and more self assured and happy, I can't thank you enough for your help with that." Mr L

"J feels more in control now. His teacher has not had to speak to me about him for some time and a lot of staff have commented on much calmer J is. We have noticed this at home too. J is a lovely little boy. He just needed a little help from you to deal with being that lovely boy again! Thanks Emma."
Mrs H

"What I found to be really useful during the course, was the opportunity to look inside myself, because giving to others can happen only through oneself."

"Emma's presence and her way of teaching gave an additional value to the knowledge and experience we received"

"This course helped me to get a better contact with my inner child and this will defenitely help me in my everyday work."

"For the first four years of school my oldest boy had enormous problems controlling his temper. This seemed to stem from a variety of reasons - low self-esteem and confidence, various changes in his life as he went into reception and the slower development of his self-control emotion. This led to numerous exclusions, a school change and an unbelievable amount of stress for my wife and I. We dreaded the phone ringing during school hours and the school's number coming up. What had he done now? Our life at home was similarly disrupted with the household walking on eggshells around this explosive bundle of fury and aggression waiting to go off."

"Added to our stress was the sadness that our child was missing the simple fun of being a boy, instead having to deal with grown-ups always talking to him in grown-up ways about grown-up things."

"We tried many different things, to improve both him and our parenting methods, and though I am sure they all contributed to a slow improvement, it was through play therapy that the most significant and long lasting changes came about. Emma made an immediate impression on our son, who warmed to her and quickly felt a bond with her. He trusted and valued the privacy of the sessions, and over the course of half a term he transformed himself. The exclusions have stopped (having had three in ten days just prior to the play therapy starting) his self control has increased with his confidence and we have not had one phone call from the school for over a term. Our home life is 'normal' now - just the usual amount of stress and exhaustion from two energetic boys - and our son is a happier, funnier and more thoughtful person."