PGDip Play Therapy, PGCert Applied Systemic Practice, BA (Hons) Qualified Teacher Status (Primary), Registered Play Therapist (APT International Professional)
Catherine is a British born Multi-Disciplinary Therapist who works with children, adolescents (1-25 years old) and their families. She has over 20 years of experience in education, social services and mental health services, as well as a wide variety of experience working in schools as an educator, school counsellor and mental health professional. In addition, she has worked in charities, private practice and has provided specialised support to schools and communities in the UK, through CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service).
Catherine is no stranger to the blessings and drawbacks of expat life having worked in International Schools in Singapore and Austria. There, she supported children, young people and their families through their transition and international move.
As a Multi-Disciplinary Therapist, Catherine uses her knowledge to tailor her therapeutic approach to best support her clients. One approach is Play Therapy which she uses to help clients process difficulties they face in a safe, and non-threatening environment. Play therapy provides a secure space in which to work through trauma in a medium that all can understand and feel comfortable in.
Catherine uses Systemic Family Therapy as a means to develop long term strategies and support for the individual child as part of the family system. Her goal for Systemic Family Therapy is to help children/teens and parents feel better connected to each other by sharing and exploring their experiences, so as to not feel alone in their worries or difficulties.
Solution Focused Therapy can be a particularly useful tool when children/teens and families are intrinsically stuck in a negative mindset and need a shift in their thinking style to explore what their preferred future might look like. Catherine’s training in the Solution Focused model also extends to supervision and consultation, allowing her to provide support and tools to schools and organisations to improve the wellbeing of their team.
Further, Catherine’s formal mental health training includes a range of other therapeutic methods such as CATT (Children’s Accelerated Trauma Treatment), ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), and Resilience Therapy. In addition to these, she has also completed training in crisis management including PREpARE School Crisis Intervention model and is a trained NOVA Crisis Responder.
Catherine has a passion for helping children and young people reach their full potential. With an interest in anxiety, trauma and mindfulness, she has developed a range of skills in mental health, education and social work to provide a holistic service to her clients. She works collaboratively to empower positive change through self-compassion, awareness and understanding to improve mental, emotional and social wellbeing.