About Moira Ryan

 

I am a fully qualified Accredited Play therapist with many years experience working with children and their families.

From a very young age I knew that I wanted to work with people to help them to achieve their potential and to lead happier and richer lives.  On leaving school I studied Social Studies and after qualifying I worked with people with additional needs, autistic spectrum disorders and children with emotional and behavioural difficulties in various settings including child and adolescent mental health services and residential homes.

I went on to study an Honours Degree in Psychology, which included modules in Child developmental psychology, Social psychology and Cognitive psychology.  I also trained in Montessori teaching for children aged three and six, including a Special needs module.

As I was aware of the difficulties that children and families experience I wanted to offer a therapeutic approach that I felt would best support and benefit them.  With an awareness of the importance of play to children and the difficulties that children can have in expressing themselves I studied a Postgraduate Diploma in Play Therapy with the Children’s Therapy Centre.

I have an interest in the importance of the attachment relationship in providing a secure base for children and because of this I completed Theraplay level 1 and Theraplay level 2 advanced training.

I hold a Professional Certificate in Child and Adolescent Counselling and Psychotherapy.  I have attended introductory training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Trauma and the Body and many other continuous professional development courses including Understanding Trauma and Decider Skills training.

I am currently studying a Masters Degree in Child and Adolescent Counselling and Psychotherapy.

I am an accredited member of the Irish Association for Play Therapy and Psychotherapy (IAPTP).  I adhere to the ethical principles and code of good practice set out by the association.