"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind" Dr Seuss
WHAT IS PLAY THERAPY?
Play Therapy is a mode of therapy that helps children understand painful experiences and upsetting feelings. As play is a child’s natural form of expression, it can allow them communicate at their own level without having to put it into words. Play allows the child to release needs, fears and wishes. It also helps them to address emotional and behavioral difficulties.
Our Play therapy service has grown and we have accessed a second therapist at the end of 2014 to meet the needs and address our waiting list. Some of the reasons for referral to this services has been anger management, dealing with parental separation, emotional behaviours and associated difficulties with diagnosis.
Play Therapy Is Helpful For Children Who:
- Are dealing with parental conflict, separation or divorce
- Are dealing with self-esteem issues
- Have been traumatised (sexual, physical or emotional abuse).
- Have been adopted or are in foster care.
- Are dealing with issues of loss, such as illness or death of a loved one.
- Have been hospitalised
- Have witnessed domestic violence
- Have experienced serious accidents or disasters
- Have various disabilities such as Attention Deficit Disorder, Autism, Physical disabilities.
WHAT IS ART THERAPY
Art therapy is based on the knowledge that the creative process of art is both healing and life enhancing. Art therapists use drawing, painting, and other art processes to assess and treat clients with emotional, cognitive, physical, and/or developmental needs and disorders. Using their skills in evaluation and psychotherapy, they choose materials and interventions appropriate to their clients’ needs and design sessions to achieve therapeutic goals and objectives.
Therapists use the creative process to help their clients increase insight and judgment, cope better with stress, work through traumatic experiences, increase cognitive abilities, have better relationships with family and friends, and to just be able to enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of the creative experience.
We are delighted to also have an Art Therapist on board to support us with the increasing number of referrals for older children ad Teenagers. Art Therapy supports children and adults to work through feelings and difficulties through the expression of Art.
WHAT IS COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
Counselling and psychotherapy is for anybody. Sometimes life can be difficult for us, it can be unmanageable and challenging. Counselling can be a great support or resource at times of crisis or difficulty in our lives. It involves meeting with a trained professional therapist in a safe, confidential setting allowing you to talk about and explore life’s challenges in a non-judgemental space.
Counselling deals with more immediate or crisis issues e.g. relationship break-up, bereavement, stress or work issues. Psychotherapy looks at deeper more long-term issues that may have their roots in our past, (e.g. abuse issues, trauma in childhood) which are affecting our present life.
Frequently, counselling and psychotherapy overlap and are used interchangeably.
With the therapist you can explore and discover more resourceful ways of managing your life. The relationship is one of respect and non-judgement between you and the therapist and meetings usually last 50 minutes to one hour.
We offer counselling for a range of issues such as:
- Couple Counselling and counselling support for partners in relationships dealing with conflict and breakdown in the relationship
- Counselling support for persons whose partner was going through depression/ mental health and how this was affecting the family/ relationship
- Separation counselling for individuals who were going through separation, legal proceedings and helping them cope with the change in circumstances and how they can support their children
- Domestic violence / Abuse
- Suicide / Self harm / Depression/ Anxiety
- Stress/ Phobias/ Post traumatic stress
- Self-esteem/ Isolation/ Disability
- Anger management
- Cancer Support
- Bereavement
For information about cost please speak to Bernadette. Our Counselling and Therapy service are part funded by organised Fundraising events and small grants we receive from TUSLA. For more information or to make a referral for yourself or a person you care about please contact Bernadette at 021 481 6103 between 9am -5pm, Monday to Friday. Alternatively you can email us and we will contact you within a week.
If you are in need of speaking to someone urgently and cannot reach us please contact your GP.
Governing Code of Ethics/Practice
All Counsellors/ Therapists on the panel have been processed through Garda Vetting and Credential checks. All Counsellors/Therapists undertake regular Supervision Practise and Support and have their own Insurance Indemnity. Cobh Family Resource Centre also provides indemnity for the activities within the Centre. The Counsellors and Therapists abide their Governing Code of Ethics (IACP/IHAP/IIACAT).
Confidentiality
All information disclosed is confidential and voluntary between the client and the Counsellor /Therapist. All recordings and session notes will be stored by the Counsellor/Therapist in line with Data Protection 1998 and 2003 legislation.
However, there are limitations to Confidentiality where an adult or child is perceived to be at risk, where Child Protection concerns are disclosed or where criminal activity is involved.
In these circumstances, under ‘Our Duty to Care’ Legislation and Child Protection Legislation the Counsellor/ Therapist has a duty to report to the relevant authorities and the Designated Child Protection Officer in Cobh FRC. In these circumstances the Counsellor or Therapist will explain the procedures to you.
For more information or to make a referral for yourself or a person you care about please contact: Bernadette at 0214816103. If you are in need of speaking to someone and cannot reach us please contact your GP