MA Course

I completed the Therapeutic Play Skills Certificate course with the lovely Cathy at CTC. It was such a wonderful and rich experience. A fabulous mix of experiential learning – games, role play, self reflection, and so much fun and creativity! It was a completely new way of learning for me. The course was a real eye opener, both personally as a parent, and professionally, and was a very important stepping stone towards a new and exciting career path.

The most sparkly silver lining of this pandemic is that I have the opportunity to do training with the Children’s Therapy Centre. Being based in Hong Kong, it is lovely to experience training with those at home in Ireland. I have done a number of courses through the Children’s Therapy Centre, and all of them have been exceptional. This is true of the entire process. Booking online is easy. Siobhán is wonderful and is super friendly, helpful and speedy in answering any of my questions. All of the facilitators have been excellent; very knowledgeable, approachable (even with the added hurdle of doing this through Zoom) and have delivered fantastic courses that will resonate with me for the rest of my career. And Rachel in the office is awesome at sending out the certificates and answering queries. It has all been terrific. I look forward to one day meeting all the fabulous people I have met in doing these courses and am very excited to participate in the courses to come. Thanks a million CTC!

As the saying goes, “It only takes one golden opportunity to shape a different future.” For me, that opportunity came in the form of the four year Master of Arts in Creative Psychotherapy (Humanistic & Integrative), which I pursued at the Children’s Therapy Centre from 2019 to 2023. I cannot recommend this course offered by CTC highly enough. The content of the course is grounded in a blend of theory, clinical practice and experiential learning which ensures a high-standard and strong foundation in Psychotherapy is established.

Over the four years we explored ethical considerations, trauma-informed care, child development and clinical practice in depth. The lecturers and supervisors at CTC are highly experienced professionals who bring a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience to their teaching of the various modules. Their support and guidance made a significant impact on my learning journey too. Utilising creative therapeutic approaches in an experiential, hands-on way was one of the highlights of the course for me. This approach allowed me to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Aside from academic learning the course fostered a deep self-refection and personal development through the form of personal therapy and reflective practice which I do believe is necessary for any therapeutic practitioner-in-training. I’ve also made friends for life too! Whilst this course is challenging it is incredibly rewarding and I would highly recommend it to anyone passionate about helping children and adolescents therapeutically.

‘The MA in Creative Psychotherapy, specialising in play therapy is a unique course that masterfully integrates the depth of psychotherapeutic theory with developmentally appropriate, creative approaches to work with children and adolescents effectively. The trainers bring a wealth of expertise, ensuring that every aspect of the course is delivered to the highest professional standard. Their ability to bridge academic knowledge with real-world therapeutic application is invaluable and allowed me to feel confident in my practice from an early stage. The staff’s ongoing innovation and commitment to maintaining alignment with evolving regulatory standards ensure that the course remains both relevant and forward-thinking. It is also important to mention, the course fosters significant personal growth, encouraging deep self-reflection alongside professional skill development. This MA is an immersive, enriching experience that equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and personal insight to work in the field of child and adolescent psychotherapy’

MA Graduate

I have had the pleasure of doing quite a number of short courses with some fantastic and well experienced CTC facilitators over the last couple of months. I found the learning intentions of each course were always clearly stated and what I took away from the training always far exceeded my expectations. I have been given lots of food for thought to enhance my own wellbeing and that of my family and the children I work with. It is evident to me that CTC ensure the quality of their courses are top notch.There is great communication from the CTC team and the booking process is always super easy. I look forward to engaging in more upcoming courses as I find them thoroughly enjoyable. I have laughed and cried in nearly every session and love how much I have to been able to take away from each day. Thank you so much!

I have attended CPD with CTC both fact-to-face and online. Each time I am increasingly impressed with the balance of theory with experiential activity I get to engage in. The multi-layered experience is a much richer learning environment and I always find when I leave I know more in mind AND body than I did before I began. Even though face-to-face is 100 percent my preference, CTC manages to maintain a high level of experiential when online also. I highly recommend attending any of their upcoming trainings in the future. You’ll be glad you did!

CPD Attendee

I absolutely loved the Therapeutic Play Skills course. The content is incredibly relevant and valuable for anyone working with children, regardless of their profession. One of the standout aspects for me was the experiential nature of the course—it really allowed me to reconnect with my own sense of playfulness, which in turn gave me a wealth of practical ideas to bring into my work with children as a teacher.

Cathy was a wonderful facilitator—so warm, calm, and thoughtful in her approach. She created a safe and supportive space where everyone felt heard and engaged, and she made sure we all got the most out of each session. The course was well-structured, with the modules spaced out perfectly to allow for reflection and learning, while still being full of rich, enjoyable content. I’d highly recommend this course to anyone looking to deepen their understanding of therapeutic play and bring new energy to their work with children.

TPS Certificate Graduate

“I recently completed the Live Online Therapeutic Play Skills Course through the Children’s Therapy Centre, facilitated by the wonderful Edel Lawlor. This training was truly insightful, empowering, and deeply rooted in the power of play. The course not only enriched my understanding of therapeutic play but also provided me with practical, hands-on skills that I can confidently bring into my work with children.

My experience with CTC has been overwhelmingly positive. The team, especially Siobhán Prendiville, is incredibly supportive, knowledgeable, and always available to answer any questions. Their dedication to high-quality training and professional development is evident in every aspect of the course.

I would highly recommend training with CTC to anyone looking to deepen their knowledge of therapeutic play. It’s a transformative experience that blends theory with creativity.”
Therapeutic Play Skills Certificate Graduate