QQI Certificates

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.

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 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

CTC is the third time I’ve been to college. I used to like the idea of college, learning & broadening my mind, however I never had the focus to really experience or enjoy it.

Fast forward to 2022 when I signed up to take part in the Therapeutic Play Skills Certificate course, that was it, I was hooked! I applied to the MA in Creative Psychotherapy the following year.

I had found an educational centre that taught in a way that reached out to all learning styles. I have never learned the way I have in CTC. My body learns alongside my brain, giving me a much deeper understanding. I get giddy when I think about it. I want the whole world to know this way of learning. When I got accepted on the MA, I said “I feel like someone has told me Hogwarts is real & I can go learn magic”. I am learning magic!

As well as learning in the class environment we get to develop and learn through our work placement, supervision, personal psychotherapy and through mediums such as sand, toys, movement and more. This isn’t just an academic course for me, it is a new way of life. One that breaks through barriers & promotes allowing children to simply “be” …all they can be.

“Since qualifying from the MA & working in Psychotherapy, attending CPD trainings with CTC has been a transformative experience for my practice. I continue to gain new insights, learning & resources, that have directly enhanced my therapeutic skills. I’ve gained a deeper understanding in more specialised areas & the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals has expanded my confidence and competence. These trainings have truly enriched my ability to support my clients & their families in a more holistic and effective way, allowing me to offer them the best care possible.”

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 could not recommend the Therapeutic Play Skills Certificate enough. I feel that it is a course that everyone should do as it offers a wonderful opportunity to explore the therapeutic powers of play. We had an amazing lecturer, Laura, who always greeted us with a warm, bright energy. Laura created a safe space for everyone within the group. She is a fountain of knowledge, with a wonderful way with words to help people understand and grasp the therapeutic play skills. You are also given the opportunity to do some individual play sessions which I thoroughly enjoyed. You get to see the therapeutic powers of play at work here, which I found fascinating. It’s the most amazing form of treatment when a child gets to do what they do best- play and heal at the same time. There is also a great sense of community and support within the group, which again makes learning easier and fun. Unknown to yourself, overtime you’ll slowly notice a nice little collection of books, puppets, crafts etc accumulating as you become immersed in the course. Enjoy 🙂

TPS Certificate Graduate

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!