External Examiner

The Children’s Therapy Centre prides itself on appointing External Examiners of very high standing. Our current incumbent is Claire Carbis.

Previous holders of the role:

Dr Rosie Burrows. Dr Burrows works as an independent Psychotherapist, Supervisor, Trainer, Lecturer, and Writer. Her academic education was in Psychology, Politics and Social Anthropology, followed by a Ph’D on Holistic Approaches to Health and Well Being.

She was trained in Supervision and Consultation by Seán Gaffney from 1995-2014, and has taken many advanced trainings, including a 3 year post qualifying training in the Netherlands in Somatic Experiencing, an international neuroscience validated and body based approach to working with trauma, and, Neuro Affective Regulation training with Dr Larry Heller on healing early developmental trauma. She assists on International trainings and has worked in South Africa, Sri Lanka, Denmark, the Netherlands, and England.

Extracts from Dr. Burrows final report:

“The notable strength of this programme is in its coherence and fitness for purpose in integrating high quality play therapy and humanistic psychotherapy practice where practitioners are equipped to be both confident and competent in whatever setting they choose to work. ”

“The evidence I observed and engaged with strongly validates the view that CTC continues to provide an excellent standard of Play Therapy and Psychotherapy Training from Foundation, Diploma and Masters levels, a range of other trainings and workshops, and writing for publication in local and international publications.

There is a coherence throughout the programme that is recognised by students, with 100% of students participating on the programme recommending CTC to others. Finally, as it is my last year, it has been an honour to be an External Examiner to CTC.”

Eva Lindroos was our External Examiner from 2010 – 2014. Eva is a Dramatherapist with a background in the Performing Arts and Education. She is the Subject Leader for Dramatherapy and Course- Co-Ordinator for the Dramatherapy MA Programme at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth since March 2009. Previously she was a Senior Lecturer at the Dramatherapy MA Programme at Roehampton University, London for five years where she also undertook her training as a Dramatherapist. She qualified in 2000. Her clinical Dramatherapy experience includes ten years of working with various client groups mainly in Adult Mental Health for the NHS in the UK and for the HSE in Ireland.

She is a Dramatherapy Supervisor and has supervised colleagues, practicing Dramatherapists, trainee Dramatherapists and other Arts Therapists. She also holds a Masters Degree in German, English and Scandinavian Literature and Languages from the Johann-Wolfgang Goethe Universitaet in Frankfurt/M, Germany. She specialized in the field of Children and Young People’s Literature and Theatre. Her theatre background includes experience both as a performer and a Theatre director in several European and African countries including her own country of origin which is Sweden. She is currently working on her PhD in Dramatherapy in the department of Education at NUI Maynooth. Her research interest is the education and training of Dramatherapists in an academic environment. Eva was our External Examiner for 4 years starting in 2010.

Extracts from Dr Lindroos final report:

In her 2014 report the External Examiner noted the following under the various headings:

The Evidence Considered

“Again I was impressed with the high academic and practice based standard of the student work. The work has depth and insight at the appropriate levels for each year group.”
“As in previous years I picked student material from the top and bottom marks and then I randomly picked material to read in the middle tier. This again gave me an excellent insight into the learning journey of the students and the different and appropriate levels of their learning attainment.”

Minimum Intended Programme Learning Outcomes

“As I already pointed out in my report from 2013 this is a very clear and well structured programme that spans the different levels of learning attainment, abilities and professional skills that the students bring with them over a potential four year training period. The programme can cater for students who come from diverse levels of previous training and academic backgrounds. This is one of the real strengths of this programme in my opinion. Through this approach the programme offers both diversity and equal opportunities to all students at an appropriate level even at the minimum intended learning outcomes.”
“The level of training at CTC meets both national and international standards at a more than an adequate level for the relevant and appropriate learning objectives and outcomes”

Actual Attainment of Learners

“Again I can only repeat what I have said in my previous reports. The actual attainment and learning of the students at CTC is of a very high standard. I have no hesitation stating this as I have followed CTC in my role as External Examiner for four years… The four year programme safeguards not only high academic standards but also best therapeutic practice.”

The Programme

“In previous reports I have commented on how well the training programme at CTC incorporates all the important aspects of a therapeutic training programme which integrates a strong practice based clinical component and, further to this, a sound academic base. This is still the same and this continues to develop and I can see clearly how it continues to go from strength to strength.”
“The work load is still considerable for the students (and tutors and markers!) but the various components of the learning is connected and interconnected in a way that provides for a training of safe and skilled therapists. I particularly want to highlight this strength of the programme.”
“The fourth year includes the academic assignment of the MA dissertation. Already in last year’s report I suggested that more face-to-face writing and processing support would be offered to the students. This was taken up by the course director at the time but does not seem to have received as well as expected by the students.”

Assessment Procedures

“The procedures are of a very high standard. They are in-depth, fair, detailed and transparent. The marking system and criteria are admirably thorough and other therapeutic training programmes could certainly learn a thing or two about assessment from CTC.”

Trends

“I want to commend the implementation of the fourth year of the four year cycle.”
“Any feedback that I have offered over my time as External Examiner to CTC has always been taken on board and implemented in the most appropriate way. This is certainly another obvious strength of both the Course Director and the teaching team at CTC.”

Dr Anne Cattanach PhD. MSc. RDth was our External Examiner from 2007 until her death in November 2009. She had a Ph.D. in Play Therapy research and was Course Director, Play Therapy at the University of Surrey, Roehampton for ten years until 2001.

Dr. Professor Mooli Lahad took over the role following Dr Cattanach’s death. His Doctorates are in Psychology & Education, and in Human & Life Science. He is Professor of Psychology at Tel Hai academic college in Israel and has over 24 years teaching experience in Higher Education so is very familiar with University standards. For well over 10 years he has been Director of PhD Studies in Dramatherapy at Roehampton University in London. He is a widely published author.