Ruth is a certified play and creative arts therapist. Originally qualified as an Early Years and KS1 teacher, over the course of her career she has worked extensively with children and young people who struggle both with learning needs and social and emotional difficulties. She passionately believes in being an advocate for those children and young people she works with, helping them get their needs identified and heard. She trained as a play and creative arts therapist, following a period as a nurture support teacher, because she wanted to dedicate more time to helping individuals effect change in their lives. Also qualified as a Reading Recovery teacher, coupled with her own diagnoses of dyslexia, she has developed a deep understanding of the emotional needs of children with specific learning difficulties and those who identify as neurodiverse. More recently she has become a Heart-to-Heart practitioner, running sessions with parent and child to strengthen attachment relationships within families. She has also supported many children through loss and bereavement. She is known to be an avid reader of everything and anything – currently on the subject of supporting individuals through trauma. In her personal life she is often to be found enjoying outdoor life with her family.
Gayle is an integrative therapist and draws from many different modalities that she has trained in, to tailor an approach that is just right for an individual child, adolescent or adult. Her passion is for creative and embodied approaches which work with the body, as research has found that this is where trauma is stored. Her specialist interests are in complex developmental trauma, attachment and regulation. She has a passionate drive for training in new cutting edge, evidence-based approaches to support clients holistically. She is trained as a play and creative arts therapist, as well as in Sensory Motor, Regulation and Arousal Treatment, or SMART, which is an innovative somatic therapy for complexly traumatized children. She is taking a certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies with the Trauma Research Foundation led by Bessel Van Der Kolk, and is soon beginning to train in Internal Family Systems Therapy. Outside of work, she is a keen photographer and is currently busy with her family attempting to train Lily, the Retriever pup, in the hope of one day training her as a therapy dog.
We have relevant insurances, ICO registration (GDPR), DBS certification, Play Therapy UK membership and certificates of qualifications. We also have safeguarding and data protection policies. Evidence of these will be supplied on request. We also access regular clinical supervision.
Why is it important to use a certified therapist?
Our Members are working with vulnerable children. Very often they are evoking memories from the unconscious which are painful for the child. The feelings of grief, sadness, guilt and anger must be safely held if the child is not to be more emotionally damaged. It is absolutely essential that the practitioner has had adequate experiential as well as theoretical training to cope with situations that may arise. It is also very important that the therapist has experience of using a wide range of play and creative arts tools to follow the child’s lead.
Certification by PTUK requires applicants to have completed an accredited training programme that is based on the required competencies and has been validated by clinical outcomes research.
PTUK – Play Therapy United Kingdon
Testimonials
“It’s really important that he has had that one-to-one time with you. It has had a really beneficial impact on him. You couldn’t have made him any happier. He is so much happier in himself, expressing himself more and is more confident in sharing his emotions. He was sort of reserved but after what he’s done with you, he’s really opened up.”
Father of a Year Three boy.
“Ruth worked with my child over 6-7 sessions and within the first few weeks he started to open up more. She also gave him good techniques to work with, especially the Red and Green thoughts which he still uses.”
Mother of a Year Six boy
“Play therapy definitely helped me and I feel really good about it. I’ve been able to talk about things easier if I need to even if they upset me. And I’ve learned a lot about talking to people and expressing my feelings. And I’ve learned some ways to deal with the way I feel.”
Year Five girl.
