Frances Burns - The Novara Centre
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Frances Burns

I am a qualified Psychotherapist & Play Therapist (M.A. in Humanistic & Integrative Psychotherapy & Play Therapy (Hons.)).

I am an accredited member of:
I.A.P.T.P. (www.iaptp.ie), the Irish Association of Play Therapy & Psychotherapy.
IAHIP (www.iahip.org), Irish Association of Humanistic & Integrative Psychotherapy.

Training includes:
• B.Ed. (Hons.)
• M.A. in Humanistic & Integrative Psychotherapy & Play Therapy (Hons.)
• Certificate – Sand Therapy
• Certificate – Level 1, Theraplay (an attachment building therapeutic play between carer and child),
• Certificate – Using Nature in Therapy,
• Certificate – Cognitive Behaviour Therapy,
• Certificate – Family Systems Therapy,
• Certificates – Mindfulness (MBSR) & Meditation,
• Certificate – Yoga Teacher Training. YAS (Yoga Alliance Standard).

With a background in Primary & Special Education Teaching (B.Ed.), facilitating therapy for Children/Adolescents/Adults in various organizations, including H.S.E., facilitating Carer Training & Support programmes, I bring a range of experience to the therapy.

My interest is in supporting clients towards being their natural, true selves, therefore helping them towards greater inner happiness, fullfilment, freedom and wholeness.
Where appropriate, I often work in a systemic and client-centred way – working with clients within the context of their family, school and any other significant environment of which they are part. I place a strong emphasis on the importance of the Carer/Child Relationship & the carer as external regulator. I also facilitate support sessions/programmes for carers to develop & enhance the Carer/Child Relationship. Parents and sometimes teachers are supported and encouraged to be active in the process so the skills learned by the child/adolescent can be carried over into other situations. Play/Creative/Experiential approaches are used as appropriate, to help the child/adolescent to express themselves, explore their true self, and make sense of their experiences & world in which they live and manage or resolve any difficult or painful experiences or suffering. Children also learn to manage their thoughts/feelings, relationships and conflicts in more healthy, true ways.

I often incorporate a range of humanistic & integrative approaches including:

• Those informed by neuroscience, Regulation & Attachment Research e.g. The Neuro Sequential Model of Therapeutics, A.E.D.P. (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy), Theraplay,
• Client Centered,
• Gestalt,
• Psychodynamic approaches,
• Transactional Analysis,
• Practices of Mindfulness.

While some teenagers prefer to talk, others find this difficult and require a more experiential approach. I work in a developmentally appropriate and eclectic way to establish a therapeutic relationship with your child/teenager, working creatively with him/her through a variety of media, such as Art, Music, Sand, Clay, Games, Visualisation, Mindfulness, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Regulation practices, Developmental Movement or Somatic Work, (in addition to traditional talking therapy approaches like Client Centered or Gestalt) etc.

I have experience facilitating therapy for a range of Emotional, Social, Behavioural and Developmental Difficulties, including Trauma, Complex Relational Trauma (including Child Abuse), PTSD, OCD, Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Attachment disruptions (including Foster Children), Loss, issues associated with e.g. ASD, Sensory Processing, Speech & Language, & Learning difficulties etc.

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