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.

Blog posts by Frances

• 10 MAGNIFICENT GAMES TO PRACTICE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS WITH KIDS…..Possibility of Hours of fun and interaction !!! in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Webinar for parents: ‘Tantrums, Attitude & Boundary Battles, Connecting with your child when you just can’t even’ in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• 7 reasons why emotional intelligence is one of the fastest-growing job skills. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Dealing With Anxiety: Exploring the Patterns that Fuel the Anxious Process in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Useful tips for when a child can’t calm down in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Some helpful pointers for working with anger in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Some useful tips for improving communication with teens in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Some useful pointers for problem solving…’HELP YOUR CHILD BECOME A CRITICAL THINKER AND PROBLEM SOLVER’ in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• A study which supports the idea that ‘Yoga and Meditation Can Reverse DNA Activity Which Causes Stress, Illness, Anxiety and Depression. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• EMPATHY DOESN’T SEEM TO WORK. WHAT NOW? in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Happy family Online conference. The heart and science of parenting….what 25 experts have to say about Empathy, Social Intelligence, mindfulness etc. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• BY: NICOLE SCHWARZ 5 THINGS YOUR CHILD NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR DIVORCE OR SEPARATION in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• “Crunch Time” Discipline: Getting Your Kids Out the Door in the Morning in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Why we are a culture of addicts…and why the healing starts early in childhood. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• 14 tips for Helping Children with Emotional Intelligence in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How to Use Time-In as a Discipline Alternative to Time-Out in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How to Be a Confident Parent Without Yelling at Your Kids in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How to Use Books to Teach Children Positive Behaviors in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• 5 hidden messages in your intense child’s words (and how to respond) in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Using Empathy to avoid a power struggle in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Posts that look at sibling rivalry from a variety of perspectives in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• A few Tips about Consequences in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Mindfulness Headspace Program in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Mindfulness Smiling Mind Education Program in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Helping children with Tattling in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Dr. Shefali – Conscious Parenting – Evolve the conscious way in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Dr. Shefali – some aspects of healthy relationships with children in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• What anxious and angry kids need to know about their brain in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Dr. Shefali Tsabury: Love = Good Parenting? It’s Time to Rethink the Equation in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Be the Calm You Want to See in Your Child (by Renee Jain) in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Conscious Parenting: Dr. Shefali Tsabury in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The real reason parents give your kids so many reminders. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How childhood stress, spanking, parents who are stressed/dysregulated, etc. affects children in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How to Get Children to Sleep – Making Bedtimes Easier in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Problem Solving through Power Struggles. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• A radically different way to respond when your child is aggressive. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Top 5 parenting challenges and how to deal with them in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• ACT instead of REact in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Dealing with Anxiety in Children: How to Calm & Strengthen an Anxious Brain in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How To Get Your Child To Talk To You. (Note: I would change the sentence ‘Commiserate about how that must have made them feel. Sentences like, “That must have been so hard” or “That must have made you so angry”’ to Commiserate about how that made them feel. Sentences like, “That was hard” or “you look so angry” or ‘you feel mad about that’. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Self-regulation is a Life Skill, best learned in youth. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Dr. Robert Melillo explains brain balance in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Anxiety or Aggression? When Anxiety in Children Looks Like Anger, Tantrums, or Meltdowns in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• 10 ways you can reduce sibling rivalry. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How does mindfulness reduce anxiety? in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Teaching Your Child to Respectfully Disagree in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Playful Parenting Through Power Struggles in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Mistakes parents often make during a meltdown in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Anxiety – Research Sheds Light on Why the Worry in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• A ted talk on stress: How to make stress your friend!!! in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Anger: How to Make Friends With It – Sherri Boles-Rogers in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The Most Important Skill to Teach Children….Self Regulation in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Taking Control of Your Parenting Triggers in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The messages behind Discipline in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The Single Most Important Skill to Teach Your Child is to develop an awareness of his/her feelings and the ability to manage them…..Emotion coaching in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Setting Boundaries for your Attention-Seeking Child. Connection is more than attention. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Five easy mindful exercises for kids in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• What to do When Your Child Says, “I Hate You.” in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Some information about Child Play & Art Therapy: How It Works. There is a link on the page to read some information about play therapy. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Emotional Regulation in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• A short article…..’Helping kids handle tough emotions’ in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The Effects of Toxic Stress On The Brain & Body – How to Heal & Protect…..Many Children who feel anxious or are angry a lot, live with a lot of ongoing stress……. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Teenage Flare-Ups: What You Need to Know to Make a Difference in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Feeling Manipulated by your Child? Try this Response. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Want To Change Your Child? Start By Regulating Your Own Emotions in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How Parents Can Stop The Cycle Of Yelling in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• 9 Things Every Parent with an Anxious Child Should Try in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Children & Anxiety in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How to Help Your Child to Transition in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Neuroscience Insight: How to Break Bad Habits in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• New Research Shows That Mindfulness Is the Secret to Happiness in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How to help your anxious child in The Novara Centre Blog
• Much Research shows mindfulness to be very effective in alleviating & healing Depression. Activation of the bonding, love, calming hormone in the brain called oxytocin is also important, activated through activities such as social bonding, connection with self & others, empathy, love, compassion, relaxation, calming & nurturing activities etc. The following article discusses others. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Bad Attitude in Your House? Use This Game to Turn The Mood Around in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Coping Skills for kids…website with some useful ideas & strategies in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How to Avoid Shaming Your Child – And Keep Strong, Loving Boundaries in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Two words that bring one back to positive parenting. ‘SLOW DOWN’. Slowing Down, being aware, mindful, listening & attuning is key to positive parenting, to accessing wisdom, responding instead of reacting & much more….. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Click this title first to access a link to the article….’Don’t Waste Another Consequence: Discipline Tips that Work’ in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How to set limits without a power struggle in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The Things Our Kids Will Learn From Us (Whether We Like It or Not) in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How to Teach Kids About the Brain: Laying Strong Foundations for Emotional Intelligence (by Dr Hazel Harrison) in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Positioning Kids & Teens to Thrive: 11 Practical, Powerful Ways to Build a Growth Mindset. The Book ‘How to Talk so Kids will Listen & Listen so Kids will Talk’ by A. Faber & E. Mazlish, has a great chapter on ‘Praise’ which goes into more depth than the article posted here. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Do Your Children Really ‘Make’ You Mad? in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Beyond “Settle Down”: Coping Skills for your Angry Child in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• A Useful Website – Parenting …Hand In Hand….Lots of video demonstrations, articles, Tips, parenting support etc. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Teach Your Child to Gently Work Through a Mistake With These 5 Questions in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• From fear To Love: The 3 pathways of emotional expression in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Some components of a healthy parent/child relationship in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Self Regulation Activities for Children in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Teaching Mindfulness to Teenagers: 5 Ways to Get Started in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Headspace (Mindfulness) App. for kids & teeneagers in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids & Teens: ‘Anger & How to be the Boss of Your Brain’ in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• ‘Just Breathe’ is a short film made with students at Citizens of the World Mar Vista Charter School, “Just Breathe” features kids speaking candidly about anger and how they cope or regulate – something for all ages to ponder… With a running time of a whopping 3 1/2 min utes, “Just Breathe” is the quickest lesson on mindfulness you’ll ever get, by the youngest teachers you’ll ever have. If you like it, you can even download it for free. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• When Someone You Love experiences Deep Sadness or Depression in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Anxiety in Kids:How to turn it around & protect them in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The key to making a good parenting decision in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Responding to Toddlers’ Irrational Behavior in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Relaxing and Regulating From The Inside Out! in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Playful Ways to teach deep Breathing in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How to Stop Old Wounds from Stealing into Relationships in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Building Emotional Intelligence in Children: Talking About Sadness, Loss and Grief in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Oxytocin Parenting: Love, Attachment and Bonding Series in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Your Child’s Friendship Drama: Do’s and Don’ts for Parents in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Connecting with teens. Secrets of Successful Parenting. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The Brain Science that changes Parenting in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Dealing With Social anxiety: How to Rise & Shine in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Beyond “Take a Deep Breath”: Help for the Angry, Anxious, Frustrated Parent in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Do you treat yourself better than Others in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Mindfulness for Children in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• A brain-based way to stop tantrums in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How to respond when your child acts disrespectfully in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Understanding & Resolving Conflicts in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The decline of play in preschoolers — and the rise in sensory issues, anxiety etc. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Mindfullness App for kids…….Smiling Mind is modern meditation for young people. It’s a simple tool that gives a sense of calm, clarity and contentment. Smiling Mind is a unique web and App-based program developed by a team of psychologists with expertise in youth and adolescent therapy. In recent years, Mindfulness Meditation has surged in popularity for use in the treatment of stress, resilience, anxiety, depression and other physical and mental illnesses. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• 5 benefits of sportscasting a child’s struggles in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Building Emotional Intelligence: What to Say to Children When They Are Anxious in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Why/how I needed to talk to my teens about death in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How to create an after school routine that works for your child in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The genius of Play in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Anxious Parents, Anxious kids in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Loving an Anxious Child in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Parenting Question. How Can I help my child deal with Rejection? in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Oxytocin Parenting. Love, Attachment, bonding, Regulation. in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Tips To get kids to listen in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How Allowing Children to Fail Helps Them Succeed in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The science of the teenage brain in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Why you’re still having power struggles with kids in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Important things to teach kids in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Aha! Parenting Moments in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Do You React or Respond to Your Kids? Also Alternatives to Time-Outs, Grounding & Taking things Away in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• a letter to teachers on the use of stoplights in the classroom in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Are you raising nice kids? A Harvard psychologist gives 5 ways to raise them to be kind in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• A Conversation With the Psychologist Behind ‘Inside Out’ in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• How your own self care benefits your kids in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Free articles about parenting from the Post Institute in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• 13 ways to create positive change in children in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Should you negotiate with your child? in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• 100 fiction books all children should read before leaving primary school – according to teachers in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• “Put your own oxygen mask on first!” – Introduction to parental self-care series in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Messy Play Booklet in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• What a poem teaches about co-parenting in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Video: A Child’s View of Sensory Processing Issues in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Powerful Ads Show What Your Child Sees When You’re Addicted To Your Phone in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Freedom: H.W.L. Poonja: Wake Up and Roar in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The Gentle Parent in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Disciplining Kids in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Screen time Recommendations For Infants & young Children in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Screen addiction is taking a toll on Children… in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• The importance of hide & Seek in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Post Parenting minute in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy
• Accepting Feelings: The New Frontier in Parenting in Play, Child and Adolescent Therapy