AILEEN WHELAN

MSc Applied Child Psychology, PG Diploma in Play Therapy

My name is Aileen, and I am a Certified Play Therapist with over 10 years of experience. I have a passion for helping people and believe it is imperative that children and adolescents receive the psychological support they need in order to transition into, or back into, a happier and more authentic version of themselves.

My deep understanding of human psychology and clinical experience as a therapist, together with my commitment to providing effective support, allows me to facilitate positive changes in the lives of the individuals and families I work with. I have conducted play therapy in many organisations, including schools, local authorities, adoption support, and private clients. Additionally, I provide education and workshops for multidisciplinary teams, schools, and staff working with children who need extra guidance.

I have a current DBS, am registered with the ICO, hold Indemnity and Professional Liabilities Insurance and am a full, certified member of Play Therapy United Kingdom (PTUK number: 201500734), in which I adhere to their ethical standards.

Previous experience:

Play Therapy Group Sessions
Play Therapy Individual Sessions
Workshops
Creative Family Sessions
Parent/Carer Support Sessions
Special Needs Coordinator
Nursery practitioner

Qualifications to date:

MSc Applied Child Psychology
Diploma in Play Therapy (Distinction)
Certificate in Therapeutic Play
Level 4 Counselling – In Progress
Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills
BSc Sports and Exercise Science

Our pre-schooler has been helped to handle his big emotions. Even after a few sessions we saw a real change and it’s lovely to see how their relationship has grown.

(Mother of a Private Client, East Grinstead)

Helped handle his big emotions

From the first session, our son was put at ease and he has enjoyed attending play therapy each week ever since. Our son’s confidence is gradually improving at school and with peers, and we look forward to seeing continued growth in months to come.

(Parent of Pre-Schooler, Haywards Heath)

Confidence is improving

My 5 year old son has formed a bond of trust very quickly. He has told me she is a very good person to tell his worries to… and has lots of great toys/games to play with! I have seen a significant improvement in my sons confidence and ability to manage his emotions since play therapy commenced. I feel the weekly sessions are invaluable to his mental health and overall well-being going forward.

(Parent of individual play therapy, Haywards Heath)

Invaluable to his mental health and overall well-being

“Aileen works with some of our most vulnerable children, she is professional in her approach and very passionate to achieve a positive outcome for each child.”

(Mrs Chamberlain, SENCo at St Marys C of E School)

Passionate to achieve a positive outcome

“I cannot fault Aileen’s professionalism and commitment to the children during her time at Brownsover Community School. Her passion for the job was inspiring but more importantly was the impact that she had on the children she worked with. We saw a marked improvement in the children’s confidence with other people and the ability to handle what may have been stressful situations for them. She made a big difference to the school and the children’s lives that she worked with. I cannot recommend her enough.”

(Mrs Bourne, SENCo at Brownsover Community School)

Passion for the job was inspiring

“My son is a worrier and gets particularly anxious in new situations. This coupled with separation anxiety made for a pretty overwhelmed, unhappy little boy. During group work at school Aileen helped him identify his emotions and feel confident to seek support that was around him whenever he felt he needed it. The sessions were fun and engaging and quickly became something he looked forward to. By the end of the term my son had definitely gained in confidence and while worrying is still in his nature, he’s now much better at recognising this and asking for help.”

(Parent of a young boy after group play therapy)

Sessions were fun and engaging

It has been amazing to see the transition from an angry and anxious to a resilient and confident child through the support that my son has had. The safe space provided for him to learn to effectively communicate how he is feeling with his school teacher and his family at home has had a significant positive impact. As a mother, I am extremely grateful.

(Mother of boy, aged 8 years, Haywards Heath)

It has been amazing to see the transition

Aileen has helped our daughter to grow in confidence and she is now so much happier. Our tearful pre-school goodbyes are a thing of the past, she happily interacts with her peers now and even says she is excited to go to pre-school – something I thought I would never hear her say!’

(Parent of individual play therapy, Haywards Heath)

Working with Aileen has been a hugely positive journey