Morag Shrafeddin

I currently have availability. As I work with children and adolescents, my sessions are after school, usually starting after 3pm Monday to Friday.

I am a counsellor/psychotherapist trained specifically to work with children and adolescents. I focus on helping young clients to understand their emotions, develop healthy relationships and build their confidence and self-esteem. Anxiety and depression are common concerns.

By offering a safe and engaging environment they grow to feel comfortable sharing their concerns and anxieties. For younger children play therapy helps them to express themselves and find healthier ways to express anger, fear or worry, as well as to explore their thoughts and feelings and make sense of their life experiences.

The therapeutic approach for children and adolescents differs significantly from that for adults, primarily because children may lack the vocabulary or cognitive development to articulate their emotions directly. Younger clients may not readily express their emotions verbally. Therefore, I employ creative, play therapy methods which help children communicate their thoughts and feelings more freely. In these sessions, toys, art materials or games allow children to externalise their thoughts and work through challenging emotions. I am trained to observe non-verbal cues as these play-based techniques align more with a younger client’s natural mode of expression.

For adolescents, who may experience intense feelings, I use an empathic, non-judgmental approach to help them feel understood and accepted. Sessions focus on helping then articulate their experiences, build coping strategies and improve self-awareness. By engaging young clients in ways that resonate with them, I can build a trusting relationship, a key element of effective therapy.

As an Integrative therapist, I combine techniques from various therapeutic approaches: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy, Person-Centred Therapy, Play Therapy and the principles of Theraplay to create a customised approach that best fits each child or adolescent. 

As I am trained to work specifically with children and adolescents, I am able to use developmentally appropriate techniques. For example, younger children benefit from play-based techniques, like using toys, drawings, or role-play, to process their feelings. Adolescents, who may have more advanced verbal skills, tend to engage more in talk therapy, exploring their identity, relationships, or self-esteem issues. As an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist, I draw from multiple therapeutic modalities to meet each child or adolescent's needs, helping them gain insight and learn coping strategies relevant to their lives.

I am trained to view issues holistically, considering factors like family dynamics, school environment, social influences, and developmental stages. For children and adolescents, external influences, especially family relationships, can significantly impact their emotional well-being. I involve parents or caregivers at the start of the therapeutic process to understand more about the child or adolescent’s challenges. This knowledge is essential in providing me with background information vital in supporting the initial exploration of the child or adolescent’s concerns.

I promote emotional resilience, self-awareness, and adaptive coping skills. Children and adolescents learn to identify and express their emotions healthily, manage stress, and develop problem-solving skills. These tools not only help them cope with current challenges but also prepare them to navigate future life transitions with greater confidence and self-assurance. Ultimately, my aim is to empower young people to understand themselves better and build a foundation of mental health and emotional well-being that can benefit them well into adulthood.

In my first session/s I work with the parents to gain knowledge and understanding of the challenges experienced by the child or adolescent. This may require more than one session. Parents can be seen separately if this is helpful.

In the case of an adolescent, I have an additional session/s with them to try and get a greater understanding of their concerns. 

With a child, the first therapy session/s may need the parent/s to remain in the therapy room to create a sense of comfort and security for the child. When appropriate for the child, the parent/s can then leave and allow the child to participate in the play therapy with me.