Hello, I’m Maggie. Welcome to my website.
If you’re reading this, you may be feeling worried about a child’s mental health. Do you feel that something is wrong, and has it felt wrong for a while? Maybe you know what’s caused it; maybe you don’t. I would like to offer you face-to-face support quietly and with respect.
As an experienced and qualified Child Counsellor, I am really keen on Early Intervention, and on helping children (and their parents) before embarrassment begins to stop them from seeking help. Childhood is such a vital time in our development. It’s when we learn whether to trust others, to trust ourselves, and to trust the world. We need to invest in it more. Children are our future.
I offer face-to-face early intervention work with children aged 5 to 12 years who have experienced all kinds of issues. Adverse events like:
Loss
Trauma
Family separation
Friendship or relationship issues
Sensory difficulties
School problems
and many other experiences and difficulties can affect children’s behaviour, feelings or relationships leaving them unusually sad, lonely, angry or fearful. It may be that the child can’t explain the difficulty or share it, and the parent or carer is left feeling frustrated, and stuck.
Because of the crucial role parents play in their children’s lives, I also offer a separate service for parents or carers. Parents or carers can feel discouraged, exhausted and / or stuck, and benefit from support and encouragement. We human beings and our children, are now living increasingly isolated yet busy lives faced with demands that our brains haven’t evolved for. It doesn’t help that our systems are underfunded and overstretched.
What do I offer?
I offer two services.
Child Counselling for Children aged 5-12 years (50 minute weekly sessions)
I work:
By creating a safe relationship with the child.
By using a range of child-friendly activities to help encourage them to express themselves, to be themselves and to work out their strengths.
By using therapeutic play including the use of puppets, toy models, balloons, drawings, play dough, art and crafts. Even knitting.
When appropriate by working closely with the parent. The parent – child relationship is vital. Collaboration with parents is often key to helping the child.
Parental Support Sessions (individually and in groups)
I work:
By helping parents reflect on their own: lives, strengths, support networks and how their own childhood and parenting affected them and their own style of parenting.
If you’d like to know more, you are very welcome to call, text, WhatsApp or email. Change is always possible, and children can bounce back from all kinds of difficulties.
How do I work?
1) Book a free 20 minutes zoom call or telephone call with me.
2) If you then decide to go ahead with counselling, we’ll meet for the introductory session.
This lasts 60 - 90 minutes. I meet with the parent or carer without the child. This is a two-way process for us both to explore why the child is being referred, some background and history, and to get a sense of whether the service is right for the child.
3) The Next 3 to 4 Sessions
Initially, so that your child has a good idea of what sessions feel like, and I have a better idea as to whether therapy will help, I suggest only 3 to 4 sessions. In this period, your child will get to know me and get a feeling for the work, and will then be able to give informed consent as to whether they wish to continue with it.
What happens at first?
Get in Touch
For further information, please contact me through this form. I will respond as soon as I can within my business hours. I look forward to hearing from you.
My contact hours are:
Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 5.30pm
maggieearlyintervention@gmail.com
07587 695506