FOUNDER AND CLINICAL DIRECTOR

I have spent the last 30 years of my career working with families and children, and it is work that I am passionate about.

I initially trained and worked as a counsellor supporting adults both privately and in health care, before deciding to follow my dream of working with young children and becoming a primary school teacher.

I trained in Early Years teaching with a specific interest and specialism in teaching young children to learn through creative play. My career as an early year’s specialist began in teaching and supporting children and families in a nursery school within a Sure Start Childrens Centre. Our approach and ethos were founded on the principles of supporting child led learning,  whilst also working in close partnership with parents, careers  and other professionals to achieve the best outcomes for the children in our care. 

My teaching career took me to various primary schools, where I further built on my interest in supporting Vulnerable children and their families, and I made the decision to train to become a Special Educational Needs teacher (SENCO). The role enabled me to gain a huge amount of knowledge and experience supporting primary school aged children with additional needs and their families,  working in a multi-disciplinary way.

During this time, I also became a mother of twins with additional needs, and I realised first-hand the huge challenges that parents of children with additional needs face daily. Within my role of school SENCO I also had a unique perspective and understanding of how schools with limited budgets, training  and expertise, were struggling to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children 

It was during this time that I was very lucky to meet a Play Therapist, who had been employed by our school to support some of our most vulnerable children with challenging behaviour and complex needs. I was truly amazed at the difference that the therapy made to the children’s lives in a relatively short space of time. I watched with curiosity and interest at how the creative therapist was able to very quickly regulate, connect and make the children in her care feel safe, and how this impacted their behaviour in such positive and life changing ways. 

I had my lightbulb moment; I wanted to train to be a creative therapist!  It made total sense to me to harness my lived experience to create a unique offering. I could create a service that would provide therapeutic support to children, as well as much needed knowledge and training to parents and professionals who were struggling to support their children’s big, baffling behaviours daily. Hence Creative Connections Therapy, and The Connected Parent was born.

I am so glad that you have found us and that you can become part of our growing community.  I am so looking forward to working with you all, there is no need to feel alone on this tough parenting journey anymore.

Love Debbie x

INTEGRATED THERAPIST

I am a qualified Integrated Therapist with a degree in Psychology and professional registration with PTUK as a Play Therapist and Creative Counsellor. I offer specialist therapeutic support for children and young people, with a warm, relational, and creative approach tailored to each individual.

My work is grounded in the synergy of neurobiological systems, recognising the deep interconnection between brain, body, and emotional development. I draw on training in Synergetic Play Therapy, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) Level 1, Therapeutic Life Story Work, trauma-informed practices, and support for specific learning disabilities to offer a sensitive and effective response to complex emotional and developmental needs.

Collaboration is at the heart of my practice. I work closely with carers, families, and schools to support them in supporting the child—creating a consistent, nurturing environment across all areas of the child’s life. Together, we build a shared understanding that fosters trust, safety, and healing.

In therapy, I use creative and expressive tools—such as play, art, storytelling, and somatic awareness—to help young people process their experiences, regulate emotions, build resilience, and reconnect with their inner strengths.

I am approachable, compassionate, and attuned to the unique needs of each child. My personal interests in music, mindfulness, and yoga often inspire and enrich my therapeutic style.

Meet Nutmeg our very own therapy dog!

Nutmeg is 8 years old and is a trained assistant dog. Therapy dogs help children in play therapy by providing a calming presence, promoting empathy, and helping children to learn to regulate their emotions. Therapy dogs can also help to reduce stress, anxiety, and build self-esteem which can improve outcomes for children. Animal assisted play therapy focuses on developing positive relationships between the therapist, animal, and client.

Nutmeg loves working with children at  Creative connections therapy and the children he works with all love Nutmeg. He is always there to welcome them in with a tail wag, he loves fun games, and most importantly he instinctively knows what each client needs,  being present in each moment no matter what they are feeling, with as a safe,  warm, reassuring and trusting presence.