Meet The Team
Management Team
Management Team
Laura - Director
|
Laura is the owner of The Butterfly Room. A Chartered Developmental Psychologist who has been working with autistic children and families for 8 years both within the NHS and private sector. Laura specialises in supporting families with challenging behaviours such as anxiety, anger and sleep difficulties via implementing strategies and interventions. Laura is a published and active researcher within the field of ASD, as well as working as a visiting lecturer at The University of Hertfordshire delivering teaching on both the undergraduate and masters psychology degrees. Laura is trained to deliver both the ADI-R and ADOS-2 to research reliability status along with training and experience in delivering RAID and PEERS approaches. Laura is also the founder of The Noah's Room Charity and supports and campaigns actively for the ENHT Peadiatric Safe Space Appeal. Laura's publications include:
|
Claire - Centre Manager
Claire has been a qualified person centred counsellor for over 15 years, 5 years ago she also
completed a play therapy diploma. Claire has spent time managing a children's home supporting
children with complex needs and end of life care. Claire has worked at the butterfly room for three
years and has a great rapport with both adults and children alike. Claire is also the safeguarding
lead for The Butterfly Room and supports staff including running a peer supervision group for the
whole team. As a counsellor Claire is lead by the child and supports the child to tell their story
through play and exploration. Claire is registered with the BACP and completed her proficiency with
them too. She has considerable experience, working in care and education her whole adult career
and has spent the last ten years working in mainstream and special schools across the county. Claire
specialises in supporting children with additional needs, she has worked with children with a wide
variety of needs including, loss, bereavement, ASD, ADHD, different learning and communication
needs, self esteem, depression, eating disorders, psychosis, trauma, attachment and anxiety. Claire is
also a trustee of a charity called HOLD supporting disabled adults.
completed a play therapy diploma. Claire has spent time managing a children's home supporting
children with complex needs and end of life care. Claire has worked at the butterfly room for three
years and has a great rapport with both adults and children alike. Claire is also the safeguarding
lead for The Butterfly Room and supports staff including running a peer supervision group for the
whole team. As a counsellor Claire is lead by the child and supports the child to tell their story
through play and exploration. Claire is registered with the BACP and completed her proficiency with
them too. She has considerable experience, working in care and education her whole adult career
and has spent the last ten years working in mainstream and special schools across the county. Claire
specialises in supporting children with additional needs, she has worked with children with a wide
variety of needs including, loss, bereavement, ASD, ADHD, different learning and communication
needs, self esteem, depression, eating disorders, psychosis, trauma, attachment and anxiety. Claire is
also a trustee of a charity called HOLD supporting disabled adults.
Rachel - Placement Manager
Rachel is a qualified counsellor and member of the BACP and NCS who has worked at The Butterfly
Room for almost three years. As Placement Manager Rachel hopes to extend our growing and
diverse team. Whether you are requiring a placement opportunity or looking to gain experience
within a counselling setting we can offer a supportive programme empowering you to reach your
goals. Volunteering is a very rewarding experience which Rachel believes is an integral part of
personal development and growth. As placement manager Rachel will be your mentor throughout
your volunteering role, you will meet regularly in order to ensure good practice and shared practice
is always welcome. As a team we are lucky to have a Supervisor who can offer monthly group
supervision, and offer a diverse range of expertise between us all. If a volunteering role is something
you are looking for please get in touch, we would love to hear from you.
The Behavioural Therapy Team
|
Naomi Naomi is a qualified counsellor and is a member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy and the National Counselling Society. For twenty years she has worked extensively with children, adolescents and their families in a variety of settings including specialist schools for children with Epilepsy and Autism, as a Play Worker at Great Ormond Street Hospital and currently as a Senior Contact Supervisor at the Hertfordshire Contact Service. She also volunteers at the Garden House Hospice as a Bereavement Counsellor. |
|
Rachel Rachel is a qualified counsellor and member of the BACP and NCS, she has worked within education settings supporting children and adolescents experiencing social, emotional and mental health difficulties including anxiety, self-harm, low self-esteem, bereavement, ASD, ADHD and attachment. Rachel has implemented interventions within school settings focusing on the growth of emotional development and resilience, promoting positive future outcomes for all. Rachel also runs a private practice supporting adults with a range of difficulties. Rachel also spent a year volunteering at Garden House Hospice as a bereavement counsellor. Jean Jean qualified as a Person Centred Counsellor in 2018; and is a registered member of the BACP. Jean has 14 years’ experience of working within a secondary school setting, where she has provided therapeutic support for pupils and student who are struggling to express their emotions, and at times feel as if they are not being heard. Jean has experience in working with self-harm, emotional and social anxiety, behavioural problems and bereavement. |
|
Nichola
Nichola is a BACP registered integrative counsellor. The integrated models of therapy consist of humanistic, psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural therapy. The nature of the therapeutic relationship and role of the therapist is person centred in approach. Nichola trained with the Place2be and has experience in art therapy and small figure play in primary school settings. In addition, Nichola has worked therapeutically with young people for over ten years, as a therapeutic foster carer and also in a college setting, working with students who present a variety of needs, including, ASD, disabilities, challenging behaviours and students who are unable to cope with mainstream school. Nichola aims to offer children and young people a therapeutic relationship and safe space to explore their difficult and painful feelings. To enable the client to process their thoughts and feelings and be able to grow and develop in healthy ways, to feel empowered and seek rewards from within themselves. |
|
Melissa Melissa is a qualified person centred counsellor and member of the BACP. Melissa has worked in secondary schools and local counselling charities supporting young people with social and emotional difficulties, such as low self-esteem, anxiety and bullying. Melissa has substantial experience of working with young people with a wide range of different needs such as ASD, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties and low confidence. |
|
The Art Therapy Team |
|
Jasmine Jasmine is a qualified HCPC Registered art therapist and practicing artist. She has considerable experience working with children exhibiting challenging behaviour, children with autism, adolescents and vulnerable adults with mental health difficulties. She provides support for the development of a better sense of the self and potential through creativity and healthy attachment. |
|
Katherine Katherine is a HCPC registered Art Psychotherapist who uses a client-centred approach to help those in need. Katherine has considerable experience working with children in primary schools and CAMHS providing therapeutic support for children with ASD, ADHD, mental health and learning difficulties as well as providing support for looked-after children and those experiencing family bereavement. Katherine provides individual and group sessions as well as dyadic work to support relationships within the family dynamic. She believes that art can encourage growth and emotional resilience and allows people to work through trauma in a safe, contained environment. |
|
Giulio Giulio is a registered BAAT and HCPC Art psychotherapist member. He is a qualified art psychotherapist from the University of Roehampton in 2022. As a therapist he has worked with children in primary school settings and also had an experience of working within an outpatient mental health service in the NHS. He has worked with children that presented attachment issues, anger, traumas, bereavement, low self esteem, anxiety, OCD and ASD. He would like to offer a safe and non-judgemental space to work through your feelings while making art. He likes art and spending time within natural landscapes. |
|
Jassy
Jassy is a HCPC registered Art Therapist and a member of The British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT). She is also a trained teacher, working across all age groups from adults to young people who have neurodiverse needs to include profound and multiple learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties, ASD, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, school phobias, and depression to name a few. She tailors an educational programme to support learning, utilising Art Therapy to fully support the individual’s she works with both 1-1 and in group settings. Jassy is also a trained Ceramicist who imparts this knowledge in a variety of recreational settings. Jassy has had the privilege of supporting people on their life journey for over 30 years, she truly believes “The hands will often find the answer to problems with which the mind has long wrestled” Jung. In the therapy room she puts people at ease working with the material they bring to the session, with a combination of using art materials and some self initiated spoken language her aim is: ‘Not to fix you, for you are not broken it is to assist you to find your own solutions to your life’ |
|
The Play Therapy Team
|
Ashley Ashley is a Play, Creative Arts and SandStory Therapist, a Parent-Child Attachment Specialist, and a member of the BACP. She has worked for many years as a primary teacher and was the lead PSHE Co-ordinator in schools. Ashley is passionate about the power and magic of Play Therapy. Ashley’s particular area of interest is with using sand to enable children to 'tell their story' in a gentle and safe way. Ashley qualified as a Play Therapist in 2015 and has since worked with a diverse range of children and young people. She has set up practice in many London schools, running individual and group therapy sessions for children experiencing anxiety, autism, ADHD, behavioural difficulties, bereavement, abuse and domestic violence. Ashley offers ‘Playful Parenting’ workshops and works alongside parents to help strengthen attachments, improve behaviour at home and providing support to parents so they can confidently become the change agents within their own families. A parent of an autistic child herself, Ashley personally knows the difficulties and challenges in parenting a neurodiverse child and she has the unique position of being able to see this journey from both a parent and therapist perspective. Meggan Meggan is a certified Play Therapist and a member of Play Therapy UK. Meggan is committed to creating a safe environment in the play room where the child feels safe and free to express themselves in whatever way in order to help understand their emotions. Meggan is passionate about working with children and believes in the power of learning through play. She has experience working with children with various needs such as Autism, ADHD and developmental delays, which inspired her to start her career in Play therapy. |
Counselling Team 
The Admin Team
|
Beth Beth is a certified Play Therapist and a registered member of Play Therapy UK. She has 23 years’ experience of working with children with learning disabilities, ADHD and Autism. Beth is passionate about helping children fulfill their potential, whatever their difficulties and uses a range of techniques including art, sand, clay, role play, puppets and storytelling, to help children process their feelings and experiences. Beth has worked with children who have experienced abuse, trauma, anxiety, attachment issues, behavioural difficulties, domestic abuse and adoption and fostering, in special needs and mainstream schools. Through play and the therapeutic relationship, Beth creates a safe space for each child to explore and heal. Joy Joy is a Play and Creative Arts therapist and is certified through PTUK. Prior to Joy's training she was a foster carer and has a lot of experience in working with trauma and brain-based differences. Joy loves to provide a safe space for children to be their own unique selves complete with all their struggles and strengths. Joy offers a range of play and creative arts techniques so that each child can find their preferred way of communicating and regulating. When Joy is not in the play room, you might find her talking long walks with her husband (and her teenagers when she can persuade them!), or playing touch rugby - with more enthusiasm than skill, at her local rugby club. Rommy Rommy, a qualified Therapeutic Play Practitioner and a member of Play Therapy UK (PTUK), with over 25 years of experience in Early Years education. Rommy's background gives her a deep understanding of how children learn, communicate, and process experiences, as well as how therapeutic play can help them express what words sometimes cannot. Rommy creates a calm, safe, and nurturing space where children are free to explore their feelings and experiences through play and creativity. Using art, sand, clay, puppets, musical instruments, stories and role-play, to help children process difficult emotions, build confidence, and discover their own ways of coping. Rommy supports children with a wide range of challenges, including anxiety, low self-esteem, difficulties with emotional regulation or anger, and social or friendship struggles. Rommy also works with children with Autism, ADHD, developmental delays, trauma, loss, and attachment difficulties. Rommy's approach is gentle, child-led, and centred in strong, trusting relationships. Karen Karen is a qualified counsellor with a Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, CPCAB 2021. Karen has trained as an integrative counsellor and is also registered with BACP. Karen has a diverse and extensive history of working with young people, working in educational settings for the last 10 years. Karen has experience of working with complex situations including, challenging behaviour, anxiety & self harm and suicide ideation, Karen is patient, understanding and has a strong desire to help young people reach their full potential. Karen has worked with neurodiverse needs, social & emotional difficulties and has also supported students who have been excluded from mainstream settings. Christine Christine is an BACP registered Integrative counsellor. Christine been a qualified counsellor for 13 years and her background is working with children and families. Christine is currently working as a school counsellor in Hertfordshire supporting children with anger, anxiety and complex needs. Christine uses a variety of approaches including talking therapy ,Drawing and Talking therapy and play therapy . Christine has also worked as a parent counsellor in a children's centre supporting parents with past and present difficulties and issues that may be affecting their everyday life. Christine's experience includes - NNEB Nursery nurse for 30 years counsellor for 13 years Herts young homeless group. Place 2 be training and experience SEN experience ASD ,ADHD Parent counsellor. Tamsin Tamsin has a diploma in therapeutic counselling CPCAB, and is registered with BACP. Tamsin uses many different techniques in the counselling room including creativity and play. Tamsin has experience of working with children and adults with additional needs. Tamsin has extensive experience of neurodiversity personally and professionally, as well as having completed a degree in autism (children) and ADHD coaching. Tamsin has experience of working with anger, bereavement, anxiety, self-harm and suicide ideation, experience of counselling individuals with addiction as well as working with trauma including sudden death from road traffic collisions. Jenny Jenny’s work is focused on the Humanistic approach, also know as Person Centred Therapy. She is trauma informed trained and incorporates this into her work. Jenny also volunteers with The Road Victims Trust in Kempston which is a charity which works closely with the police. The Road Victims Trust provides free counselling for anyone affected and impacted by serious and fatal road collisions. In previous roles she has worked closely with teenagers that present with complex needs, behaviours and backgrounds including trauma and bereavement. |
|
Emma Emma has over 18 years administrative and secretarial experience, including working as a PA at a director level. Emma spent over 10 years working within the NHS and other health care settings, and has also worked alongside charities supporting children and young people with mental health needs. Emma is our first point of contact and handles the admin side of things including enquiries, bookings and funding. |