Our People
Clinical Lead & Play Therapist
Registered Interplay Therapist, Post Grad Cert Play Therapy, BA Hons (Psych), Cert. Jungian Sand Therapy, Cert Counselling Theory and Practice, PTI
Tell us a bit about your experience
When I left school, I completed a BA Honours Degree in Psychology at University College Dublin. My real interest was psychotherapy so I went on to study counselling and psychotherapy and worked in drug and alcohol and other addictions. Much of my work was with young people and their families. After we had our children I trained as a Crisis Support Worker at Lifeline and more recently completed my Post Graduate Certificate in Play Therapy.
Where are you from?
​I am from Ireland and travelled to Australia in my 20’s. Just before I was about to leave Sydney I met my Australian husband and the rest is history.
What inspired you to work in Play Therapy?
Working in addiction I often wondered what life would have been like for some of my clients if they had been able to get help when they were young. After raising my own family, I felt drawn towards working with children, I wanted to find a way that would truly allow them to safely express themselves. When I learned about Play Therapy and how it reaches children in a way that talking therapy cannot, I knew I had found that way.
What do you like most about your job?
I am constantly amazed in the playroom as I watch children process their struggles and guide their own growth. I feel enormously privileged that they allow me into their lives to be part of that process. I love helping provide a safe space and developing a relationship where they can feel supported and secure enough to express their feelings, thoughts, fears and worries through the medium that comes most naturally to them – play.
What kind of play do you enjoy the most?
​I grew up in the countryside and loved to escape down the fields or into the woods, immersing myself in the freedom of nature and my imagination. In the playroom, I love working in the sand with children and being with them as their natural creativity and imagination takes them where they need to go.
Intake Clinician
Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie University, Honours thesis at the University of Technology Sydney
Tell us a bit about your experience
I completed a Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie University before completing my Honours thesis at the University of Technology Sydney. My experience spans crisis support, mental health intake and care coordination across organisations including Lifeline Australia, Gidget Foundation Australia, Rainbow Families and now Be Centre. Throughout these roles, I have supported individuals and families navigating a wide range of mental health, developmental and life challenges, helping them access the right support at the right time.
Where are you from?
I grew up on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and continue to call the area home. Family, community and connection have always been important parts of my life, and I feel fortunate to now be working within a service that supports local children and families.
What inspired you to work in Play Therapy?
My interest has always been in early intervention and the idea that the right support at the right time can make a meaningful difference in a child’s life. What attracted me to Be Centre was the opportunity to support children and families during times when they may be seeking additional guidance, understanding and support. I value being able to help families navigate available services and connect with the care that best meets their needs.
What do you like most about your job?
I enjoy meeting families at an important point in their journey and helping them find a pathway forward. Every family’s story is different, and I find it incredibly rewarding to work alongside parents, carers and clinicians to ensure children receive the best support for their individual context.
What kind of play do you enjoy the most?
I’ve always enjoyed imaginative and social play. Growing up, I spent a lot of time playing with toy animals, I loved creating elaborate stories and adventures for them. These days that probably looks more like spending time with family and friends, exploring new places and taking my Dalmatian, Tony Christie, on adventures around Sydney.
Parent Counsellor
MCAP Masters in Counselling and Applied Psychotherapy (2013) (8 years’ experience), Tuning Into Kids and Tuning Into Teens qualified facilitator.
Tell us a bit about your experience
I have 20 years of experience as a Registered Nurse and eight years as a Counsellor. I'm a facilitator of the Tuning into Kids, Tuning into Teens, and Circle of Security parenting courses. I previously volunteered as a Lifeline telephone support worker and I've mentored with Raise Foundation. I'm a mum of two grown-up children.
Where are you from?
I was born in the UK and came to Australia in 1995.
What inspired you to work in Play Therapy?
I was looking for something that would align with my Counselling qualification and found myself supporting parents at Be Centre. I feel that "play" is so important. It allows children to use their creativity while developing emotionally. It also is a great connection time for parents and their children.
What do you like most about your job?
I love working in a supportive environment with other health professionals. I am passionate about my role supporting parents either through counselling or facilitating parenting courses. It's important to support the parents/carers through the process so not only the children feel supported, but also the parents.
What kind of play do you enjoy the most?
I loved creative play and story telling with my children when they were young. We still have lots of craft activity in our house including painting and mosaics.
Parent Counsellor
Registered counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and hold an overseas bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
Fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Tell us a bit about your experience
I’m a Level 3 registered counsellor with a background in psychology and over 10 years of experience supporting families, couples, and individuals through trauma, parenting challenges, and relational difficulties. My practice is grounded in a holistic and attachment-based approach, drawing on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and family systems principles to help clients build secure, resilient relationships.
My career extends across Australia and Brazil. In Sydney, I have worked as a relationship counsellor in private practice and facilitated therapeutic groups such as The Good Enough Parent and the Community Mothers’ Group, supporting immigrant mothers as they navigated parenting in a new country. Earlier in my career, I worked in Brazil providing therapy in community centres and through home visits with vulnerable families, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to strengthen family bonds.
I bring warmth, empathy, and cultural sensitivity to my work, creating safe spaces where parents and carers feel heard and empowered.
Where are you from?
I’m Brazilian and moved to Australia in 2014.
What inspired you to work in Play Therapy?
As a relationship therapist, I am passionate about helping families navigate emotional challenges, with a focus on fostering secure attachment and healthy family dynamics.
What do you like most about your job?
I love being part of a team of professionals who share the same mission and values in supporting children and their families. I am especially passionate about counselling parents/carers and providing a safe, validating space where they can feel heard, supported, and understood during difficult times.
What kind of play do you enjoy the most?
I love doing arts and crafts with my daughter, and I also enjoy spending time with my family and connecting with nature.
Play Therapist
Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Child Play Therapy
Tell us a bit about your experience
My previous work experience has been in Casework and Counselling roles in the field of child welfare and family support. I have also worked in schools doing expressive therapy with individuals and groups. I love working with children and families to help them thrive as individuals and in relationships.
Where are you from?
I was born and grew up in Sydney’s Western suburbs.
What inspired you to work in Play Therapy?
Through my experience in schools and in social work roles I met many children who were really struggling with big emotions, grief and trauma. I found these kids were often misunderstood, and their families, teachers and I just didn’t know the best way to help them. When I discovered Play Therapy it just made sense! I love that Play Therapy uses the most natural and developmentally appropriate way for children to communicate and express themselves.
What do you like most about your job?
I feel so privileged to have children let me into their inner world through their play! It is amazing to witness kids express difficult emotions, discover strength and build resilience within the safety of the playroom and therapeutic relationship. I also love working alongside parents and carers to support attachment and family relationships through play.
What kind of play do you enjoy the most?
​As a child I loved to go on adventures through all sorts of imaginative play. I still love dress ups, escaping through a good novel or musical and exploring outside in nature.
Play Therapist
Certified Humanistic Play Therapist and Interplay Practitioner Masters of Counselling and Applied Psychotherapy, Postgraduate training in Therapeutic Play Skills, Fundamentals of Sandplay Therapy (ANZ-STI), Diploma in Transactional Analysis, Bachelor of Arts (Psychology)
Tell us a bit about your experience
After years of working in the business and corporate sectors focusing on supporting people within the business scope, I made the decision to leave that space and really focus on people personally. This led to me further training in psychotherapy, play therapy and interplay family therapy which started my journey of working therapeutically with adults, young people, families and more recently with precious kiddos. I have also enjoyed volunteer roles at the Benevolent Society supporting new Mums and Bubs, being a Raise mentor and have been lucky enough to experience some awesome volunteer roles supporting young people in South America and Africa.
Where are you from?
I was born and bred around Sydney and the Central Coast.
What inspired you to work in Play Therapy?
I guess it’s largely because I feel passionate about kids and their wellbeing, and I wish every child (and adult) was loved and supported and trauma-proof. And from a big picture perspective, I think no one’s life is perfect and often things that happen in early years (outside of our control) impact us in many ways that can shift throughout time. The way we deal with these impacts can become patterns of behaviour or relationships or just ways of managing. And it’s when these approaches no longer serve us that we look to get help as adults. I love the idea of short-circuiting this and offering healing and support by way of early intervention so that the impact in those early years can help us build better ways of being throughout life. And to work effectively with children in those early years I think it’s important we communicate in a way that is natural for them, hence the draw of play therapy. It’s such a beautiful way of relating.
What do you like most about your job?
​The people. Every individual – whether a child, a parent, a carer, a significant other or a colleague at work – they impact me. I feel so honoured to be let into people’s worlds and be part of the process of change they may be seeking. Don’t get me wrong – the playroom is super awesome too!
What kind of play do you enjoy the most?
It depends on my mood – I love the sand especially when I am feeling like I want to chill and when I want to get my creative on, it’s the art supplies that take top spot.
Play Therapist
Bachelor of Health Science, Master of Child Play Therapy
Tell us a bit about your experience
Working with children has always been something I wanted to do! I began volunteering with children while in high school and have continued to work with children and families in various capacities since. My interest in supporting children through their own language of play directed me to complete a Master of Child Play Therapy and became a therapist.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Sydney.
What inspired you to work in Play Therapy?
I was inspired by the combination of play therapy process and principles as a therapy to support children in overcoming, accepting and flourishing in their world. I wanted to work as a play therapist to provide truly effective therapy to support children and their families living through hurdles and challenges. Working with children and their families is something I regard as extremely valuable and critical in creating a better world.
What do you like most about your job?
I feel honored to work alongside each child, creating and holding space for them to explore their world, express themselves and develop existing and new strengths.
What kind of play do you enjoy the most?
I love crafts like pottery and colouring-in as well as card games, Jenga, Articulate and dancing!
Certified Practitioner in Therapeutic Play Skills
Post-graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills, Level 2 and 3 Award in Counselling with Children, Masters of Play Therapy (currently completing), Bachelor of Communications, registered play therapist with APPTA.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Sydney but have recently spent five years living in London.
What inspired you to work in Play Therapy?
During my work with children in schools who experienced trauma, I found play to be a way for us to connect with each other and for them to feel safe. The more we played, the more I realised how powerful the process was for them. As I watched the play transform they way they saw themselves in the world, I knew it was the right path for me.
What do you like most about your job?
I am always in awe of how my clients explore their ‘whole self’ through creative ways in the playroom. The safety and acceptance that play therapy provides allows me to celebrate each child and connect with them without words.
What kind of play do you enjoy the most?
I love any kind of play that involves a messy, sensory element- sand, water or getting my hands into paint!
Play Therapist
Clinical Supervisor, PostGrad Dip Play Therapy, BBSc, RN, CMHN, Cert Holistic Counselling, Cert Life Coaching, Certified Synergetic Play Therapist
Tell us a bit about your experience
I have 36 years’ experience working in mental health in both Melbourne and Sydney, including the past 11 years as a play therapist.
Where are you from?
​Melbourne originally, then I moved to Sydney over 20 years ago with my husband and two children.
What inspired you to work in Play Therapy?
Prior to becoming a play therapist I worked with both adults and adolescents experiencing a wide range of mental health issues which had their origins in childhood trauma. Those clients often told me that when they were children, they hadn’t got the help they needed. Sometimes adults tried to get them to talk but they didn’t have the words to explain their feelings or were too scared to speak. When I discovered Play Therapy I knew this was the answer I had been looking for as a way to reach children using their natural language of play. There is clear evidence to show that early intervention through appropriate help in childhood can change the trajectory of a person’s life.
What do you like most about your job?
I love being able to connect with children through play. Playing out worries, feelings and experiences helps children to make sense of them and allows them to move forward. Being a part of this process with a child is a great privilege. Children inspire me every day with their amazing capacity to express themselves in their own unique way. I also love seeing stronger, connected and more joyful relationships develop between parents/carers and their children as a result of the play therapy process.
What kind of play do you enjoy the most?
I grew up on the coast and love being near the beach and ocean which helps to ground me. In the play room at Be Centre I enjoy following the child’s lead and seeing where their play journey takes us!
Play Therapist
Tell us a bit about your experience
I began my career as a Primary School Teacher in the UK, specialising in Early Years Education. During this time, I developed a deep appreciation for the power of play and the important role it plays in supporting children's development, emotional wellbeing, and relationships.
As my interest in children's emotional health grew, I became increasingly drawn to the therapeutic potential of play. In 2022, I returned to the UK from Australia to complete a Master's degree in Play Therapy, combining my background in education with specialist therapeutic training.
Since qualifying, I have had the privilege of supporting children through a range of emotional and behavioural challenges, helping them express themselves, build resilience, and work towards positive change through the healing power of play.
Where are you from?
I am originally from the Cotswolds in the UK and have been fortunate to live in several different cities, including London, Bristol, and Sydney, I now call the Northern Beaches home. Living and working across different places has given me the opportunity to meet people from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, which has enriched both my personal and professional journey.
What inspired you to work in Play Therapy?
My experience as a teacher first sparked my interest in play therapy. I was fortunate to work alongside school counsellors and play therapists and, when needed, referred children in my class for therapeutic support. Seeing the positive impact this had on children's wellbeing, confidence, relationships, and engagement in learning inspired me to learn more about the profession.
I became increasingly interested in the therapeutic power of play and how it provides children with a safe and developmentally appropriate way to express themselves and process their experiences. What continues to inspire me is witnessing children's resilience and capacity for growth when they are given the right support and space to be heard and understood.
What do you like most about your job?
What I love most about my job is working closely with children, families, and other professionals to create a safe and supportive environment where positive change can happen. It is incredibly rewarding to see how creativity, play, and self-expression can help children process emotions, make sense of their experiences, and develop greater confidence and resilience.
And, of course, I love having the opportunity to be playful! Play is such a powerful tool for connection, communication, and healing, and it is a privilege to witness the unique ways children express themselves through it.
What kind of play do you enjoy the most?
It’s hard to decide! I particularly enjoy imaginative and creative play. I love seeing the unique worlds children create through storytelling, role play, art, and small-world play. These forms of play often provide children with a powerful way to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences, while also allowing their creativity and personality to shine through.
That said, one of the things I love most about play therapy is that every child is different. Whether a child is building, creating, exploring, moving, or pretending, I enjoy following their lead and discovering the meaning and value in the play they choose.
Primary Early Years Education BA(Hons) and Play Therapy MSc, University of South Wales.
Art Psychotherapist
Tell us a bit about your experience
I have been thoroughly enjoying working at Be Centre as an Art Psychotherapist for the last few years. But before this, I graduated from my Art Psychotherapy Masters Program in the UK in 2017 and began working in child and adolescent mental health in community and inpatient settings. Alongside side this, I volunteered on a project through the Refugee Council UK with unaccompanied minors which led me to wanting to work the non-for-profit sector. I later relocated to New Zealand, working with families/whanau who have experienced multifaceted trauma, often in small regional communities before moving to NSW, Australia. This year I completed Supervision training to support other art therapists, and I am currently part of developing a Be Centre arts therapy pilot program within Central Coast and the Hunter region. All exciting stuff!
Where are you from?
I am from a bustling market town in the UK called Bedford, which sits beside a river not so far from London or Cambridge.
What inspired you to work in Art Therapy?
Part of my childhood involved living internationally and engaging into the arts was a huge part of my connection to other children and using creativity as expression has always made sense for me. I knew I wanted to work with communities in a way beyond verbal interactions and where self-expression through the arts was valued. I luckily stumbled upon an art therapy introduction course being advertised and curiously signed up. After meeting such inspiring people and learning theories behind how arts has helped society in so many ways, I knew this was the career for me.
What do you like most about your job?
I am constantly amazed in the playroom as I watch children process their struggles and guide their own growth. I feel enormously privileged that they allow me into their lives to be part of that process. I love helping provide a safe space and The art making alongside others! It always amazes me what people can create and there is something magic about having others witness and acknowledge it. I enjoy seeing how self-expression can offer a sense of hope and inner resilience that can help move people through hardship.
What kind of play do you enjoy the most?
Ceramics! I have a pottery wheel which has travelled with me for years and the whole process of working with clay is so enjoyable.
ANZACATA registered Art Psychotherapist
Masters of Art Therapy, ANZACATA Provisional Supervisor, EMDR LEVEL 1
Play Therapist (Maternity Leave)
Bachelor of Counselling (Majoring in Children, Marriage and Family Therapy), Post Graduate Diploma Play Therapy
Tell us a bit about your experience
I have been working with children for almost 20 years through various volunteer programs and decided to make a career out of it in 2006. I studied a Bachelor’s in Counselling majoring in Working with Children & Marriage and Family Therapy, then took this one step further and became a qualified Play Therapist in 2011. I worked with Be Centre for 6 years before I moved to Orange County, California for 6 years where I worked in one of the nation’s leading paediatric hospitals in a child and adolescent psychiatric facility. In 2020 my husband, newborn son and I moved back to Australia, and I was able to re-join the wonderful team at Be Centre once again.
Where are you from?
​I was born and raised Northern Beaches.
What inspired you to work in Play Therapy?
​For me, prevention and early intervention is key. If children are given a safe space to be totally accepted as they are and given permission to process their difficulties in a way that is natural to them (play!), the future generations will develop into healthy, happy adolescents and adults. Play Therapy advocates for children to have a voice and an environment to make sense of what is happening in their world.
What do you like most about your job?
The uniqueness of every child. I am still getting surprised even after 13 years of being a Play Therapist. I love having the privilege of being allowed into the child’s world to witness them make courageous steps towards their healing.
What kind of play do you enjoy the most?
Inside the room my favourite play is sand and role-play. Outside the room is anything with water!
Be Centre is more than just a place – we’re also a team of dedicated people who share a common passion for what we do. Our team includes some of the nation’s most experienced Play Therapists, but also a high skilled executive team and engaged Board of Directors. We’re also lucky to have the support of amazing interns, volunteers and ambassadors, who all help make us the organisation we are today.
