Dr Tracey Murray | HCPC reg Art Psychotherapist

Sarah McLaughlin | HCPC reg Art Psychotherapist|HCPC reg no: AS16093

Derry/Londonderry | Children & Young People 

Individual Session Fee: £60

My name is Sarah and I am a HCPC Registered Art Therapist with 12 years’ experience working therapeutically with children, young people and their families from various client groups presenting with a range of issues. Some of those client groups include children and young people in the care system, international asylum seekers and the neurodivergent community. I believe Art Therapy to be a gentle and non-judgemental intervention that uses creative expression to promote positive mental health and provide support in all its shapes and forms. My goal as a therapist is to facilitate a safe space to support my clients work with mental health issues through creative expression, emotional regulation and self-reflection with the aim of building and maintaining personal resilience. I work with children and young people aged between 5 and 17 years old with a range of presenting issues and challenges.

“I offer a safe, confidential space where children and young people are able to creatively explore, express and process their feelings in whatever way is right for them”  

Areas of Specialism and Focus

Anxiety & Stress

I work with anxiety and stress related symptoms that present in various forms such as obsessive behaviours and thoughts, self-harm and low mood. 

 

Relationship & Family Difficulties

I work with children and young people who are dealing with difficulties within their relationships. This includes the challenging experiences that can arise within the family systems, including bereavement, parental separation and relationship rupture. I work with difficulties that present in peer relationships and work towards helping achieve personal growth and resilience. I have extensive experience working with children and young people who are in the Looked After Care (LAC) system and work from a foundation of nervous system safety and trust in the therapeutic relationship and space.  

Neurodivergence

I work with children and young people on the Autistic Spectrum and with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) helping them relate and communicate their needs through creativity.

My Therapeutic Approach

Integrative Approach

I use an integrated approach and draw on principals of Psychodynamic and Humanistic, Person-Centered therapies in order to meet each client’s particular needs. I implement these principals through the modalities of Art Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Therapy and Eco-Art Therapy.

Art Therapy

I use Art Therapy as my primary approach in order to meet my client’s needs. Art Therapy utilises the creative process in order to process trauma, reduce anxiety and build resilience. 

Eco-Art Therapy

Eco-Art Therapy integrates principals of Eco-psychology and Art Therapy for self-regulation, personal expression and to promote mental well-being. Eco-psychology is an area of psychological research that explores the link between our modern culture’s disconnection with nature and the high levels of mental health issues in today’s society. Eco-Art Therapy is the process of using natural found objects, natural materials and the natural world around us in creative exploration.

Mindfulness Based Therapy

I have incorporated a mindfulness-based approach to my work over the years after witnessing the high rate of anxiety that our children and young people are experiencing. Guiding and directing clients to focus on the present moment though grounding exercises has helped me empower my clients to manage their anxiety and learn their own personal ways of calming their nervous systems.

Professional Qualifications and Trainings

  • Masters in Art Therapy (Crawford College of Art and Design, Cork)
  • BA (hons) in Textile Design (University of Ulster, Belfast)
  • Understanding & Intervening with Entrenched Family Dynamics (Blackford Adolescent Gestalt Institute)
  • Understanding & Supporting Those who Self Harm (Children In Northern Ireland)
  • Supporting Families after Traumatic Bereavement (Anam Cara)
  • Complex Trauma and Art Therapy: Working with looked after Children and their families (BAAT)
  • Level 1 & 2 Dyadic Parent-Child Art Psychotherapy (BAAT)
  • Introduction to Children First Safeguarding Training (TUSLA)