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Welcome to Connected Childhood, piecing it together with parents.
Connected Childhood has emerged from both the needs of parents and the aligned vision of Anna and Susanne of offering something incredibly valuable and helpful to parents.
Although we live only miles apart, we first met in play therapy training. There was an instant connection and we quickly realised we shared a vision in our work with families.
Together with Karla Hannigan, we have built an award winning play therapy practice in Kildare (link below) and have helped hundreds of families co-regulate successfully and feel grounded in their parenting role, through information and self awareness.
This has become such an important part of our work and we wanted to find a way to help even more families…
Connected Childhood was born.
Our vision is to offer you peace of mind, to build the picture you would like for your family.
We draw on our training and years of experience as teachers, play therapists, mindfulness practitioners and mothers to seven beautiful children between us, as we walk alongside you through our programmes and beyond within the Connected Childhood community.
Our offerings are grounded in evidence based practice, play therapy principles, research and theory, to firmly anchor you in your parenting.
If you have ever felt that there is something more that you need to know about being a parent, that there is a piece missing for you, then here is where you will find it.
We will find it together.
Le chéile
Hi, I’m Susanne,
I am a mum, primary school teacher, accredited play therapist and creative mindfulness practitioner.
My play therapy journey began when I was in a classroom feeling totally unskilled in how to help a child that was dysregulated. If the truth be told, I added fuel to his fire, not my finest moment!
Little did I know that play therapy training would give me insights and awareness to be the parent I needed to be for my 4 children. At the time of my play therapy training, my children were 16, 13 and my twin boys were 9 years old. Being a mum leaves my heart open to the greatest of times and the gut wrenching moments. My most important lesson from my journey to date is that it is never too late for self reflection and learning as a parent.
Through this journey I realised a need for mindfulness in my life, which has led me to train as a creative mindfulness practitioner.
We continue to train with masters in the play therapy and neuroscience world.
Anna and I have pieced together for you a programme of information and guided discovery we wish we had when we started our parenting journey. Ours has been a journey of love, friendship, deep connection, laughter, pain, raw emotion and healing.
It is with so much gratitude that we can now look forward to bringing you on the journey with us.
Hi, I’m Anna,
Keen to share my insights and all those little nuggets of gold information I have gathered throughout my own journey as a parent, primary school teacher and accredited play therapist.
I started teaching in my early twenties, not realising that the greatest training for being a teacher would come when I became a parent in my thirties. The birth of my first child gave me a deeper understanding of what it meant to truly connect to myself and my child, giving me a new lens through which to see each child in my classroom. It deepened my focus on the need for connection and regulation before I could expect a child to be ready to learn.
My parenting journey has expanded me immeasurably as a person and is life’s greatest reward. It has brought huge joys but also devastating loss, these highs and lows giving me experienced insights into the turmoil of parenthood when life brings unexpected trauma.
My play therapy journey evolved naturally from my life experience and my work as a teacher. With each year of training, each client and parent I worked with, I felt I was in the right place at the right time. I am now also trained as a Creative Clinical Supervisor, helping to ensure that other play therapists are best meeting the needs of their clients.
I am always learning and seeking the best and latest information to give to parents, both in private practice and now through Connected Childhood, a wonderful partnership with Susanne. We are giving every ounce of our energy to piecing together the best we can offer to you.
I belong right here
Just as I am
Not a should or a could
But an am and a can
How I feel inside
Is right for me
For here and now
For the world I see
This space I fill
Is mine alone
I may be small
But this is my home
What’s right for you
May be wrong for me
What I love to do
Is be me you see!
And me feels right
The place to be
So deep, so big
So bright and free
So here I’ll stay
See me if you can
I belong right here
Just as I am
© All Rights Reserved Anna McGrath 2024
Inspired by D.
Our offerings are grounded in evidence-based practice, play therapy principles, research and theory, to firmly anchor you in your parenting.
We reference some evidence based theories in our programmes and whilst we have studied a vast range of theories and teachings, we name here the most prominent ones for us.
Explore our Masterclasses and Discovery Programme offering pre-recorded content, course materials and live group sessions to help you support your little one.
Explore our extensive library of articles, guides and tools designed to support parents, caregivers and educators and to promote a connected childhood. From behavioural insights to practical tips, find the resources you need to help your child thrive.
For specialised play therapy services and a nurturing environment for your child, visit Shine Through Supports, our award-winning play therapy centre in Kildare.
