Name: Anna Wheeler
Professional Body: BACP (www.bacp.co.uk)
Date of Professional Qualifications: Postgraduate Diploma in Practice Based Play Therapy, 2013, APAC/PTUK
Previous Profession: 17 years Co-ordinator/Contact for Cornwall Education Otherwise, a charity supporting electively home educating families
Other Qualifications: BSc (Hons) 1982; Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling and Therapy (2010), LandPlay Practitioner; Safeguarding; Paediatric First Aid; Post Graduate Diploma in Supervision for Child, Adolescent and Adult Counselling and Psychotherapy; Trainee Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist
Based: Mid/West Cornwall
Website: www.twinwillowstherapy.com
I trained as a Certified Play Therapist from 2010, with PTUK/APAC, receiving my university post graduate diploma certificate in 2013. I have worked in many settings, such as with nursery, primary, secondary school and college aged children and young people. With my previous qualifications, trainings and experience in person-centred counselling and therapy with adults and young people, I offer creative arts counselling and play therapy across the ages, from nursery age to adult, at indoor or outdoor venues.
With my further Continuing Professional Development (CPD) I also offer parent-child work, informed by Theraplay®, Filial Play Coaching or DDP approaches.
Most of my work is undertaken at my own dedicated therapy spaces, which include a supervision and meeting space, which is also a play therapy and creative arts counselling studio and outdoor space, with some outreach work for clients with additional needs.
The organisations I have worked with include Dreadnought, the Cornwall Council Youth Service and CRASAC and I now supervise at the child, young person and adult emotional trauma and therapy specialist charity, CLEAR. Since 2016 I have worked in post adoption and SGO support for the Family Plus Team in Cornwall, and for other counties. I also receive referrals through schools and social care alongside parent/carer and self-referrals.
I am a supervisor, for play therapy since 2016 and counselling and psychotherapy since 2019 for individuals and groups. I supervise play therapists, counsellors, including those adding post-qualifying courses for children's therapy, trainees from a local college and clinical and reflective practice supervision for other charities. I am on two working panels , for the PDA Society and the PTUK EDI committee.
My Masters dissertation is around integrating adaptations into child therapy for neuro-diverse clients, particularly those with PDA traits.
I do some training in childhood trauma and introductions to play therapy, for local charities and a college and have delivered a Depth of Play series for counsellors, as I have a PTLLS Level 4 qualification.
My philosophy is to offer an relational, inclusive service to the best of my abilities, based on mutual respect and safety, and to allow the clients, supervisees and trainees to process their issues and learning at their own pace and in a way that suits them.