Zoe Wakeman Therapy
Zoe Wakeman Therapy: Empowering Children and their Grown-ups!
I am a qualified play therapist, appearing on PTUK's Register of Play and Creative Arts Therapies. Also a certified TraumaPlay Therapist and a DDP Practitioner in Training, I have a strong focus on creating a safe environment and therapeutic relationship which enables children to explore the difficult parts of their story and protective strategies they have developed, as they are ready to. I have a strong focus on the attachment relationship and see the importance of not only working with the child, but also their parents and caregivers, supporting the grown-ups to gain a better understanding of the children in their care and empowering them to become the nurturers, safe bosses and storykeepers that their children need them to be. I am trained in Adoption Informed Therapy and have experience of working with Adoptive families and Looked After Children. I strongly believe in supporting parents and carers and I am trained in Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT), working with parents individually, as a parent dyad and within groups.
About Zoe
Who am I?
What do other people say?
What should you expect?
I mainly work out of my therapy space located off Junction 5 of the M42 in the Solihull area. l live locally and have two teenage children. I have worked with children and families for over 10 years, working therapeutically for over 5 years. Prior to that working in Corporate environments. I started my Play Therapy journey with PTUK
I mainly work out of my therapy space located off Junction 5 of the M42 in the Solihull area. l live locally and have two teenage children. I have worked with children and families for over 10 years, working therapeutically for over 5 years. Prior to that working in Corporate environments. I started my Play Therapy journey with PTUK in 2019 and have continued to follow my passion for working with not only the children, but the grown-ups around them, being a voice for the child, helping them make sense of the protective strategies that they have developed to get their needs met. My continuous professional development focusses on the impacts of trauma, the attachment relationship and working with parents/carers. I attend regular supervision for both my Play Therapy and DDP skills, ensuring that I continue to reflect on my clients' and my own processes. I am registered with PTUK's Register of Play and Creative Arts Therapies as well as being a registered member of BAPT. I use an integrated, flexible approach to my therapeutic interventions, moving with the client, meeting them where they are at and using every opportunity to be therapeutic and have meaning.
What should you expect?
What do other people say?
What should you expect?
Following an initial conversation and/or referral, I will organise a parent/carer consultation meeting with you. This is an opportunity to find out some background information and explore the behaviours that give rise for concern. As part of this initial consultation, I will ask parent/carers and school if appropriate, to complete a SDQ
Following an initial conversation and/or referral, I will organise a parent/carer consultation meeting with you. This is an opportunity to find out some background information and explore the behaviours that give rise for concern. As part of this initial consultation, I will ask parent/carers and school if appropriate, to complete a SDQ (John Goodman's Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire) which will be used as a measuring tool throughout the episode of therapy. This initial meeting is also a good opportunity to answer any questions you may have about the process.
Following this, it is likely that I will suggest that we have a further 2 or 3 sessions so that I can hear your experience of parenting and ensure that I fully understand the child's experience and story. I am also hoping to start to build a strong working relationship. Following this, we will come up with a plan that works best for you as a family, whether that be a number of child only sessions and parent sessions along the way, or parent/child dyad sessions based on DDP principles. For some parents, I also do parent only work and don't even meet the child. At the parent/carer sessions, we will review the progress of the sessions as well as exploring how I can support you in your parenting journey. I would usually work with a child for a minimum of 20 sessions in child only work. In some circumstances we may explore bringing a sibling group together if relevant.
Sessions are held weekly and for 45 minutes. A suitable day/time will be agreed prior to sessions commencing.
With play therapy, I use an integrated, flexible model, working both indirectly and directly as required. I use a toolkit including sand, clay, storytelling, creative visualisation, games, drama and roleplay, music, arts and crafts, outside play, messy play......anything that myself and the client find that works to do the important work we need to do!
The most important thing for me is relationship, the therapeutic relationship between myself and the child, and you, their parents/caregivers, the relationship between the child and their grown-ups and the relationship between the child and themselves!
I work very openly and honestly. I can be contacted between sessions by email and I will always do my best to respond without too much delay!
My priority is always safety, when we feel safe, we are capable of wonderful things!
Ending the therapeutic relationship should be a positive experience and therefore, when it is time to end, I would ask that we give at least two or three sessions' notice which enables us to prepare for a meaningful ending and all that that brings.
What do other people say?
What do other people say?
What do other people say?
I am always very grateful to receive feedback to hear how you have found the experience and what I can do to improve my service. Please find here some feedback I have received.....
"We came to the Treehouse to see Zoe for our son and he had play therapy, which I have to say has helped him greatly. He is so much more confident in himself
I am always very grateful to receive feedback to hear how you have found the experience and what I can do to improve my service. Please find here some feedback I have received.....
"We came to the Treehouse to see Zoe for our son and he had play therapy, which I have to say has helped him greatly. He is so much more confident in himself and happy to try things he never would before. Thank you for everything".
“When I booked with Zoe for my 7 year old son play therapy session, I didn’t know what to expect. We had never done anything like this before. Zoe was amazing. She was warm, friendly and welcoming. My son LOVED seeing her. She lets children be themselves and with this freedom comes healing, in every aspect of the word. I have recommended Zoe to everyone! Thank you for all that you have done for us.”
Hannah Poulton.
"Ours son's time with Zoe has been nothing less than transformative. He has grown in confidence in making his needs known, expressing himself clearly and appropriately, and his peer relationships have flourished. We are so grateful for the support Zoe has given our son, and also us. I would highly recommend Zoe to anyone who feels a little lost in their parenting journey."
View some further feedback of my work on my CPRT page.
Other services
One-Off Parent Sessions
CPRT (Child Parent Relationship Therapy)
Parent/Carer Support and Groups
Got something on your mind that you want to chat about and explore further.....maybe a child's particular behaviour you are concerned about, or big event coming up you are not sure how to approach with them....maybe you just don't know what else to try....feel free to pick my brains...contact me for a one-off appointment either via Teams or face to face.
Parent/Carer Support and Groups
CPRT (Child Parent Relationship Therapy)
Parent/Carer Support and Groups
Working on our own experiences as parents/carers can be of great benefit to our children and enhances the attachment relationships we have. I work with parents/carers individually, a parent dyad together and with parents/carers as a larger group. Bringing parents/carers together can be a great support and help us feel we are not alone.
Working on our own experiences as parents/carers can be of great benefit to our children and enhances the attachment relationships we have. I work with parents/carers individually, a parent dyad together and with parents/carers as a larger group. Bringing parents/carers together can be a great support and help us feel we are not alone. I am able to run parent workshops on one-off topics or for a period of 10 weeks you can join a Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) group, delving a little deeper into the behaviours we find difficult and why. There is more information on the CPRT page. If you wish to attend, please keep an eye on my website for dates, or contact me to find out more.
Training for Schools/Professionals
CPRT (Child Parent Relationship Therapy)
CPRT (Child Parent Relationship Therapy)
I am passionate about working with all grown-ups around the child. I am able to support teaching professionals/care staff via conversations about a particular child, or running trainings/workshops for professionals working with children on subjects such as trauma, attachment, working with difficult behaviours. If you are looking to unde
I am passionate about working with all grown-ups around the child. I am able to support teaching professionals/care staff via conversations about a particular child, or running trainings/workshops for professionals working with children on subjects such as trauma, attachment, working with difficult behaviours. If you are looking to understand the children in your care more, please do not hesitate to contact me. CPRT can also be ran for groups of care staff/professionals around a child.
CPRT (Child Parent Relationship Therapy)
CPRT (Child Parent Relationship Therapy)
CPRT (Child Parent Relationship Therapy)
CPRT is a 10 session evidence based Filial Therapy model created by Sue Bratton and Garry Landreth. It focuses on the attachment relationship between the parent/carer and child, providing the parent/carer with a deepened understanding of themselves, their child and looking at developing skills used in therapeutic play enabling the parent
CPRT is a 10 session evidence based Filial Therapy model created by Sue Bratton and Garry Landreth. It focuses on the attachment relationship between the parent/carer and child, providing the parent/carer with a deepened understanding of themselves, their child and looking at developing skills used in therapeutic play enabling the parents/carers to support the children in their care, enhancing their relationship and improving children's self esteem, confidence and self control. It involves the group meeting with myself for 10 sessions, each session looking at a new skill and from session 4, holding 30 minute 'special play time' each week at home, putting the skills into practice and using that as a basis to further explore what is coming up for us as parents/carers and for the child we are focussing on. CPRT can be targeted at particular groups, for example, age groups, adoptive families, foster families, neurodivergent families....or we can have a mix within a group.
Some feedback from previous parents who have attended when asked "Would you recommend CPRT to other parents?":
"Absolutely, I would say that it should be an option for most parents".
"Yes!! I already have - I'd say it's empowering".
"Yes! It's full of practical tools and therapeutic insight that helps you get to the heart of the issue to restore parent child relationship and equip parents to raise their children with love and boundaries".
"Yes. Gave me better tools and the knowledge to create and continue with a better relationship with my children and make them feel safe".
"Yes. Everyone can learn no matter what stage you are in, it's a handbook to help develop amazing parenting skills".