MARIE RALPH Dip. HE

Marie is an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. She has specialised in counselling children and young people since 1990 in both schools and private practice, working with a wide range of issues. Marie also provides mentoring training and support to staff in primary schools and has trained over 50 mentors locally.

Drawing from the work of Virginia Axline on play therapy coupled with Mihaly Csikszentmiha’s ‘flow state’ she explores how to find flow with young people in order to access passion for life through play. She follows with interest the work of Dr Gabor Mate and his writing on addiction, ADHD and childhood trauma.

In joining the team at Shepherds Health Marie is especially pleased to be part of a holistic team bringing together mind, body and emotions under one roof.

Marie began her career in social work as a residential care worker within a child and adolescent unit in the early 90’s (CTSW) for the London Borough of Havering. In 2004, she relocated to Great Dunmow and embarked on a diploma in counselling children and young people alongside the role of pastoral care manager in a local primary school. During and after her training she worked for counselling charities such as Renew, Kids Inspire (Chelmsford) and more recently, Safer Places – a domestic abuse charity.

In 2012, Marie set up her own private practice (Three Oaks Counselling Services) and receives regular referrals from several local schools. Committed to her ongoing professional development, Marie’s training includes:

• Essential Supervision Skills (BPS Approved Certificate in Clinical Supervision) 2023
• Families and Beyond – Systemic approaches – Tavistock & Portman Clinic 2022
• Polyvagal Theory in Therapy – The science of Safety (Deb Dana and Stephen Porges) 2020
• Introduction to Group Analysis – The Institute of Group Analysis 2019
• Teaching the Child on the Trauma Continuum – Betsy De Thierry 2019
• The impact of trauma on the developing brain – Dan Hughes. 2018 (BACP)