Frequently asked.

Play therapy sessions are 40 minutes in length, held weekly on a consistent time and day. A minimum of 12 sessions is recommended initially for most new clients.

The number of sessions can vary from case to case. All decisions about length are made in consultation with the therapist, parents/guardians and the child themselves. An agreement will be signed at the intake meeting.

A minimum of three parent/guardian meetings take place: an initial intake meeting, a midway review, and an ending/extension meeting. These are usually held on your child's regular appointment day and time.

All parenting parties must agree and sign a consent form before a child can begin play therapy sessions. All parenting parties are required to attend initial, review and ending meetings.

This adheres to best-practice guidelines and aligns with the Children & Family Relationship Act of 2015. Magic Moments acknowledges that family situations can be complex, the utmost care is taken to ensure all family members are heard and supported while working within the correct legal framework.

• €60, per play therapy session
• €70, per parent/caregiver meeting (intake, mid-point review, ending)
• €50, end of therapy report
• €50, any additional support documents or letters

Fees are pre-paid weekly, in advance of each appointment. An invoice for all sessions and meetings can be issued at the end of each contracted intervention period if requested (not per individual session).

Cancellations: failure to give at least 2 days' notice will result in full fee payment. Cancellations with 3+ days' notice are charged at 50%. If your therapist cancels, no charge applies.

Many health insurance plans cover play therapy, please check with your insurance provider. If you are covered, an invoice can be issued at the end of your child's contracted intervention period which you can submit for reimbursement.

Alternatively, it may be possible to claim back therapy costs using the Med1 form through Revenue.

No. Magic Moments Play Therapy has an open referral system, anybody can request to engage in this supportive service.

Referrals often come from GPs, educators, parents, primary care workers, AEN teams and other mental health support services. If you have been advised by a professional or agency to attend play therapy, please disclose this and the reason for referral when requesting your initial meeting.

If your child is already engaged with another mental health professional, please check with their lead case worker to see whether play therapy would complement that support. In some cases it may be advisable to wait for one intervention to finish before starting another, so as not to overburden your child.

By being open and honest, in age-appropriate language. Explain to your child that you have found someone who can help them with their particular challenge.

Show them pictures of the playroom from this website or my Instagram so they can become familiar with the space and the therapist.

You could say: "Just like when we feel sick we can visit a doctor, we can go to a play therapist when we need help with our emotions or adjusting to changes. A play therapist uses music, games, art, movement and play to help us understand and look after our feelings."

All parent and child play sessions are completely confidential.

If a concern for a child's welfare arises, it is part of a therapist's professional duty to report this concern by contacting An Garda Síochána and/or Tusla.

Play therapy appointments and parent meetings are arranged to suit your schedule and availability (not just after school). Play therapy follows a traditional school calendar and takes breaks at mid-term, autumn, winter, spring and summer. Magic Moments Play Therapy also closes for Bank Holidays.

Consistency is very important, please make every effort for your child to attend every appointment. A few other gentle guidelines:

• Avoid asking your child to tell you in detail about the session, they may not be able to put their play into words.
• Don't worry about your child behaving well, or tell them to be "good." Play therapy is where different feelings and behaviours can come out safely.
• It's best not to suggest what your child should talk about in session. If there's something you'd like me to know, tell me at another time.
• Be aware that behaviour can get worse before it gets better, as complex emotions surface. This doesn't mean therapy isn't working.
• Do tell me if you have concerns or questions, I may be able to offer strategies to help.
• It helps to tell children: "It's ok to have more than one feeling at once."
• Endings are important, your child will have a session counter to mark each week, so they can see the 12-week count-down. I give them plenty of notice as we near the final sessions.

A report can be provided to parents/guardians at the end of therapy. Please note this report is not for school or court use. Reports for any court case will not be issued.

If you require additional letters or documents for any reason, a standard price of €50 per document applies.

Yes. Magic Moments Play Therapy is run by Caroline Mac Govern Falkner, a fully qualified play therapist, trained with APAC at NUI Galway (Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy).

Caroline is a registered play therapist with PT Irl (Play Therapy International), Mem: 20 2104629. She is Garda-vetted and fully insured through PPS Trust (Psychologists Protection Society Trust).

Please note that play therapy is not currently regulated by CORU.

For less complex cases, where the child is well supported at home and in their community, 12 sessions may be sufficient, with a re-referral for further blocks of therapy appropriate should the family need further support.

Complex cases may require longer-term intervention (12 months or more) with regular breaks.