Jackdaw Play Therapy is the fruit of the collaboration of two very experienced professionals. Both Sam and Ben have been working with children and young people, helping them to overcome their difficulties through play, for years.
Meet us
Sam St Pierre
With over two decades of experience in working with children and young people, Sam brings a wealth of expertise to her therapeutic practice. Her varied roles have encompassed aiding individuals battling addiction, collaborating closely with young carers, and participating in a child protection team within a local authority.
In 2010, Sam embarked on a transformative journey by training as a play therapist, driven by the understanding that certain issues are deeply embedded in the unconscious and challenging to address through words alone.
This journey in creative therapy has been both profound and intimate. Sam has had the honour of guiding children through their healing processes within the nurturing environment of the therapeutic relationship. These experiences, akin to witnessing pure magic, have left her deeply grateful.
”Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative place where no one else has ever been. - Alan Alda
Sam’s qualifications include a Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma in Play and Creative Arts Therapy, Creative Clinical Supervision, Autplay Therapy, along with licensure in PCAP and Baby Bonding. Her approach is person-centred, holistic, and integrative, employing both directive and non-directive methods. Passionate and dedicated, Sam is committed to supporting her clients on their unique and personal journeys.
She is a member of Play Therapy UK (PTUK), possesses current DBS checks, indemnity insurance, and receives regular supervision. She is listed on the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care Accredited Voluntary Register and the ICO register.
Recognising the significance of self-care and continuous professional development, Sam has pursued specialised studies in various therapeutic techniques. Her extensive training encompasses trauma and attachment, including the Trauma Play model, Autplay for Neurodivergent children, CAPA assessment, and Dyadic Developmental Parenting. Sam is currently advancing her expertise through training in Filial Therapy, thereby broadening her skill set to better support her clients.
If you are interested in how any of the above services may help, please feel free to contact us.
Benjamin Summers
Ben has worked with children and young people for over 23 years in a variety of roles and has always upheld an educational and social philosophy that places children’s holistic development in paramountcy.
As an educator he has taught in years 1 to 6 and has nearly 15 years’ experience as a school leader, including being a headteacher of a junior school with an Emotional Behavioural Difficulties Unit.
As a Forest School Practitioner Ben has run whole class sessions and has worked with vulnerable children and groups through his own company and with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust as part of their alternative provision package.
Ben currently works part time as a qualified SENCO, coordinating the provision for children with special educational and social emotional mental health needs.
Most recently Ben has begun his journey to becoming a Play Therapist and is currently undertaking his Postgraduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills. The motivation to undertake this journey has come through observing how powerfully genuine self-development enables children to grow in the broadest and most holistic sense. Ben is committed to helping children and young people to fulfil their potential and feels that this is most genuinely possible through supporting their creative and therapeutic development in play therapy.