Sarah Rush

Sarah is a student psychotherapist who brings extensive professional training and
more than 25 years’ experience supporting children and families experiencing
emotional and behavioural challenges to her clinical work.

Sarah has an established background in early years education, Play Therapy and
social care. She is currently undertaking a Diploma in Integrative Counselling and
Psychotherapy and is delighted to be undertake her clinical placement at the
Connolly Counselling Centre.

Sarah’s professional qualifications include a B.A. (Hons) in Psychology, an M.A. in Play Therapy and a Diploma in Coaching.

Sarah began her career as a Montessori Early Years Educator and lectured at St
Nicholas Montessori Training College, where she prepared teachers in Montessori
Education and Child Development before moving into therapeutic and family support work.

Since 2001, Sarah has worked with BARNARDOS, Ireland’s leading children’s charity, in community-based family support projects. Her work centred on strengthening resilience and wellbeing in children and young people who experience adversity. She has delivered trauma-informed interventions tailored to assessed needs, alongside evidence-based parenting support programmes designed to enhance family wellbeing and parenting capacity.

As an Associate Trainer with Canavan Byrne since 2020, Sarah also supports the Early Childhood Care and Education sector by designing and delivering online webinars and in-person training for educators and managers.

Sarah completed postgraduate clinical training in Play Therapy to master’s level. She is a full member of the Irish Play Therapy Association (IPTA).

In her Play Therapy private practice, Sarah provides Play Therapy interventions for children and early teens, together with parent consultations and support using Filial Therapy, Circle of Security Parenting and one-to-one parent support sessions.

This depth of professional training and extensive experience directly informs Sarah’s work as a student psychotherapist and shapes her warm, thoughtful and trauma-informed therapeutic approach.

Drawing on her professional foundation, Sarah offers warmth, empathy and care within a safe, respectful and non-judgemental space where clients can feel accepted, understood and supported. This secure foundation is central to her therapeutic approach, allowing the work to unfold at each client’s pace through an integrative and collaborative process.