Therapists at Willow

Katherine Mautner, Director is a Play Therapist and Social Worker who has been working with children and families for over 20 years. Katherine’s practice is child-centred with a focus on helping the child to connect with and develop an understanding of their internal world (feelings, thoughts, memories, wishes) in order to gain a greater sense of self-worth and self-control. Katherine often recommends support for adults alongside direct work with children, recognising that the child's greatest influence and resource is their relationship with their parents/carers. With younger children or those with additional attachment needs, Katherine can faciltate filial therapy, whereby the parent and child come together in the therapy process. Katherine loves to be outside and has extensive experience in outdoor education. If it suits a child, she may suggest that their therapy includes time outside in the natural environment.

Katherine has expertise in working with children and families affected by trauma and in addition to her play therapy practice at Willow, Katherine is the Clinical Lead for Adoption in a large children’s social care. She has previously worked in services for children living with bereavement, parental substance misuse and domestic abuse and for many years she was part of the Family Trauma team at the Anna Freud Centre, undertaking assessments and therapy with children and families. Katherine has worked for the UK Trauma Council developing materials and training for therapists and childcare professionals and she continues to teach child mental health professionals, social workers and teachers on university and short courses. Katherine is a BAPT registered supervisor and supervises CAMHS clinicians and Play Therapists. Katherine has additional qualifications in Filial Therapy, Story Stem Assessments, Mentalization Based Therapy for Children (MBT-C) and families (MBT-F) and Reflective Parenting.

Marcus Ward is a Play Therapist who has been working with children and families for 8 years - as a Teaching Assistant in schools in East London, as a play therapist with Willow and as head of young people’s services at a hospital bereavement service. Marcus is a creative therapist, having studied as a fine artist, who is passionate about helping children to see themselves in their own creative play. He values the importance of working at the pace of each individual child he sees and understands the respectful and accepting nature of this. Following the non-directive child-centred principles of his training, Marcus allows each child to lead their sessions, giving them the space and autonomy to fully express themselves in a safe and structured environment. The attention and consistency Marcus is able to give each child in one to one play therapy sessions is an essential part of building a relationship conducive to emotional support.

Marcus has learned the importance of supporting families alongside direct work with children and young people and is keen to ensure families feel included and 'part of' the therapeutic work offered to the child. He is keen to continue learning from each child and family he works with and to continue to develop professionally. Marcus has additional training in Mentalization-Based Therapy for Families (MBT-F).

Marcus loves to be outdoors and finds that being in nature can support children to make the best use of therapy.

Lucy Targui (nee Brown) is a Play Therapist who has been working with children for 17 years. After completing a degree in Early childhood studies she worked in education and social care before training as a play therapist. She has always felt passionate about supporting children’s emotional needs, promoting their wellbeing and building their self-esteem. Lucy strives to work systemically, making connections with the child’s family and wider community in order to provide the best support. Lucy works in schools providing play therapy and brief therapeutic support, managing trainee therapists and supporting teachers, SENCos and members of senior leadership teams to develop their understanding and support of vulnerable children.

From her work with looked after children, Lucy has experience of supporting children and parents who have had traumatic experiences, including substance abuse, domestic violence, mental health needs and bereavement. She also has an interest in working with children with additional needs including learning needs and neurodevelopmental conditions. Lucy continues to learn from the children and families she comes into contact with through her therapeutic work, believing every child is unique. 

Tim Hudson is a Play Therapist who has been working with children and families for over 20 years in early years education, forest school settings and as a Play Therapist.  During his time working as a Nursery practitioner he completed a degree in Early Childhood Studies and was involved in a number of creative arts and education research projects.  Since qualifying as a Play Therapist Tim has worked in a specialist school for children with severe emotional and behavioural needs, gaining experience working with children with early trauma experiences and behavioural and attachment difficulties and continues to work in mainstream schools and nurseries providing child therapy and support to staff.

Tim’s approach has its foundation in his child-centred training, focusing on building a playful and secure relationship with the children he works with.  He is also influenced by creative arts and narrative therapeutic approaches, tailoring his work to children’s natural forms of self-expression and aiming to allow room for them to explore their histories, identities and possible futures.  

Tim is undertaking further training to develop his work with teenagers and adults in the natural environment.

Alex Keble is a Play Therapist with more than 7 years experience working with children. He worked as a Teaching Assistant and Learning Support Assistant for children with special educational needs in an East London primary school while studying for his MSc in Psychology of Education, before beginning work as a volunteer providing therapeutic play. During his subsequent MA in Play Therapy he gained experience within a primary school and in a hospital bereavement service.

From working with children of various ages and emotional needs, Alex has developed a passionate belief that building strong relationships is the foundation of a rich and fulfilling play therapy experience for each child. His approach centres on playfulness and creativity as he helps children to explore therapy at their own pace, valuing the unique textures and rhythms that each child brings to the space. His recent experiences working in bereavement has led to a particular interest in how we process feelings through the body, using mindfulness techniques to help children connect their physical and emotional sensations for a more holistic approach to self-exploration.

Ayesha Solomon is a Play Therapist with over 20 years’ experience of working with children and families. Before becoming a play therapist, Ayesha worked in East London schools as a primary school teacher, teaching across the primary age range before becoming a SENCo (special educational needs coordinator) and assistant headteacher. Ayesha was motivated to train as a play therapist through her work in schools with children with a range of additional needs and their parents. She recognised the value of having the time and space to listen to children and to work with them in a deeper, more child-focused way. Ayesha also recognised the importance of working in partnership with families, building respectful and open relationships with parents/carers.

Ayesha enjoys being outside and having many years of experience of working with children outside in both formal and informal settings, recognises the importance of outdoor play to children’s development. She also enjoys creative activities and provides children with varied opportunities to play creatively during therapy. Ayesha’s work in schools supporting children with a broad range of additional needs and their families, enabled her to develop knowledge about the barriers and difficulties children with SEND experience. She has extensive experience of multi-disciplinary working and of training adults on issues related to special needs and disabilities. During her training as a play therapist, Ayesha undertook a placement in a primary school and a long term clinical placement in an NHS specialist children’s bereavement service, where she continued to work.

Rachel Meyrick is a Play Therapist who has worked with children for over 15 years. Before joining Willow, Rachel gained experience in a children’s bereavement service in East London and a primary school in West London. Prior to training in play therapy, Rachel worked as an actor and producer, specifically in children’s theatre, working with children’s imagination to create interactive, immersive performances.

Rachel also has an MA in children and mission with a focus on the spirituality of under twos and the importance of pre- birth attachment and is a trustee and project worker for children’s charity CURBS which supports children in urban and marginalised areas across the UK. Rachel feels passionately about reaching a whole range of children and helping them harness their innate creativity, whilst valuing the importance of their relationships with their families and carers.

All Play Therapists at Willow are qualified to Masters level, have a full enhanced DBS disclosure and are registered with the British Association of Play Therapists, which is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.