Shannen Mahon (she/her)
Shannen is a highly skilled and compassionate Registered Play Therapist dedicated to empowering children and families to navigate challenging emotional experiences.
A Foundation in Child-Centred Care
With a strong academic background, Shannen holds a Master of Arts (MA) in Play Therapy from the prestigious University of Roehampton in London. This specialized training, combined with an undergraduate degree in Early Years Education from the UK, gives her a deep, professional understanding of child development, learning, and therapeutic growth.
Shannen's therapeutic approach is fundamentally child and family-centered. She is known for being warm, attuned, and deeply responsive to her clients, ensuring the therapeutic space is always safe and nurturing. She views the child and their caregivers as the experts in their own lives, working collaboratively to foster lasting change within the family system.
Extensive Experience in Complex Needs
Shannen has cultivated extensive experience in highly sensitive areas, specializing in supporting children affected by adversity. Her core expertise includes:
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Trauma, Loss, and Grief: Providing pathways for children to process and integrate difficult experiences and significant changes.
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Domestic Violence and Displacement: Creating a sense of safety and predictability for children impacted by relational conflict and instability.
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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Working with the profound effects of early adversity to support emotional and psychological healing.
Specialized Support and Empowerment
In addition to her core trauma work, Shannen is experienced in supporting children with specific developmental and emotional needs:
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Neurodiversity: She works with children who are neurodiverse (e.g., Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD) to understand their unique processing styles and foster resilience.
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Anxiety and School Difficulties: Shannen helps children overcome significant anxiety, including challenges with school attendance (school refusal) and pressures related to academic performance.
Shannen is passionate about supporting every child to have full access to express their emotions and feelings and to thrive in their uniqueness as individuals. She utilizes the inherent language of play to help children grow in self-awareness, confidence, and emotional regulation.