Beachside Play Therapy
Empowering Children Through Play, Connection, and Growth
At Beachside Play Therapy, located in Fountainstown, we believe in the transformative power of play, to help children navigate their emotions, build resilience, and unlock their full potential. Nestled in a safe and supportive environment, we work closely with children and their families to foster connection, understanding, and growth.
Our neuroaffirmative approach honors each child’s unique strengths and challenges, creating a space where they can feel truly seen, heard, and valued. Whether addressing anxiety, trauma, or developmental differences, we tailor our sessions to meet each child's individual needs, empowering them to thrive.
Together, let’s help your child find their voice, express their emotions, and take meaningful steps toward a brighter future. Beachside Play Therapy is here to guide your child’s journey, every step of the way.
Joanne O’ Connor has been a teacher for over 20 years. Having first qualified in 2001, she was bitten by the travel bug and jetted off to Dubai to work in an International School. From there she traveled to Australia where she lived for 5 years, working in various specialist educational settings, including Port Phillip Specialist School in Melbourne.
Following the birth of her daughter, Zoë, Joanne returned home to Ireland, and continued working in various specialist and mainstream settings.
Joanne’s first love has always been working with students on the Autism Spectrum, so was delighted to be hired in 2012 to set up the Autism Class at Kinsale Community School. Kinsale has since grown to six Autism classes, looking after 36 students. Joanne found herself writing social stories and how-to guides for her students and decided to compile them into two books, ' High School Hacks', and 'High School Hacks- The Return'. More recently she completed her third book ‘ High School Hacks Handbook for Helpers- A Guide for professionals supporting Autistic Learners’.
A sucker for study, In 2013 Joanne Completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Students on the Autism Spectrum, and in 2019 went back again to study Play Therapy. In 2023, she qualified as a play and creative arts therapist with NUIG and is registered with Play Therapy Ireland.
Since 2023 Joanne has been involved with the Teretta Foundation, taking groups of students to Tanzania to help build a school and sheltered accomodation for at risk children in the Kilimanjaro region.
Joanne lives in the seaside village of Fountainstown in Cork with her daughter Zoë and her partner Carlos.When not working, writing or studying, she loves listening to true crime podcasts, traveling, and eating Carlos's fantastic cooking.
What is Play Therapy?
Play is the language of children. Play is a child’s natural way of experimenting, learning, rehearsing, and mixing real with fantasy. Children can play what they struggle to say, children can play to explain their thoughts and feeling and play to make sense of their world. Through play children can discover and rehearse different ways of understanding and coping with difficult feelings, leading to a healthier and happier way of being.