Meet the Therapist

Founder of Child Therapy NI | Accredited Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist With over 14 years of clinical experience, Ciara McElhinney is a highly specialised Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist dedicated to helping young people navigate emotional and behavioural challenges. As the founder of Child Therapy NI, recently honoured as “Best Business in the North West 2025”

 

Ciara combines deep clinical expertise with a compassionate, child-centred approach. Ciara specialises in working with children,young people and adults aged 4 to 70. Her work focuses on transforming the lives of those experiencing trauma, anxiety, low self-esteem, emotional Regulation and attachment issues. By creating a safe, trusting environment, she empowers children to process their internal struggles through creative and evidence-based interventions.

Professional Credentials & Registrations Ciara is a highly regulated and accredited practitioner, ensuring the highest standards of clinical safety and professional ethics. Her registrations include: CYPT NCPS Accredited: Registered with the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) as a specialist Child and Young Persons Therapist.

 

Integrated Clinical Supervisor: A registered Clinical Supervisor with the NCPS, providing expert guidance and oversight to other practitioners in the field. BWRT® Practitioner: Fully trained and registered with the Institute of BrainWorking Recursive Therapy. Ciara utilises this cutting-edge, science-based model for the rapid resolution of trauma, phobias, and anxiety.

HSE & Tusla Registered: Recognised and listed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Tusla (Child and Family Agency), allowing her to provide vital support within the statutory frameworks.

Bupa Recognised: An approved provider for Bupa, allowing families with private medical insurance to access specialised therapeutic care. Therapeutic Approach Ciara’s practice is grounded in the belief that every child is an individual. She utilises a "dual-practice" model, combining direct clinical therapy with expert witness services (including Section 32 and Voice of the Child reports) for the legal system. Whether through Play Therapy, Sand Therapy, or Integrative Psychotherapy, Ciara’s goal is to move beyond "talk therapy" to help children express what words often cannot.

For adults and young people suffering from deep-rooted trauma, her use of BWRT often achieves significant results in a fraction of the time required by traditional methods.

 

"I am honoured to be a part of a child's journey towards becoming the best version of themselves.

My mission is to provide an alternative to medication by addressing the root causes of emotional distress in a way that is positive, lasting, and life-changing for the whole family. The main work is rebalancing the nervous system in every individual, removing negative mindset and working with the unconscious brain "