Stacey Horan Play Therapy

27/07/2026

💖

LOVE THIS!

16/06/2026

Friendships can have green flags too. 💚
Kids are often taught to watch for “red flags” or unkind behavior, but it's just as important to teach them what healthy friendships look like.

Good friends cheer you on, include you, respect your feelings, and help you grow.

The more children learn to recognize green flags, the more likely they are to build friendships that boost confidence, belonging, and emotional well-being.
Which green flag do you think is most important? 👇

08/06/2026

✨ Exciting news - a new chapter begins ✨

I'm delighted to share that Stacey Horan Play Therapy will be relocating from Killarney to Castleisland at the end of June.

It has been a real privilege to build my practice in Killarney and to work with so many wonderful children, families, schools and professionals. I'm very grateful for the trust, support and connections made there.

While the location is changing, the heart of the work remains the same, my commitment to providing a safe, nurturing, and child centred service remains exactly the same.

This move marks an exciting step forward and provides an opportunity to create a dedicated new space where children and families can continue to access support, connection, and therapeutic play in a warm and nurturing environment.

As I look ahead, I'm excited to continue my work in Castleisland and to become a part of a new community, while still supporting families from across Kerry and beyond.

Thank you for everyone who has been a part of the journey so far. I'm excited for this next chapter.

📍New location ❤️ Same heart.

23/03/2026

A Kerry mom officially launched the Born Zippy clothing brand at the weekend, one that is aimed at neurodivergent children and children with additional needs.

Born Zippy was launched on Saturday, March 21, which was World Down Syndrome Day. Designed for children aged from four to 10, the company’s first product range includes adaptive nightwear and swimwear, created with comfort, dignity, practicality, and style at its core.

Aoife Cotter, from Tralee, is the founder of the company. She revealed that she was inspired by her own personal experiences with her own son, Ted, who has Down Syndrome and Autism.

🔗Read more 👉 https://tinyurl.com/mjff36t

23/03/2026

✨ Update from Stacey Horan Play Therapy

The waiting list for 2026 is now full and has officially been closed.

Thank you for your continued trust, interest and support, it truly means a lot 🙏🏼

13/02/2026

Boundaries, without emotional damage 💫

29/01/2026

♦️ Emotions cards aren't just for therapy rooms, you can use them at home too.

♦️Children don't always have the words for what they feel, but they can point, choose and play.

Emotion cards can help children:
💭 Identify and name their feelings
💭 Learn that all emotions are ok
💭 Build emotional language in a safe, playful way.

When children can name feelings, they are one step closer to understanding and regulating them.

⭐ I bought these emotion cards on Temu and love how approachable they are for children.

29/01/2026

🙏🏼

Stimming isn’t a problem behaviour to fix.
It’s a child’s way of regulating their body, feelings, and focus in a world that can feel loud, fast, and overwhelming.

When we try to stop stimming without understanding it, we often take away a child’s safest coping tool.
When we get curious instead, we create safety, trust, and regulation.

This is a child’s voice — sharing what stimming really means from the inside.
Gentle support starts with listening.

17/12/2025

💞

Crying is not something to stop, fix, or rush through.
It’s the nervous system doing exactly what it’s designed to do under emotional load.

When a child or young person cries, their body is releasing stress, shifting out of survival mode, and signalling a need for connection.
This is regulation in progress — not defiance, manipulation, or weakness.

When we allow tears to move through with safety and support, we’re helping the brain process what’s been felt, rather than storing it away to resurface later.

Sometimes the most supportive response isn’t distraction or discipline.
It’s presence, patience, and permission to feel.

16/12/2025

💖

We don’t hold on to our kids through perfect experiences or grand gestures.

The simplest way to hold on is through rituals — the small, steady movements of gathering, restoring, repairing, and delighting that invite our children to rest in our care.

These 10 attachment rituals are everyday ways of saying,
“You belong with us. You can rest here.”

All of these just require your presence — nothing fancy, nothing scripted. And they matter now more than ever in a world that keeps pulling kids outward: to screens, to peers, to the pressures of growing up too fast.
These rituals keep pulling them home again.

Save this as a gentle reminder:
Connection is not a performance, a set of skills to master, or tricks to remember.
It’s simply a way of showing up — again and again — in the relationship that matters most.

Which one of these are working for you?