About me
Ciara McClelland is a Creative Arts Psychotherapist, Independent Social Worker and Organisational Consultant. BA (Hons) Theatre and Performance | MA Dramatherapy | MA Social Work | BADth | HCPC | BASW | SWE
With over 20 years of professional experience, including 15 years in clinical practice, Ciara specialises in supporting children, young people, and families impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences. Her work integrates dramatherapy, reflective social work practice, and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, combining creative, relational, and attachment-focused approaches to support healing and connection.
Alongside direct therapeutic work, Ciara supports relationship repair within traumatised systems, organisations, and communities. Her approach is innovative, integrative, and informed by psychodynamic, dyadic, and somatic therapies.
Ciara’s practice is also shaped by her own therapeutic and academic journey. Growing up on the Irish border during the 1980s, within a context of community conflict and transgenerational trauma, and being directly impacted by The Troubles through a large extended family of emergency workers, deeply informs her commitment to helping others find safety, connection, and repair in relationships.
"No matter where you are in the world, you can access support from Dream together".
Maria
My childhood
I grew up in a border town between the North and South of Ireland during the 1980s.
I was born into a large extended family of emergency service workers in a community where relational conflict and transgenerational trauma were common.
I was directly affected by the period known as The Troubles.
Over time, I have undertaken a personal journey of healing through therapeutic exploration, academic study, and embodiment practices. These experiences have helped me work through the impact of individual and family trauma.
Learning to repair, rebuild, and sustain a healthy and contented relationship with myself and my past has inspired me to support children and young adults impacted by adverse childhood experiences, and to help caregivers and systems such as schools, organisations, and child and family services through a trauma informed lens.
My work focuses on helping those I support build safer, more conscious, and connected relationships with themselves and the world around them.