Meet the team
Eileen Russell
As the founder and clinical director of WayMaker, my role spans two distinct but complementary areas.
Children
As a professional play therapist and assistant course director for the Play Therapy UK Postgraduate Course, I am passionate about the healing power of play. I specialise in working with children in care, helping them navigate complex emotions and experiences through creative and therapeutic approaches.
Business
Bringing play into the serious world of business, I work as a play consultant. Trained in LEGO® Serious Play®, I combine my love for business and innovation with 20 years of experience. My consultancy bridges the gap between creativity and strategy, helping organisations and professionals view challenges from fresh perspectives, uncover hidden potential, and develop innovative solutions to complex problems.
My work unites these two worlds, supporting families and businesses alike to create meaningful, lasting change.
Florence Walker
I am a wife and mother of two children and now the proud grandmother of four grandchildren. I have worked with preschool children since 1991, and I always felt that some children just needed a little something extra to help them develop to their full potential. I became so interested in healing trauma and other childhood issues through therapeutic play therapy that I started on my journey of becoming a fully qualified play therapist in 2017.
Tara Keys
I am the Project Coordinator & Reflex Therapist at WayMaker and specialised training in reflex integration through Rhythmic Movement and the Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration (MNRI) method, I am dedicated to empowering each child to reach their fullest potential. I hold a degree in Children’s Care, Learning, and Development Management, which has provided me with a strong foundation for understanding child development at all stages. Additionally, I am certified in baby massage, a practice that supports early bonding and healthy growth.
I am passionate about supporting children on their unique paths to success, focusing on holistic methods that address each child’s individual needs. My goal is to create an encouraging environment where every child can thrive, heal, and feel empowered to explore the world around them.
Karen Lennox
I am a Therapeutic Play Practitioner at Waymaker, and now in my final months of qualifying as a Play Therapist. I am also completing additional training in Jungian Sandplay under the guidance of renowned psychotherapist Dr. Barbara Turner to expand my knowledge and capacity to facilitate this creative, expressive medium.
I have a particular interest in supporting the parent-child attachment relationship, my desire is to help children and families explore and understand their attachment and sensory profiles to better support emotional co-regulation, which has led me on a pathway towards registering as a Sensory Attachment Practitioner.
Before retraining in play therapy, I qualified from Stranmillis and taught children and adolescents in primary, behavioural and secure facilities across England and Northern Ireland. My passion for nurturing children’s emotional wellbeing led me to pursue postgraduate qualifications in attachment and trauma as well as psychology, which have deepened my understanding of how early experiences shape ongoing development.
By providing a safe and nurturing space in the playroom, I aim to empower children to process their story, build resilience, find hope and uncover the identity for which they were created.
Mel McCracken
I'm an Art Psychotherapist with a background in social work and I have over 8 years of experience working with children and young people living in residential care. I fully believe in the healing power of art-making, through which clients are able to explore their inner world and express their thoughts, feelings and emotions. My heart is to provide a therapeutic space where young people can feel safe, nurtured and held; a space where there is no pressure to talk and where they are free to explore, play and experiment with the materials in whichever way they choose.
Leza Dunlop
Coming soon…
Dawn Ritchie
I am excited to have joined the WayMaker team as a trainee play therapist. I am a primary school teacher and have taught both nursery and primary classes for almost twenty years. I recognise the increasing pressures our children face and so have decided to embark on a new career as a play therapist. I believe in the healing power of play and I am very thankful to be surrounded by a wonderful team of people, enthusiastic to share their experience, knowledge and expertise to help me on my journey.
