People with Additional Needs
Holistic Therapies for Children & Adults
Gentle, Person-Centred Care That Meets You Where You Are
Every person deserves to feel safe, respected and cared for.
Whether you are seeking support for your child, a family member or someone in your professional care, holistic complementary therapies can provide valuable opportunities for relaxation, comfort and enhanced emotional wellbeing.
At SCK Holistic Therapies, I provide person-centred Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Reiki and Thermal Ear Candling (where appropriate), carefully adapting every treatment to suit the individual’s unique needs, preferences and circumstances.
There is no standard approach. No assumptions. No one-size-fits-all treatment.
Instead, I take time to understand the individual before the therapy begins, creating a calm, supportive environment where they can feel comfortable, respected and accepted exactly as they are.
No matter whether appointments take place in my clinic, at your home, within a residential service or in a day service, my focus remains the same: –
To provide compassionate, professional care that supports the whole person, body, mind and soul; not simply their condition or diagnoses.
Want to learn more?
Who I Support
Throughout more than 35 years of working alongside people of all ages and abilities, I have learned that labels rarely tell the whole story.
Every individual brings their own personality, preferences, strengths, challenges and ways of communicating to their relationships and interactions with others.
I welcome enquiries from individuals, families, carers and organisations supporting people with a wide range of additional needs, including those living with: –
Equally, many of the people I support benefit greatly from a gentler, slower and more personalised approach to holistic therapy.
Rather than focusing on diagnoses, I focus on the individual sitting in front of me, because every person deserves to receive care that recognises their individuality, their dignity and their right to feel comfortable throughout their treatment.
My Approach
The complementary therapies I provide are only one part of the experience for my clients. The way those therapies are delivered is equally important.
My approach has been shaped by more than three decades of working with people through learning and development, adult education, behavioural support, home tuition, volunteering and holistic therapies, together with my background and formal qualification in Psychology.
Those experiences have reinforced one simple belief.
People respond best when they feel safe.
I create that environment by taking the time to listen carefully, observe thoughtfully, be flexible and respect the boundaries of my clients. Above all it means recognising human communication takes many different forms.
Some people may enjoy chatting throughout their appointment. Others communicate through facial expressions, body language, movement, breathing or simply by allowing themselves to relax. Every response tells a story. Every treatment is adapted accordingly.
For me, holistic therapy is not about following a routine. It is about meeting each person where they are and providing care that feels calm, respectful and reassuring from beginning to end.
Understanding Communication Beyond Words
Communication extends far beyond speech. Throughout my career I have had the privilege of supporting people who communicate in many different ways. Only some use words.
Many others communicate through eye contact, facial expression, movement, sounds, touch or changes in posture and muscle tone.
Paying attention to these subtle forms of communication allows me to adapt treatments in real time, always respecting the individual’s comfort levels and responses. That means sometimes a treatment may be shorter than planned and sometimes we simply spend time becoming familiar with one another before beginning the day’s treatment.
Sometimes the most meaningful moment of the session is seeing someone visibly relax for the first time that day. There is never pressure to complete a treatment exactly as planned.
The person always comes first.
Why Gentle Touch Matters
Touch is one of the earliest ways we experience comfort and reassurance. When touch therapy treatments are delivered professionally, respectfully and always with appropriate consent, that therapeutic touch can offer a powerful sense of calm, connection and emotional safety.
For many people with additional needs, life can involve frequent appointments, structured routines and ongoing demands. It can even involve unwanted poking and prodding. My holistic treatments provide an opportunity to simply pause, to slow down and to breathe. Best of all, my clients experience care without pressure or expectation.
While holistic therapies are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure medical conditions, they can support relaxation, reduce feelings of stress and help promote a greater sense of wellbeing as part of a person’s overall healthcare.
Sometimes the greatest outcomes cannot be measured, whether it be a relaxed expression, breathing becoming steadier, my client smiling contentedly and experiencing a peaceful, beautiful moment of stillness.
For many families and carers, these moments are deeply meaningful because they represent something wonderfully simple. A loved one feeling safe, comfortable and cared for. That is wellbeing that supports everyone in the family and home.
Mobile Visits – Bringing the Clinic to You
Not everyone is able to travel comfortably to a therapy clinic for treatments. For some clients, transport can be physically demanding and unfamiliar surroundings may increase their feelings of anxiety or sensory overload.
For this reason I offer mobile holistic therapy appointments, where I can visit clients in their own homes, residential services, supported living environments or day services. However, I do not simply bring the treatment. I also bring the experience of my cosy clinic.
I bring the soft music my clients are familiar with that marks the setting as one of peace and calm. I also bring my soft furnishings and linen, like blankets, pillow slips, towels etc., All of these little elements help to differentiate the special time period and re-create my secure clinic space within my clients own environment. I also bring familiar scents in the form of a room spritz that many regular clients have grown to associate with their time and space for calm and to feel cared for.
These familiar sights, sounds, touches and scents help create continuity between appointments and often allow clients to settle more quickly into a relaxed state. We are afterall, affecting four of the five human senses or six when you include our intuition. Often intuition is heightened in those who are non-verbal in a similar way to those without sight or hearing and their other senses.
My aim is to recreate the warmth, comfort and professionalism of my clinic wherever the appointment takes place, allowing each individual to enjoy a therapeutic experience within an environment where they already feel safe.
Working with Families and Carers
No one knows an individual better than the people who care for them every day. Whether you are a parent, guardian, sibling, partner or professional carer, your knowledge and insight of my client are invaluable to me and to them.
Before every appointment I take time to understand the individual client’s preferences, communication style, sensory needs, positioning requirements and any practical considerations that may help create the most positive experience possible.
Holistic therapy works best as a collaborative approach. Together, we can create an environment that feels calm, respectful and centred around the individual rather than simply focusing on the therapy itself.
Families frequently tell me that this personalised approach gives them confidence that their loved one will be treated with dignity, patience and genuine compassion throughout every appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can all SCK Holistic Therapy treatments be adapted for people with additional needs?
Absolutely. Every appointment is tailored to the individual, taking account of communication, mobility, sensory preferences, positioning and overall comfort.
Do you provide mobile appointments?
Yes. I regularly visit clients in their own homes, residential services, supported living settings and day services. It is a wonderful way for a person to experience comfort and care in their own safe and familiar space.
Which therapy is best?
There is no single answer. Following an initial conversation, I will recommend the treatment that I feel is most appropriate for the individual’s needs and preferences at that time. It may change over time but the advantage of a flexible therapy session is that it can shift and change as my clients’ needs shift and change.
What if my loved one is non-verbal?
Communication takes many forms. I pay close attention to non-verbal communication throughout every appointment and adapt treatments accordingly.
In my years of experience, anyone who is not happy or comfortable during a treatment is well able to let their feelings be known regardless of their ability to verbalise. I pride myself as having an innate ability to recognise how a client is feeling and experiencing my treatments which makes my work incredibly client-centred and focused.
Do you work alongside families and care teams?
Yes. I believe collaboration is one of the most important aspects of providing meaningful person-centred care. Increasingly care organisations, HIQA and the HSE are recognising the enormous benefit of complementary therapies to patients’ overall mental health and wellbeing. I am happy to work with those forward thinking and progressive organisations and am always happy to share my qualifications and accreditations to satisfy the strictest of regulatory and ethical processes.
Ready to Find Out More?
Choosing the right therapist is about far more than selecting a treatment. It is about finding someone who understands people.
If you would like to discuss whether holistic therapies may be suitable for yourself, a family member or someone you support professionally, I would be delighted to speak with you.
Whether you are considering Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Reiki or another holistic therapy, I will always take the time to understand your circumstances before recommending the most appropriate approach.
You can:
Sometimes the first step is simply a conversation.
I look forward to having that conversation with you.
Payments, Reschedules & Cancellations
Full details of my business terms and conditions are found here.
Disclaimer
SCK Hoistic Therapies offers complementary thereapeutic treatments.
As a complementary health practitioner, Sinead does not diagnose.
If you are unsure about any symptom or ailment, please consult your primary care physician.
Pre-Treatment Assessments
Home Visits only – 1 hr duration – €60*
*home visits within 15km of SCK Holistic Therapies, Navan Clinic. Additional travel costs may apply.
Why book a Pre-Treatment Assessment for your Loved One
Pre-treatment assessments for people with additional needs allows Sinead to ascertain the types of treatments most suited to clients, prior to administering therapies.
During this assessment Sinead will ask questions to learn more about the client, their likes, dislikes and sensory preferences. Sinead then tailors treatment specific to the client’s individual needs.
Assessments are conducted in the home setting, even if treatments will be delivered in-clinic. This allows Sinead to meet the client in their most comfortable environment, surrounded by familiar faces, scents, sounds. comfort and their own belongings.
It also allows Sinead to discuss with parents, carers and guardians any diagnoses and symptoms their loved ones experience on a daily basis.
Symptoms may be of discomfort within the body, giving a sense of dysfunction within the body. Sometimes feelings that are very strong, emotions that are difficult to harness or experiences that have left them feeling anxious, scared or vulnerable can impact physical health and behaviours. Similarly behaviours can be impacted greatly by physical and emotiona health and wellbeing.
Programmes of Flexible Treatments for Additional Needs
Inclusive Care for All Abilities
Sinead began her therapeautic practice, volunteering with Enable Ireland, over twenty years ago. Since then she has provided care in therapeautic, educational and social settings for children and adults with additional needs and a variety of intellectual and physical diagnoses.
Her natural care and warmth with her clients, means trust forms quite quickly and the real therapeutic benefits of the treatments soon become obvious.
Additional Needs In-Clinic Flexible Sessions 65 mins – 6 x Sessions – €450
Additional Needs Mobile Flexible Sessions 90mins – 6 x Sessions – €600*
*mobile visits within 15km of SCK Holistic Therapies, Navan Clinic. Additional travel costs may apply.
NB: SCK Holistic Therapies space is on a first floor setting with stairway. If your loved one has mobility issues, a mobile home visit will suit better.
NB: The client’s parent or carer remains present throughout the session.
Sinead is fully insured to work with children under 16 years, and vulnerable adults.
She has an upto date HSE’s Children First Certification and is happy to be Garda Vetted for your organisation.
Many clients benefit from a consistent therapeutic routine.
A programme of sessions allows trust, familiarity and continuity to develop over time.
Other Specialised Reflexology Options
EXPLORE SPECIALISed REFLEXOLOGy treatments with sinead.
To choose your preferred treatment, simply click the SERVICE below
