What We Do
Workshops
We offer quarterly poetry therapy workshops. Only for membership subscribers, IPTN offers another workshop per quarter.
Find workshops' dates and facilitators clicking the button below.
Membership
IPTN Members have exclusive access to workshops, discounts and more.
Check out all the benefits that come with being an IPTN member. Click below.
Training
Poetry Therapy Practitioner (PTP) with iaPOETRY. Head here to have all the details about the certification as Poetry Therapy Pratitioner (PTP), the core competencies, requirements and how to apply for the credential.
Find out more about IPTN's work
eZine, annual conference and previous workshops
Annual Conference
IPTN has been organising an Annual Conference since 2014. Check out the program of previous years.
IPTN eZine
Find a wealth of poetry therapy knowledge within the pages of the IPTN eZine.
Previous Workshops
Use a text section to describe your values, show more info, summarize a topic, or tell a story.
About
Irish Poetry Therapy Network - IPTN, a non-profit organisation that provides an environment where participants explore at first hand, through the use of poetry therapy and bibliotherapy, the healing power of poetry as a means of identifying and dealing with various life issues.
History
The Irish Poetry Therapy Network (IPTN) has been in existence since 2003. It was founded by Dr. Niall Hickey who was the first Certified Poetry Therapist in Ireland. You can read about the first thirteen years of IPTN here.
IPTN convenes several poetry therapy group sessions each year, which were held on a rotational basis in Gorey, Kilkenny and other towns to facilitate travel by its members. However, since covid restrictions, we have moved permantely onto Zoom platform.
We are a non-profit organisation that provides an environment where participants explore through the use of poetry therapy and bibliotherapy the healing power of poetry and writing as a means of identifying and dealing with various life issues.
Poetry allows us to journey through loss and grief and other emotional states, and provides a medium of exploration and self-discovery. Poetry therapy groups provide us with a safe, caring environment with strict adherence to confidentiality.
Board and Committee 2024
Chair
María Ortega García
María is a practitioner in Trauma and Mental Health Informed Schools and Communities (TISUK), Poetry Therapy Practitioner (iaPOETRY), BA. in Humanities (Applied Languages) and an MA. in Scenery Arts.
Her work as language educator emphasizes the therapeutic use of language and poetry for self-discovery and authentic self-expression. Drawing on her extensive background in trauma-informed teaching, intercultural awareness, and experiential learning, María combines mindfulness, creative writing, and poetry therapy to foster a holistic approach to language learning.
Secretary
Elizabeth Fitzimons
A teacher and mentor with a specific interest in the power of poetry and stories. B. A Degree in English and French and an M. A in Reading as a Therapy from the University of
Liverpool, 2015. Interest in the Irish Poetry Therapy Network grew as a result of participation in reading therapy groups in the UK. A participant in workshops coordinated by The Reader Organization, Elizabeth became increasingly aware of the healing role of poetry in people’s lives. After returning to live in Ireland she became active as a committee member.
Now, as secretary, she uses her skills to co-ordinate meetings, keep track of minutes and write up agendas as well as facilitate sessions in the IPTN Poetry Club.
Administrator & Editorial
Carol Boland
Carol Boland has a BA., in Media Studies
and a BSc., in Psychotherapy and
Counselling. She was the first iaPoetry
qualified Poetry Therapy Practitioner (PTP)
in Ireland. Past chair of IPTN, Carol
facilitates individual and group ‘Self-
Discovery Through Poetry’ workshops at
home and internationally and, in 2023, was
invited to speak at the Italian Symposium
on Poetry Therapy.
A community activist in County Wexford,
she is also the proprietor of Boland Press
(bolandpress.blogspot.com). The Hungry
Grass (2024) is her third book of poetry,
following Coming Ashore (2015) and The
Overture (2012). Her teen novel, Hostage,
was published in 2002.
Carol is the facilitator of MS Writers,
Ireland’s only dedicated writers’ group for
people living with Multiple Sclerosis.
Marketing
Shelley Tracey
Creative Practitioner, Poet, Researcher, BA (Hons) (English Literature), H Dip Ed (PG), MA (English Literature), M Ed, PhD, Diploma in Counselling, Poetry Therapy Practitioner (iaPOETRY)
Membership
Theresa Kelly
Accredited Psychotherapist focused on providing Adult and Adolescent psychotherapy services, also works as a Supervisor to Therapists.
Website TBD
Treasurer
Bernie Walsh
Professional Irish Genealogist, and Tutor, Heritage expert to Primary Schools
Membership
Alison Broder
Poet
Bsc Hons French and Law
MA in Translation
Bsc Hons in Counselling and Psychotherapy
Retired Psychotherapist
Trainee Poetry Therapy Practitioner
Caller of le Cercle de Poesie
Nouvelle Aquitaine, South West France
