Play therapy can help with
Anxiety, stress or low self-esteem
Emotional regulation and anger management
Social skills, bullying and friendship difficulties
Trauma, grief or family changes (separation, relocation)
Experiences of abuse
Neurodiversity and sensory processing challenges
Experiences of domestic violence or other complex life circumstances
Why Play Therapy?
Children are developmentally unable to verbalise their experiences, so if they are upset, they will use behaviour to express how they are feeling. Difficult experiences and big feelings can lead to big behaviours as they try to communicate. Using play in therapy allows the child to utilise ‘toys as their words and play as their language’ (Garry Landreth).
Difficult experiences and most importantly perceptions of those experiences can create difficulties in children’s lives, relationships and the lives of people around them. If your child is regularly struggling with feeling sad, withdrawn, anxious, angry, disruptive and unable to regulate their emotions or behaviour then play therapy could help by providing a safe and nurturing space to communicate and integrate their experiences in a way that makes sense to them.
Understanding Children's Communication
Children often struggle to articulate their thoughts and feelings verbally. Their natural modes of communication are behaviour and play. In play therapy, they can communicate using a range of activities such as art, music, clay, role play, Sandtray and puppets, helping them tell their story, process their emotions and heal in a safe and supportive environment.
Play therapy is designed for children aged 3–12. It can be adapted for teens or adults who struggle to express themselves verbally and would benefit from a creative approach.
What to expect:
Therapy takes place either at the child’s school, or in an appropriate therapeutic setting. Sessions are 40-45 minutes long and occur weekly, during term time.
A minimum of 12 sessions are necessary, allowing time to build a trusting relationship and work through challenges. Most children need considerably longer than this to work through complex challenges that may have taken time to develop. It’s important to work at a pace that is safe and manageable for the child.
The process begins with an initial phone call with the referee, who may be caregiver or a professional. Before therapy starts, I meet with the child’s parent or caregiver to gain a deeper understanding of the family’s challenges and hopes. Throughout the course of therapy, we meet intermittently - typically every 10-12 sessions- to share updates, discuss emerging themes and reflect on what feels most important, while respecting he child’s confidentiality. A final meeting is held at the end of therapy, to review the journey and consider next steps. If needed, a post therapy report can also be provided.
Create Your Own Website With Webador