For children, emotions may be difficult to express verbally. Play is their universal language of communication. It is important for their development. They learn, develop and make sense of the world around them.

Play Therapy provides children with a therapeutic space to process difficult emotions, behaviour and experiences of trauma. It gives permission to therapeutically and safely explore and express their inner world and feelings, as well as also providing a space to resolve their challenges.

Benefits of play therapy

• Access children’s difficult to express feelings and support them to express them and work through them.
• Provide a space for children to heal and recover from the impacts of trauma, at their pace, in a place where they experience unconditional positive regard.
• Gain support to develop strategies to cope with behavioural challenges, and support cognitive, social and emotional development.
• Foster empathy, deepening connection and relational growth with siblings, parents and other caregivers.

Who is suitable for play therapy?

Play Therapy provides an effective psychological treatment for children aged between 2- 12 years old who may be experiencing social, emotional, developmental or behavioural challenges. It also allows children with developmental and health disabilities, including autism and developmental delay to discover what physical and emotional strengths they have.

This includes children who are experiencing meltdowns, anxiety, separation anxiety, grief, hyperactivity, inattention, oppositional behaviours and children who have experienced early life developmental and relational trauma and attachment disruption.

It can further assist to provide narratives and processing of parental separation, grief and loss, parental/caregiver family violence and witness, and so on.