Services

Play therapy and creative arts counselling for children and young people

“Play is children’s language and toys are their words.” (G. Landreth, 2002)

Play and Creative Arts Therapy are interventions suitable for children and teenagers, either individually or in groups. Children and young people may find it particularly difficult to talk about feelings or explain why they may be behaving/feeling as they are. In a safe space, using a creative toolkit, the qualified Play Therapist will encourage and support the children/young people to explore their emotions and experiences using the language most natural for them, PLAY!

Play Therapy sessions take place weekly and are confidential. During a session the Play Therapist will have a kit which includes creative tools such as sand, clay, small world miniatures, art and craft, storytelling, music, and where appropriate talking. The therapist is trained to use an integrative model to enable them to play along with the child and use the play to explore what the child is bringing to each session.

One to one intervention is child-led allowing children freedom to choose what to use and how to play. In group sessions, with a small number of children, the therapist leads sessions with a specific collective goal.

Evidence suggests that Play Therapy helps children find healthier ways of communicating, build resilience, develop relationships, and explore healthy ways of coping.

Play Therapy can help with a wide range of situations and experiences, including anxiety, low self-esteem, or social withdrawal, difficulties with relationships or peer interaction, bereavement and loss, attachment disruptions, school refusal, neurodiversity (ASD, ADHD), hyperactivity, long-term illness, family breakdown, trauma or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

Support and training for parents and carers

• Parent Child Attachment Play sessions

  This is a six day programme (once a week) that helps parents and carers see how to use play to build a strong, secure emotional bond with a child. It strengthens relationships, can help with challenging behaviours, and helps to find new ways of connecting. This is done in groups.

• Filial Play coaching 

  This programme is for individual parents or carers to help them connect with their child through play, and the child can be aged 2-16 years of age. It involves one to one sessions with the parent/carer as well as play observations with the child.

• Parent support groups

  This is a space for parents/carers to be heard and supported, where they can share and listen to others, and we facilitate a space to learn from each other and provide advice where it is requested.

For schools and organisations

We offer any of the above services to schools and care services as well as:

• Professional and interactive training on a number of topics including Parent/Carer Child Attachment Play training, creative therapeutic tools for working with children and young people, emotional regulation, understanding children’s behaviour *(through a play lens), play and the benefits of play

• Lunchtime therapeutic support