Play Therapy & Child Counseling
We primarily work with children ages 3 to 10.
Our counselors specialize in supporting young children through developmentally appropriate, play-based approaches. For older children or pre-teens, we often incorporate activity-based or expressive therapies that match their developmental stage and individual needs.
Play therapy is a developmentally appropriate form of counseling that meets children where they are—through play.
While it may look like “just playing,” there’s a lot happening beneath the surface. In play therapy, the toys act as the child’s words and the play becomes their language. Many children—even those who speak well—struggle to express big emotions or explain why they’re feeling or acting a certain way. Through play, they can express thoughts, feelings, fears, and experiences in a way that feels natural and safe.
A trained play therapist doesn’t just watch your child play—they’re actively attuned to what’s being communicated. They reflect, respond, and guide the process in ways that help your child:
Express themselves more clearly
Feel seen and understood
Develop coping tools
Practice emotional regulation
Learn how to set and respect boundaries
Build confidence, empathy, and connection
The therapeutic relationship is at the heart of the process. Your child’s sense of safety and trust in the room allows for healing and growth to unfold over time.
We also include parents in the journey by offering regular consultation sessions to help you better understand your child’s inner world and find new ways to support them at home.
Keep it simple and positive.
You might say something like:
“You’ll be going to a special playroom to meet with someone whose job is to help kids with all kinds of feelings. You can talk, play, or just be yourself while you’re there.”
The goal is to help your child feel safe and curious—not nervous or confused. If you’re unsure how to explain it, we’re happy to help you come up with something that fits your child’s age and personality.
We also recommend this short video for kids: Introduction to Play Therapy for Children by Dr. Dee Ray.
Our playroom is intentionally designed to support a full range of emotional expression, creativity, and healing.
We use toys that are chosen based on evidence-based play therapy principles and designed to help children express themselves in safe, symbolic ways. These include:
Nurturing toys (like dolls, kitchen sets, or baby care items)
Creative materials (such as art supplies, musical instruments, or sand tray tools)
Aggressive toys (like foam swords or toy handcuffs) to safely explore power and big emotions
Scary toys (such as snakes or spiders) to process fears
Fantasy and pretend items (like puppets, dress-up clothes, or medical kits)
While we don’t generally encourage children to bring toys from home, we recognize that sometimes a comfort item or transition toy may be part of a child’s regulatory process—and that’s okay. If your child brings something with them, we’ll assess whether it’s supporting or limiting their ability to engage in the therapeutic process.
If you’re unsure whether to send a toy or item with your child, feel free to ask. We’re happy to talk it through with you.
Parents are a vital part of the therapeutic process, even if you’re not in the room.
Most play therapy sessions are one-on-one between the child and the play therapist. This helps children feel safe to express themselves freely and build trust without outside pressure or distraction.
Parents do not observe sessions, but we stay connected with you through regular parent consultation sessions. These check-ins give us time to share insights, explore your child’s progress, and collaborate on ways to support them at home.
In some cases—particularly with younger children or specific treatment goals—a caregiver may be invited to join part or all of a session. We’ll guide you through what’s most helpful based on your child’s needs.
Your involvement is essential, and we’ll make sure there’s space for your voice while also protecting the therapeutic environment your child needs to grow and heal.
Yes—your involvement matters.
We schedule parent consultation sessions approximately every 6 sessions, though that may vary depending on your child’s needs and progress. These sessions give us a chance to talk about goals, share observations, and offer support or guidance for things happening at home or school.
You’re not expected to navigate this alone—our goal is to support both your child and your parenting journey.
Every child is different—and growth takes time.
Some children respond quickly, while others need more time to build trust, explore, and integrate new skills. We’ll check in regularly about progress and collaborate with you to adjust the pace and goals as needed. Most families begin noticing changes in a few months, especially when attending consistently.
We help children with a wide range of emotional, social, and behavioral challenges.
This includes:
Anxiety or worry
Anger or outbursts
Grief or loss
Changes in family (divorce, separation, new siblings)
Trauma or stressful events
Difficulty with transitions or routines
Sensory or regulation challenges
Social skills or peer relationships
If you’re unsure whether play therapy is the right fit, we’re happy to talk through your concerns and help guide you.
Yes, we require written consent from all legal guardians before beginning services.
If parents are separated, divorced, or share custody, we will need a copy of your custody agreement or court order to review before services can begin. This helps ensure we are honoring all legal and ethical responsibilities for your child’s care.
We believe therapy is most effective when caregivers are informed and involved. When possible, we aim to include both parents or guardians in the process to support consistency and healing across your child’s environments.
If you’re unsure whether consent is needed from a co-parent, reach out—we’re happy to help clarify what’s required in your specific situation.
We understand school is important—but so is your child’s mental health.
While we do offer after-school appointments, those times are limited and may not always be available. If your child attends sessions during the school day, we can provide excuse notes for each session and work with you to find a time that minimizes disruption—such as avoiding core subjects or rotating days.
Many families find that the benefits of consistent therapy far outweigh the occasional missed classroom time, especially when therapy helps with focus, behavior, or emotional well-being at school.
Our focus is on helping children build strong, healthy relationships with their caregivers—not on deciding parenting time or legal custody.
We believe that children benefit most when they are supported in having meaningful connections with all of their primary caregivers. Our role in therapy is to nurture emotional wellness, not to determine custody or visitation arrangements.
We do not make recommendations about how parenting time should be divided. However, we are happy to work with families who are navigating divorce or separation to support the child’s adjustment and promote nurturing relationships with each caregiver.
Play therapy can give children a safe space to express difficult emotions and experiences, but it is not meant to confirm whether abuse has occurred.
Your child’s play therapist will observe themes and patterns that emerge in their play over time, which can offer insight into their emotional world. While symbolic play may reflect past experiences, the role of the play therapist is to support your child in processing—not to investigate or determine what did or didn’t happen.
If concerns about possible abuse arise, we follow all legal and ethical guidelines. This includes making a report to the appropriate agencies when there is reason to suspect harm or neglect. These agencies are trained and responsible for conducting formal investigations.
If anything concerning comes up in your child’s sessions, we will communicate with you and walk alongside you through the next steps.
Change often begins inside—like feeling more in control of big emotions, growing in confidence, or starting to see themselves as capable and worthy. In play therapy, we create the kind of space where children can safely work through challenges and reconnect with their own inner strengths.
When children feel seen, accepted, and understood, they naturally begin to move toward healing and growth—what we often describe as becoming more of who they truly are. Over time, you may notice fewer outbursts, more flexible thinking, and better coping with everyday ups and downs.
We also meet with you regularly for parent consultation sessions to share what we’re seeing in the playroom and hear how things are going at home. These check-ins help us track progress, stay aligned on goals, and support the changes your child is working hard to build.
Weekly sessions are typically recommended to support consistency and build a strong therapeutic relationship.
Children feel most secure when they know what to expect. Regular sessions help create a predictable rhythm, which is especially important when working through big emotions or life changes.
As your child progresses, we’ll talk together about whether session frequency should shift. Every child is different, and we’ll adjust the pace based on what’s most supportive.
Yes—with your permission, we’re happy to collaborate with other professionals involved in your child’s care.
Sometimes it’s helpful for us to connect with teachers, school staff, or medical providers to ensure your child is getting consistent support across all the places they show up. This might involve sharing general strategies, progress updates, or insights—always with your knowledge and signed consent.
You’ll always be included in the conversation, and we’ll only reach out if it feels helpful and aligned with your goals.