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Play Therapy

Children often don’t yet have the words to explain how they’re feeling or to talk through their worries. What they do have is play. Play Therapy offers a safe, confidential space where children can express themselves freely and explore experiences that may feel confusing, overwhelming, or difficult to talk about.

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Rooted in the work of Carl Rogers and Virginia Axline, Play Therapy is a child‑led, holistic approach that supports children to make sense of their world in a way that feels natural to them. Through play, children can express emotions, rehearse new ways of coping, and work through situations that may be troubling them.

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Play Therapy empowers children by helping them recognise and understand their feelings, develop healthier coping strategies, and build confidence in themselves. Over time, this can reduce anxiety, strengthen emotional resilience, and support long‑lasting positive change.

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Play and Creative Arts Therapies are well‑established, evidence‑based approaches informed by a range of psychological theories. Research from Play Therapy UK shows that 70–84% of children working with a registered practitioner experience positive improvements — findings drawn from over 8,000 clinical cases.

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Play Therapy is particularly helpful when traditional “talking therapies” aren’t suitable or effective. It provides a trusted, consistent space where children can explore their experiences at their own pace, using play as their natural language.

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Who Play Therapy Can Help

 

Play Therapy can support children experiencing:

  • Bereavement or loss

  • Separation or divorce

  • Behavioural or emotional difficulties

  • Communication challenges

  • Autistic Spectrum Disorder

  • Trauma

  • Abuse

  • Nightmares or sleep difficulties

  • Delayed development

  • School avoidance or unauthorised absences

  • Social exclusion

  • Physical illness

  • Adoption‑related issues

  • Sensory processing differences

  • Difficulties adjusting to big life changes

It can also help children who are:

  • Being bullied or bullying others

  • Withdrawn or isolated

  • Under‑performing academically, socially, culturally, or physically

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The Playroom

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The playroom contains a carefully chosen range of resources that children can use to express themselves, including:

  • Sandtray (dry and, where possible, wet sand)

  • Miniatures and symbols

  • Art materials

  • Clay

  • Puppets

  • Musical instruments

  • Train set

  • Dolls house

  • Movement and sensory equipment

These items allow children to communicate their inner world in a way that feels safe, familiar, and developmentally appropriate.

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Structure and Boundaries

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Sessions last 40 minutes and take place at the same time and in the same space each week. The structure is predictable and steady, helping children feel secure. Play Therapy has as few boundaries as possible, but children are supported to understand that they cannot hurt themselves, the therapist, or the items in the room.

These boundaries are essential. They create a sense of safety and containment, allowing children to express themselves in the way they need to — not in the way others expect them to

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