Child Centred Play Therapy
- Is your child anxious or withdrawn?
- Experiencing low self esteem?
- Exhibiting behavioural issues?
- Diagnosed with ASD or ADHD?
- Having difficulty making friends?
- Struggling with grief, loss or trauma?
- Is your child anxious or withdrawn?
- Experiencing low self esteem?
- Exhibiting behavioural issues?
- Diagnosed with ASD or ADHD?
- Having difficulty making friends?
- Struggling with grief, loss or trauma?
Play therapy can help!
Play Therapy Can Help!
What is Play Therapy?
Play is the way that children learn, develop and understand the world around them. In Play Therapy, your child’s natural tendency towards play is used to help them process complicated emotions they may not otherwise be able to express. Play Therapy empowers them to freely express, explore and resolve feelings and experiences that may be troubling, confusing or frightening.
Who is Play Therapy for?
Play Therapy provides a highly effective psychological treatment for children aged 2 to 12 years who may have been experiencing social, emotional, developmental or behavioural difficulties, including meltdowns, early trauma experiences, high stress environments, anxiety, separation anxiety, depression, grief, hyper-activity, inattention and oppositional behaviours.
What happens at Play Therapy?
Play Therapy is not the same as playing. Play Therapy uses the child’s natural tendency to “play out” their reactions to life situations.
Supported by a qualified Clinician trained in mental health, the Play Therapist first establishes a safe and trusting relationship by conveying unconditional acceptance. The child will choose the toys they wish to play with and are able to create and explore via mediums such as sandtray with miniatures, playdough, musical instruments, painting and puppets. The Play Therapist may not directly question the child, but will follow the child’s lead, communicating with them through play.
Our Play Therapists operate from our centre in Yarraville and our South East Bayside Melbourne location in Moorabbin.
How can Play Therapy help?
By creating a safe, free and protected space, your child is given the opportunity to work through deeper emotional fears, anxieties and experiences that may be driving other behavioural concerns.
Play Therapy supports children to:
- Make better choices
- Learn about their world
- Gain self-control
- Express their thoughts and feelings
- Reduce anxiety
- Build self-esteem and confidence
- Develop empathetic skills
- Strengthen connections and trust in relationships