I am a Registered Play Therapist based in St Albans
Using creative tools to provide emotional support to children aged 4-12 years
What is Play Therapy ?
Play therapy is an evidence based, developmentally appropriate approach, which provides children with a safe environment where they can express their thoughts and emotions and explore difficult experiences through the medium of play.
For more information, please see https://www.bapt.info/play-therapy/what-is-play-therapy/
Using a variety of creative tools such as toys, art materials, drama and movement children are able to play out their feelings, anxieties and challenging experiences. Therapeutic change takes place as children begin to explore, process and make sense of these feelings and experiences.
How does play therapy work?
Children often find it hard to communicate their difficulties in words. Play is a child’s natural form of communication and through the medium of play children can find the freedom to express themselves and explore and make sense of difficult feelings. In the same way adults can benefit from exploring their feelings during talking therapies, children are able to do this through play. Forming a trusting relationship with their therapist is the most important factor in the success of play therapy.
What can it help with ?
Play therapy can help children heal from difficult life experiences. The positive outcomes of play therapy may include increased self-confidence and self-esteem, anxiety reduction, improvements in the ability to form
good relationships, healing from trauma, improved focus, improved behaviour regulation, improvements in communication and expression, healing from grief, loss or separation.
FAQ
How long will it last?
This depends on the child, however a commitment to a minimum of 12 sessions is preferable to allow time for the therapy to be effective and for change to be lasting.
What age children do you work with?
I usually work with children ages 4-12 years old, but if you have a child outside of this age range who you feel would benefit from play therapy then please get in touch as play therapy can work well with older children, particularly neurodivergent children.
What involvement do parents have in the process?
The involvement of parents/carers is key to the success of play therapy. You know your child best. Following an initial in-depth discussion about your child we will hold regular review meetings to talk about the progress both at home and in therapy. The details of the sessions are confidential, however, we can look at the changes that have taken place and the themes that have emerged during the sessions.