Play therapy

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If you’ve noticed that your child is often feeling sad, anxious, angry, or confused, or is behaving in ways that you’re concerned about, therapy can help! Play therapy helps children express their feelings or worries through play. Just as adults talk through their feelings, kids play through their feelings. For different ages and presenting concerns, your therapist may recommend Child-Centered Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy, or the more parent-involved Theraplay. We can determine through the intake process which modality would be appropriate for your child.

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  • In Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) the therapist creates a safe space where your child can process their feelings, work through struggles, and develop emotional resilience—all through the natural language of play.

    In CCPT, your child will have access to carefully selected toys that allow them to express emotions, solve problems, and build self-confidence at their own pace. The play therapy session becomes a dedicated time where they can focus on feeling fully seen and supported. As a child chooses what to play and receives therapeutic responses, CCPT helps the child reduce problem behaviors and tap into their natural ability to heal and grow.

    As part of the process, the therapist meets with parents separately from the child at least one session per month to check in, share insights, and support you in understanding your child's progress.

    If your child is struggling with emotional regulation, anxiety, or behavioral challenges, scheduling an intake session is the first step toward helping them thrive. Let’s work together to support your child’s growth and well-being.

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  • Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT) helps children process emotions, develop coping skills, and change unhelpful thought patterns—all through play. Since children naturally express themselves and learn through play better than words, CBPT uses interactive, engaging activities to help them understand their feelings, build problem-solving skills, and develop healthier ways to cope with challenges.

    The therapist often takes a more directive role in CBPT, and may select toys or activities that we’ll use in a session in order to facilitate growth so kids can start to feel more confident and calm in their day-to-day life.

    We will utilize separate parent sessions to check in and support progress.

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  • Children who have had a hard start in their early childhood (i.e. NICU stays, medical trauma, feeding difficulties, postpartum mental health conditions, difficulty soothing as an infant due to neurodiversity, family change and trauma, etc.) can benefit from working with a skilled Theraplay therapist to give their brains and bodies an extra dose of the interactions that build secure attachment and emotional regulation.

    Theraplay is an Evidence-Based Practice that uses guided activities to enhance connection, trust, and emotional co-regulation between children and caregivers. Progress is monitored closely and interventions are selected specifically to create improvement in challenging behaviors or distressing symptoms.

    Through concurrent parent sessions, parents also gain tools to help their child manage big emotions and feel more connected, leading to positive long-term outcomes in mental health and behavior.

    Note: Lauren provides Theraplay services and Hannah does not.