Frequently Asked Questions

The primary distinction lies in the goal: Play Therapy, facilitated by a trained Play Therapist, aims at healing.

• Establishing Relationships: Play helps in building connections.

• Fostering Imagination & Creativity: Play encourages cognitive development.

• Boosting Confidence & Concentration: Play empowers children and enhances focus.

• Learning from Mistakes: Play provides a safe environment for learning.

• Promoting Development: Play supports physical, emotional, and social growth.

• Effective Communication: Play serves as a tool for self-expression.

• Forming Friendships: Play aids in understanding the world and forming bonds.

In Play Therapy, establishing a consistent, predictable, and safe relationship with the child is my priority.

Research indicates that parents, teachers, and other influential figures in children's lives play a crucial role in long-term changes in brain development, emphasising the importance of supportive relationships.

Currently, I do not conduct group therapy sessions. If interested, please leave a message to be notified of future group sessions here.

Yes, I utilize a straightforward, non-diagnostic screening assessment called the “Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)” by Robert Goodman. This assessment helps to evaluate a child’s prosocial behavior, emotional symptoms, peer relationship issues, conduct problems, and hyperactivity or inattention. It serves as a valuable tool for tracking progress throughout the therapy process.

Yes, it is possible to conduct Play Therapy sessions online. I am trained in facilitating these sessions and have witnessed immense progress. While you’ll need to arrange some play materials for your child, the approach remains largely similar.

Online Play Therapy offers some advantages:

• Practice Communication Skills: It encourages children to enhance their communication skills in a familiar environment.

• Real-Life Context: Accessing your child in their real-life environment enhances my understanding of them, supporting the concept of understanding “the person in environment.”

• Safety in Emergencies: Online sessions provide an added layer of protection during weather events or emergencies like COVID-19.

Read an online client’s testimonial here.

Consistent attendance and avoiding discussions about the child’s therapy progress directly with them are essential. While input from teachers can be beneficial in certain cases, I prioritize respecting parental discretion.

I accommodate parental presence in the Playroom if needed, supporting each child’s unique needs.

While acting as your child’s therapist is unethical, I provide tools and insights to support your parenting journey.

Children typically maintain focus for 40 to 45 minutes. Extending beyond this timeframe risks a shift from therapy to play, hindering therapeutic goals. However, sessions for teenagers can extend to 60 minutes, accommodating their developmental needs.

My approach to a Play Therapy session aligns closely with the principles outlined by Virginia Axline, the originator of Play Therapy. These principles guide my interactions during every session:

• Developing a Warm & Friendly Relationship: I prioritize building a trusting and compassionate connection with the child.

• Acceptance of the Child: I accept the child as they are, without judgment or expectation.

• Establishing Permissiveness: I create an environment where the child feels safe to express their feelings openly and freely.

• Reflecting Feelings: I am attentive to the child's emotions and reflect them back in a way that helps the child gain insight into their behavior.

• Respect for the Child’s Autonomy: I maintains deep respect for the child’s capacity to solve their own problems, providing them with opportunities to make choices and initiate change.

• Child-Led Approach: I allows the child to lead the session, refraining from directing their actions or conversations. In some situations, I may suggest an activity that helps a child delve deeper into their process.

• Gradual Process: I understand that therapy is a gradual process and do not rush it, allowing the child to progress at their own pace.

• Establishing Necessary Limitations: While fostering creativity and exploration, I set necessary boundaries to anchor the therapy in reality and make the child aware of their responsibilities in the relationship.

Here are a few Playful Parenting tips:

• Encourage Free Play - Resist the temptation to direct your child’s Play. Play is the only space a child enjoys autonomy and sets the rules; this helps them learn, grow and assert their personalities!

• Connect Before you Correct - Once your formerly upset child has settled and regained control, connect with them by offering a hug or loving words. At bedtime correct their behavior by discussing it with your child and asking them what they could have done instead.

• Bring Play into your Routine - Moving from one activity to another is hard for children. Instead of informing your children about the consequences of not brushing their teeth, play a game of ‘chasing’ cavity germs around your mouth as you brush your teeth!

• Fidelity: I honour the trust placed in me, the child’s therapist.

• Autonomy: I have respect for the child’s right to be self-governing; interests of the child are paramount.

• Beneficence: I promote the child’s well-being.

• Non-Maleficence: I avoid harming the child.

• Justice: I ensure fair, impartial treatment and equal access.

• Self-Respect: I keep my self-care and self-knowledge in mind.