Play therapy
What is play therapy?
If you are looking for a therapist that specializes in children, then you are in search of a play therapist. Play is the medium that children express their thoughts, feelings, experiences, and behaviors, how they process their internal and external environment, and how they communicate. Play therapy is the most natural form of therapy for children. Through play, children are able to process current and past events utilizing their language of play. The therapists role in this process is to provide materials (sand tray, dress up, doll house, drawing, and other play room items) and a safe relationship, so that the child can fully immerse themselves in their world and express themselves through play.
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The Association for Play Therapy (APT) defines play therapy as "the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development."
WHAT Parents say they are struggling with
Anxiety, Stress, Overwhelm
My child is having panic attacks, biting their nails and picking at their skin, not sleeping well, eating too much or too little, not focused on school, avoiding and/or procrastinating, they look lonely and are isolating
Difficulty regulating, expressing, and controlling emotions/
behaviors
My child is out of control, doesn't know how to calm down, rude and argumentative, pushes boundaries and doesn't listen, overly sensitive, mood is all over the place, can't put words to how they are feeling, getting in trouble at school, difficulty keeping friends
Life transitions, Big life events
My child has a lot going on, divorce, graduating, moving, changing friend groups, new sport, new school, blending families, new baby, my child has been through a lot, illness, trauma, abuse, death and loss
We can help.
Play therapy allows us to enter your child’s world and experience life through their eyes. This lens helps us understand their struggles and conflict as we experience those behaviors and feelings alongside them. While we are immersed in their perspective, we create insight and awareness through identifying emotions and reflecting verbally what we see. This can helps kids who are struggling to put words to their feelings and also help them learn how to communicate how they feel rather than expressing themselves behaviorally. This type of therapy can also be more comfortable for kids who are hesitant or nervous to attend therapy, compared to more directive therapies.
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Maribel Hernandez has received extensive training in play therapy and sees children as young at four years of age. She has experience with trauma, life transitions, emotional regulation, behavioral challenges, ADHD, stress and depression.
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If you are looking for some parental guidance with your child, check out our parenting workshop. or individual parenting sessions with Katy Childs.