Child & Family Play Therapy
Healing and Growing Through Play – Together
Parenting is full of love, but it can also be confusing, exhausting, and heartbreaking—especially when your child is struggling and nothing seems to help. Maybe your child is acting out at home or school, melting down over small things, or shutting down completely. You’ve tried rewards, routines, consequences—but the behavior keeps coming back. Or maybe you're just seeing signs that something feels “off,” and you're not sure how to help.
You don’t have to figure it out alone. Child and family play therapy offers a safe, nurturing space for children and families to heal, connect, and grow—together.
What Is Child & Family Play Therapy?
Play therapy is a research-backed approach that helps children process big feelings, work through stress and trauma, and develop healthier ways to cope—all through the language they know best: play.
Unlike adults, children don’t typically express themselves through long conversations or talk therapy. Instead, they use play to make sense of their experiences. A play therapist is specially trained to notice what your child is communicating through their play and to respond in ways that help your child feel seen, safe, and supported.
Family play therapy involves not just the child, but you—the parent or caregiver—because healing happens best when families work together. Through joint sessions, we strengthen your connection, reduce conflict, and build the trust your child needs to thrive.
Why is Play Therapy Important?
When a child’s emotions feel too big, too scary, or too confusing to put into words, they often come out in behavior. This might look like:
Tantrums or explosive outbursts
Withdrawing, shutting down, or isolating
Trouble with transitions, bedtime, or school
Aggression or acting out toward siblings or peers
Frequent worries or fears
Difficulty adjusting to change (divorce, moves, new sibling)
Regressions in behavior (bedwetting, clinginess, etc.)
Sensitivity to sensory input or frustration
These behaviors aren’t your child being “bad”—they’re signals that your child is overwhelmed and needs help regulating their nervous system, expressing their emotions, and feeling secure in their relationships. Play therapy gives them the tools to do just that, in a way that feels natural and non-threatening.
“When we nurture a child’s heart in the earliest years, we don’t just change today—we plant the seeds for a lifetime of resilience, connection, and joy.”
Who Can Play Therapy Help?
Child and family play therapy is ideal for children ages 2 to 12 and their caregivers.
It can support kids who are:
Struggling with anxiety, anger, or depression
Adjusting to changes like divorce, loss, or relocation
Navigating adoption, foster care, or blended families
Recovering from trauma, abuse, or medical stress
Experiencing grief or separation
Having difficulties at school or with peers
Living with developmental differences or sensory sensitivities
Feeling disconnected or misunderstood
It’s also for parents who want to:
Strengthen their relationship with their child
Learn tools to support their child’s emotional needs
Break reactive parenting patterns
Feel more confident, calm, and connected
What Does a Typical Session Look Like?
Each session is uniquely tailored to your child and your family’s needs.
In general:
Child sessions involve toys, art, games, storytelling, or sand tray play. These are carefully selected to allow your child to explore emotions, practice problem-solving, and develop a stronger sense of self.
Family or parent-child sessions focus on helping you and your child connect through play. You’ll learn how to tune into your child’s emotional world and respond in ways that build trust and cooperation.
Parent sessions are also included regularly to help you make sense of your child’s behaviors, process your own feelings, and learn strategies you can use at home.
Play therapy is not about “fixing” your child. It’s about creating a safe, supportive environment where your child can feel accepted, understood, and empowered to grow—and where you can feel supported, too.
Common Techniques and Approaches
While every child is unique, we may draw from the following evidence-based approaches:
Child-Centered Play Therapy – Your child leads the session while the therapist reflects, supports, and nurtures emotional growth.
Synergetic Play Therapy – Combines neuroscience and attachment work to help regulate the nervous system and deepen connection between parent and child.
Expressive Arts & Sand Tray – Offers children alternative ways to express their inner world when words are hard to find.
Therapy may also include sensory tools, storytelling, mindfulness practices, and co-regulation strategies—based on your child’s specific needs.
The Benefits of Child & Family Play Therapy
Children who participate in play therapy often experience:
Fewer tantrums and emotional outbursts
Improved ability to handle frustration and change
Better sleep, focus, and school performance
Increased confidence and emotional awareness
Stronger relationships with parents and peers
Healing from past trauma or difficult experiences
Parents often report:
Feeling more connected to their child
Understanding their child’s emotions and behaviors better
Increased patience and empathy
Reduced parenting stress and guilt
Greater confidence in handling challenges
More joy and less conflict at home
Why Family Involvement Matters
Healing doesn’t just happen in a therapy room. That’s why family involvement is key. When you, as the parent or caregiver, are part of the process, your child’s progress deepens and lasts.
You don’t need to be a perfect parent—just a present one. Play therapy gives you the support, insight, and tools to respond to your child with more calm, clarity, and compassion. And it helps your child experience the safety of being truly seen and known by you.
You’re Not Alone—And You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
If your child is struggling, you might be feeling overwhelmed, ashamed, or unsure of what to do next. You may even worry that it’s your fault, or that it’s too late.
But the truth is this: your presence matters more than your perfection. And it’s never too late to reconnect, rebuild, and heal.
Child and family play therapy offers hope. It’s a place where emotions are welcome, behaviors are understood, and healing begins with connection.