What is play therapy?

Play Therapy is an evidence-based intervention designed to address the emotional and behavioral needs of children ages 3-10. Through therapeutic play, children use toys and materials such as art, sand, and water to express themselves and work toward understanding and processing their world and experiences.

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In Play Therapy, the therapist creates a safe, accepting, and supportive environment, setting only necessary limits to ensure the child’s physical and emotional safety. Within this space, children are free to express themselves, explore, and experiment, fostering self-discovery and healing.

Through the therapeutic process, children develop confidence in their ability to navigate challenges and discover their inner strengths. They learn to make choices, respect boundaries, and understand limits—all within the freedom and creativity of play.

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If you would like to learn more, you can tune into the following podcast, featuring our very own founder, Vanessa Kellner:

More Than Just Play: Unlocking the Power of Play Therapy

 

What should I tell my child about coming to therapy?

It’s important to keep the explanation short, simple, and clear. You can tell your child that they are coming to a special place that will be just for them.

 

Possible parent script “You are going to meet someone who has a special room filled with toys just for you. It is a space where you can explore and play in most any way you like.”

 

How long can I expect my child to be in therapy?

The length of therapy varies for every child as each child’s therapeutic journey is unique. However, research shows that progress often starts to show up at around 4-5 months, and significant changes are often visible at around 6 months (this is with regular sessions – at least once per week). At Wholesome Healing, we monitor the progression of play therapy through stages, with the pace being determined by your child’s individual needs.

 

Wholesome Healing Play Therapy Stages:

Note: These stages are guidelines based on research and the overall experiences of children in play therapy. Each child’s presentation and timing of progress will be unique to them and may differ from the norm of these stages listed here.

 

Warm Up  (Sessions 1-8)

The child warms up to the process and therapist then the problem(s) begins to emerge. They settle on a form of communication that will work best

 

Working Play (Sessions 9-16)

The child starts to work on their identified problem(s). They express free floating emotions and experiences (emotions and/or experiences that are beyond the child’s understanding; that they have no context or language for, or that they have not sufficiently processed) and start to organize and understand them.

 

Integration (Sessions 17-24)

The child can start to see the whole picture. They have increased understanding of their feelings and experiences and they can start to make sense of them. These feelings and experiences that were getting in the way of functioning can now start to be filed away. Visible changes start to emerge in the child.

 

Mastery/Termination: (Sessions 25-30)

Finishing up emotional work by embracing and sharing an organized story. The child feels a strong sense of empowerment, self-identity, and trust in self and others. The change is visible to the world.

 

Through parent consultations, your therapist will connect with you about your child’s progress to help you understand their specific timeline.

 

How often will my child need to come and how long do sessions last?

The frequency of sessions depends on your child’s individual needs and therapeutic goals. However, sessions are typically scheduled weekly. Consistency is key - having your child’s session on the same day and time each week provides an anchor for your child. This regularity helps create structure and reduces anxiety, giving your child a dependable routine to rely on.

 

The length of play therapy sessions is based on the child's developmental age and needs. Play therapy sessions for younger children (under 8) are usually 30 minutes. For older children sessions can vary between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on your child’s development and needs. For pre-teens and teens, sessions are usually 45 - 50 minutes. At Wholesome Healing, your therapist will work with you to determine the best schedule and session length for your child.

 

How will we know if therapy is working?

You will know that therapy is working through a noticeable reduction in the frequency, intensity and duration of your child’s struggles. While challenges are a normal part of life for everyone, you will see that your child’s ability to handle challenges improves over time with therapy. You will start to notice changes such as your child: experiencing fewer emotional outbursts, demonstrating better emotional regulation, and having improved coping skills.

 

It is important to remember that therapy isn’t about eliminating all challenges, but rather helping your child build the skills and resilience needed to manage them and thrive.

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What happens if my child needs more support?

If your child needs more support, we are here to help ensure that they get the support they need. We work collaboratively with other providers and have a wide referral network that we can tap into if additional services are indicated. This allows us to offer comprehensive and collaborative care, ensuring you and your child are receiving the appropriate services and resources to meet ALL the needs that may arise.

 

Here at Wholesome Healing, we can adjust the therapeutic process if indicated, which may include working more closely with the family or involving both the parent and child in therapy sessions together. Our goal is to provide the best support possible to help your child and family thrive.

 

How is play therapy different from my child playing at home?

Play therapy is a structured, therapeutic approach led by a trained clinician, making it distinctly different from play at home. While play at home is primarily recreational, play therapy is purposefully designed to support your child’s emotional growth, healing, and skill development. In the playroom, the therapist’s responses are carefully tailored to create a supportive environment that encourages the child’s free expression and self-directed play. In play therapy, play becomes the child’s natural language for communication, and the mechanism for change.

 

Will I be in the room with my child for their sessions?

In play therapy children are the primary clients and they have a right to a confidential relationship with their therapist. Much like adults need privacy in therapy, children also need a safe space to express themselves, free from the influence of parental expectations, emotions, or judgement. Therefore, parents or caregivers being part of Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) sessions is not standard practice. If there is a clinical reason why the therapist feels the presence of a parent or caretaker in sessions may be beneficial, they will discuss this with you and modify their approach to fit your child’s needs.

 

If your child is participating in another therapeutic approach, such as Theraplay or other forms of family therapy, then parents and caretakers would be regularly present in sessions with the child. You can learn more about these approaches on our website here: https://www.wholesomehealingforall.com/services

Your child’s therapist will help you determine the best therapeutic approach for your child during the initial intake appointment.

 

While parents are not present during play therapy sessions, we recognize the importance of keeping parents informed and involved in the therapeutic process. Your child’s therapist will work closely with you to discuss your child’s progress and share relevant themes or developments observed during sessions. Every 4-6 sessions, your child's therapist will schedule parent consultations to address any concerns, provide updates, and ensure you are fully involved and knowledgeable throughout your child’s play therapy journey.

 

What do I do while my child is in session?

While your child is in their play therapy session, we ask that you comfortably wait in one of our two designated waiting areas. These spaces are designed for relaxation and are places where you can read, enjoy a coffee, or quietly work on personal tasks. We kindly request that parents remain in the building during the session, so you are available if needed.

 

Our waiting areas are equipped with a variety of books and resources for parents, offering valuable information to help you further support your child and deepen your understanding of the therapeutic process. Additionally, if there is anything you would like to communicate with your child’s therapist, you can take this opportunity to fill out a weekly report for the therapist. Completing the weekly report provides insights into your child’s experiences at home and any concerns you may have, and it also helps prepare you for upcoming parent consultations.

 

What if my child wants to leave their session early?

In Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), the child is in control of the session, as it is both child-centered and child-directed. This means your child has the right to decide when they feel ready to end the session. If your child expresses a desire to leave early, we respect their choice.

 

Before leaving the playroom, the therapist will remind your child that while ending the session is their choice, once they leave, their playtime for the day is complete. This helps the child understand that, although they have control over when to leave, there is a natural conclusion to the session, and they will not return to the playroom until their next scheduled appointment. If your child is consistently requesting to leave early, your child’s therapist will collaborate with you to explore the underlying reasons and adjust the therapy process, if needed, to better support your child's needs.​

 

Will my child learn coping skills?

Yes, your child will learn coping skills through play therapy. Many children may already know or have been taught coping skills before starting therapy but struggle to use them in the moments they need them most. This is often due to challenges with emotional regulation. Children need to be emotionally regulated in order to effectively access the skills they've learned. At Wholesome Healing, we focus on the deeper, bottom-up work of helping children regulate their emotions so they can more easily access and use the coping skills they are learning, and may even already possess, when they need them.

 

But isn't it important for my child to TALK to you about their problems?

While talking is a common way for adults to process their problems, children naturally express themselves through play. In play therapy your child doesn’t need to explain their problems verbally to benefit from therapy, as play is the natural language of a child. In fact, trying to verbalize their challenges can limit the child’s expression and inhibit their growth. This is because through words children only have limited access to their emotions and experiences, whereas through play children can access the full scope of their emotions and experiences, even early pre-verbal ones!

 

The therapist’s role is to observe, understand, and respond to the child’s play, helping them process big emotions and move towards healing. Words are not necessary for the therapist to do this important work with your child!

 

Over time, children may choose to incorporate verbal communication into their play therapy sessions, but this happens on their own terms, with the therapist always respecting your child’s unique way of processing and expressing themselves.

 

How is this different than talk therapy?

Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) differs from talk therapy because it uses play, a child’s natural way of communicating, instead of relying solely on words. Through toys and materials such as art, sand, and water, children can express their emotions and experiences in a way that feels natural to them.

 

Unlike talk therapy, which depends on verbal communication, CCPT allows children to process their feelings and challenges through play. The therapist follows the child’s lead, creating a safe and supportive space where they can explore, grow, and build confidence at their own pace. This approach helps children develop coping skills, make sense of their world, and discover their strengths-all through the freedom of play.

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What if my child wants to talk to their therapist about their problems?

If your child wants to talk to their therapist about their problems, of course the therapist will reflect and support this. In Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), the therapist creates a safe, accepting, and supportive environment where your child can express themselves in whatever way they need, whether through play, art, or talking.

 

How do I share updates with my child's therapist?

Updates can be shared with your child’s therapist through emails, scheduled parent consultations, and weekly reports. The weekly report, available in our front waiting area, can be completed while your child is in their play therapy session and handed to the therapist as you leave the office. This report provides an opportunity to share insights about your child’s experiences at home, offer updates, and address any concerns between parent consultations, all while respecting your child’s therapeutic space.

 

How will my child's therapist communicate with me?

Communication between you and your child’s therapist can be done through email, scheduled phone calls, and/or parent consultations. We intentionally designate separate times to discuss these observations and experiences with parents, to honor and protect the child's therapy space.