Hand arranging colorful clay rainbow on a white background.

Play Therapy

What is Child-Centred Play Therapy?

Children experience many ups and downs through their life. Sometimes they may encounter difficult or upsetting events in their life which can affect their emotions and behaviours. This can be even more challenging if they struggle to put into words exactly what is making them feel this way.

Play Therapy is an alternative to counselling for children. Instead of having to talk through difficult experiences or emotions, children can play out their experiences and emotions using a variety of different creative and play media. It relies on the theoretical basis that play is the language of children and toys are their words. This can help the child begin to process and resolve issues, leading them to develop skills to cope with an adverse experiences. 

For more information, please see the BAPT website:

Welcome to the British Association of Play Therapists

A young child creatively plays with colorful wooden toys on a table, fostering imagination and learning.

What happens in sessions?

In play therapy sessions, the child decides what they want to play with in the session from a variety of play media, mirroring how in counselling a person can talk about anything that they would like to discuss. The play therapist is there to support the child, to play with them, taking on any roles the child would like them to take on, reflecting their emotions and what is happening in the play as well as providing a safe, trusting, nurturing space for the child to express anything they want to.

Miniature toy animals in a row on wood, displaying various wild species.
A young child with rainbow-colored modeling clay and stacking cups on a table indoors.
A hand plays with toy dinosaurs on a table with green plants in the background.

Who can benefit from play therapy?

Play Therapy can be beneficial for any child who has experienced life events that are upsetting or challenging. It can also be beneficial for any child who is showing through their behaviours that they are struggling. The list below gives some examples of life experiences or behaviours that play therapy can support.

  • Anxiety
  • Self-esteem
  • Anger and aggression
  • Withdrawn behaviours
  • Defiance
  • Bereavement
  • Family breakdown
  • Abuse
  • Domestic violence
  • Adverse childhood experiences
  • Adoption and fostering
  • Bullying
  • Illness
  • Difficulty emotionally regulating
  • Nightmares
  • Physical Regulation Difficulties, i.e., Sleeping, Eating and Toileting