Play and Creative Arts Therapy for Children

I offer play therapy for children who may be finding things difficult emotionally, socially, at home or at school. Some children come to therapy with anxiety, loss or the effects of early adversity, adoption or kinship experiences. Others may be experiencing school-related trauma, neurodivergent burnout, or the strain of trying to manage in environments that don’t understand or accommodate their needs.

Being neurodivergent is not a problem to be fixed. My focus is on understanding the child’s experience, what is making life hard, and what support may help them feel safer, more understood and more able to be themselves.

WHAT IS PLAY THERAPY?

A child’s way to communicate

Play is one of the ways children explore their experiences, relationships and feelings. In therapy, a child can use toys, art, sand, stories, movement and imaginative play to express things that may be difficult to put into words.

Making room for what is hard to say

Play therapy can help bridge a child’s conscious thoughts and the less conscious feelings and experiences they may not yet have words for. Children can communicate through direct language as well as metaphor, images, stories, repeated play and body cues. I stay curious about what the child’s play may be expressing without assuming I know its meaning.

Creative activity draws on interacting brain networks involved in imagination, memory, emotion and making meaning. Through play and creativity, children can explore experiences in more than one way and, in their own time, begin to connect feelings with words and understanding.

I offer a consistent, accepting relationship where a child can feel heard without being hurried or judged. I follow the child’s lead while holding clear, safe boundaries. Over time, play can help children make sense of their experiences and develop new ways of understanding themselves and relating to others.

HOW I WORK

An approach shaped around your child

My practice is grounded in child-centred play therapy. I work integratively, drawing on a range of therapeutic theories and modalities I have trained in, alongside creative methods, when they are helpful for a particular child. This may include sensory and body-based resources, therapeutic storytelling, AutPlay®-informed work and TraumaPlay®-informed work.

These approaches are woven into the work rather than treated as separate services. I adapt the pace, materials and level of direction to the child’s needs, communication and readiness.

AREAS OF SUPPORT

What might bring a child to therapy?

Children and families may seek support with experiences such as:

• Anxiety, worries and overwhelm
• School-related distress, including the impact of environments that have not met a child’s needs
• Neurodivergent burnout and the stress of masking or trying to cope
• Early adversity, trauma, adoption and kinship experiences
• Loss, change and bereavement
• Relationships, attachment and separation
• Emotional regulation and confidence
• Social communication and connection

Every child’s situation is different. These examples are not a checklist or a diagnosis; they are some of the experiences children may want help to express and understand.

WORKING TOGETHER

Parents and carers are part of the process

Parents and carers know their child in ways I cannot. We begin by talking together about what is happening and what support might be helpful. Regular review conversations give us space to reflect on the child’s experience, share relevant themes and consider how to support them outside the sessions.

The therapy space also belongs to the child. I take care to respect their privacy and explain how information is shared, including the limits of confidentiality and how I respond to safeguarding concerns.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Starting therapy

The first step is an intake meeting with a parent or carer, usually without the child present. This gives us time to understand the referral and consider whether my service is a good fit.

If we agree to begin, I meet the child in a way that supports them to feel safe. A parent or carer can stay for part or all of an early session when that would help. We move at the child’s pace as trust develops.

Sessions and reviews

Sessions are usually 45 minutes and weekly. I generally recommend a starting block of at least 18 sessions. This gives us time to build a trusting relationship and helps me understand how the child communicates, what matters to them and what helps them feel safe. Through child-led play, we can support the child to feel more settled in their body, recognise and express feelings, and find ways of coping that work for them. These parts of the work are not rigid steps; they overlap and unfold at the child’s pace. If and when it feels right for the child, we may explore the concerns that brought them to therapy more directly. There is no expectation that a child must talk directly about a difficult experience: meaningful change can happen through play and a safe relationship. Therapy is not a quick fix, and 18 sessions are a starting point rather than a guaranteed ending. Some children benefit from longer-term support, depending on their circumstances and needs.

The usual process includes one intake meeting with a parent or carer, followed by review meetings at the midpoint and end of the work. Each meeting is charged at £70 per hour. Any additional meetings or reports are discussed and agreed in advance.

ACCESS AND FUNDING

Making a referral

Referrals may be considered privately or through an agreed funding or commissioning route, such as the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, EOTAS, an EHCP or a local authority arrangement. Availability and suitability depend on the referral and the terms of the funding.

Private therapy costs

I know cost matters when choosing support. I’ll explain and agree all fees with you before we begin, so you know what to expect. If private fees feel out of reach, please get in touch to discuss whether funded or commissioned support may be suitable. Funding cannot be guaranteed; availability and eligibility depend on the referral and the funder’s criteria.

Private play therapy is £70 per clinical hour (a 45-minute session). I usually recommend an initial block of 18 weekly sessions. The estimate below includes one intake meeting, reviews at the midpoint and end, and an end-of-block report.

The meeting estimate assumes each meeting lasts one hour. Additional meeting time is £70 per hour and will be agreed in advance. The end-of-block report is a fixed £130 fee; any other report will be discussed and costed before work begins.

Funded and commissioned work

For work funded through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund or another commissioning route, please contact me for a quote. Fees are based on the complexity of the work, the level of involvement required and the funder’s requirements, and are agreed before work begins.

I understand that cost matters when choosing support. I’ll explain and agree all fees with you before we begin, so you know what to expect. My private session fee is £70. If this feels out of reach for your family, please get in touch to discuss whether a reduced-fee place may be available, or whether funded or commissioned support could be suitable. Reduced fees and funding cannot be guaranteed; availability and eligibility depend on the circumstances and, where relevant, the funder’s criteria.