Play Therapy
Two Hearts Play Therapy offers age-appropriate counselling to children using the Child-Centered Play Therapy approach. This approach means that in the playroom the style of play and interactions are led by the client.
Play Therapy Explained
Play therapy is a theoretically based, age-appropriate approach to child counselling that builds on the child’s innate style of communication expressed through play. Specially trained therapist purposefully uses this type of child led therapy to help children express what is distressing or concerning them when they do not have the verbal language to express their thoughts & feelings. In the playroom the toys are like the child's words and play is the child's language. In the playroom a child can be heard even if they still have not found their voice.
Presenting issues Play Therapy can support
-ADHD & ADD
-Adoption or Mixed Families
-Anxiety
-Autism
-Anger Management
-Autism
-Behavioural Issues
-Bereavement
-Codependency
-Coping Skills
-Divorce
-Exposure to Domestic Abuse
-Exposure to Domestic Violence
-Exposure to Drug Abuse
-Exposure to Family Conflict
-Intellectual Disability
-Internet Addiction
-Difficulty engaging with others
-Communication and/or Social Difficulties
-Difficulty engaging in other therapies
-Low Self-Esteem
Confidentiality in the Playroom
Parents and therapist will have a parent consultation every six weeks to touch base with where their child is at in their therapy journey. The success of play therapy is built on a trusting relationship between the therapist and your child so that they feel safe to explore, process and work through what is affecting them. This means that the therapist will not disclose exactly what happens during the child’s sessions. Instead, the focus will be on what your child is working on in their therapy (for example grief and loss) and provide you with information which will be useful in your parenting journey based on their time interacting in the therapy room. This allows me to support both you and your child on the road to healing without breaching trust.
Our team is up for every job, managing projects with the skill and experience our clients have come to expect. Please get in touch to learn more about our team, our company or for details about the services we provide.
FAQ
How Do i book?
If you feel that Play Therapy would be a good fit for your child, please get in touch to arrange an initial consultation to discuss your concerns, what supports/goals you are looking for from therapy, and more detailed information about play therapy and how our therapist can help. We are also happy to answer any queries you may have prior to booking a consultation.
What do we do in an Initial consultation?
An initial consultation occurs first, before the play therapist meets your child. This is a time for the therapist and the primary carers to meet alone. This allows us space to share in more detail your concerns and determine how play therapy can assist your child to overcome their challenges. Once this consultation has taken place, goals have been set and the parent-therapist relationship has been established we will arrange ongoing sessions with your child. Play therapy sessions run for approximately 1 hour on a weekly basis, with regular parent consultations also conducted every six weeks. This consistent level of therapeutic support as well as continued parent- therapist communication is essential for success in the playroom for your child. A week is a long time in child’s world, a lot can happen and it is important to commit to the process.
Play Therapist vs Psychologist?
Play Therapists are specifically trained to help children work through a variety of social and emotional issues which may be similar to a presenting issue you would seek out a psychologist’s support. In regard to methods, in the play therapy room your child will chose how they work through their feelings through the play resources instead of being asked. The child choses when to share and how they feel comfortable to share.
My role during our play session is to provide specially selected resources and a space of unconditional acceptance to allow them to gain an understanding about what is happening for them. This allows them to process their past or present challenges and work through their emotions. Through this space of acceptance children learn to problem solve and create more adaptive behaviours to build essential life skills needed to tackle big feelings which often feel too big to contain.
What are the benefits?
Play therapy helps children:
Learn to be responsible for their behaviours
Learn how to think through and develop creative solutions to problems
Develop respect and acceptance of self and others
Discover how to experience and express emotions
Improve family interactions
Acquire age-appropriate social skills and learn relational skills
Develop empathy for self and others
How To Reach Us
120 Eprapah Rd, Mount Cotton QLD 4165, Australia
07 2113 4738