Play therapy is a therapeutic practice that uses play to help people, generally children, to communicate and express themselves. Typically used on children ages 3 through 11, play therapy can help to resolve social problems and aid in growth and development. Play therapy provides a safe space for children to act out their fantasies and express their feelings and thoughts. Because a child’s emotions are often communicated through play, it is often easier for a child to express their feelings through toys, instead of words.
Qualified Mental Health Professional
MSW
I specialize almost exclusively in child-centered play therapy when working with young children in individual settings. I believe that a child's natural language is play, and there is no better way to explore their inner mind than to allow them to tell you in the ways they know how! Through play, I also have the ability demonstrate appropriate pro-social interactions and encourage creative thinking and problem solving.
View ProfileMarriage and Family Therapist Associate
MA in Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling
View ProfileLicensed Clinical Social Worker
Play is the medium for children to express themselves and to gain mastery over challenges in their environment. It is their 'language' and their course of meaningful action. I have trained and practiced in support of children gaining full expression of themselves. It is also a way for me to learn about a child so that I can assist the parent(s) to find harmony with their child.
View ProfileLicensed Clinical Social Worker
DSW LCSW RPT-S
Play therapy involves using toys, sand, art, games, and other materials to help children express themselves. Play offers the child an environment of safety. If children are able to say what they think or how they feel through toys and art with someone who can translate their behavior and facilitate the process, they will respond positively and are able to successfully work through their problems.
View ProfileLicensed Marriage Family Therapist
Play therapy is a way of being with the child that honors their unique developmental level and looks for ways of helping in the “language” of the child – play.
View ProfileLicensed Professional Counselor
I get it! I get what it’s like to parent a child who suffers with frustration, is having big meltdowns and experiencing difficulty at home or school. Learn to transform difficulty into cooperation. And, help soothe meltdowns into connection, and pivot from frustration to learning!
View ProfileLicensed Clinical Social Worker
Lcsw, bcd
I began learning play therapy 1978 in graduate school with analytic supervision using play technique to understand child's emotional and behavioral issues. Studied with the Child Therapy Study Group for over 10 years meeting as a group and weekly individual supervision. Also did 1 year child analytic training, Seattle, worked 8 years Child Psychiatry OHSU, 3 years residential treatment children.
View ProfileLicensed Professional Counselor
Play therapy involves using toys, sand, art, games, and other materials to help children express themselves. Play offers the child an environment of safety. If children are able to say what they think or how they feel through toys and art with someone who can translate their behavior and facilitate the process, they will respond positively and are able to successfully work through their problems.
View ProfileMarriage and Family Therapist Associate
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate
I specialize in play therapy to help treat trauma and behavioral issues in children. While you and I use our words and perhaps art mediums to express ourselves, our children use play. I have training in child-centered play therapy from Dr. Gary Landreth and Dr. Daniel Sweeney, The Neurobiology of Play Therapy from Dr. Rebeca Chow, Attachment Aware Expressive Play Therapy from Marshall Lyles, Cultural Awareness, Humility, and Competence in Play Therapy from Dr. LaKaavia Taylor, and more.
View ProfileLicensed Clinical Social Worker
LCSW
Play therapy is a helpful therapeutic method that allows children to express a range of emotions and thoughts and learn how to cope with stress and trauma. Children's natural mode of expression is through play and this modality fits into their schema about self and the world around them. Play therapy can be directive or non-directive depending on the needs of the child.
View ProfileLicensed Professional Counselor
LPC, PCIT and PCIT-T certified
I am certified in Parent Child Interaction Therapy and Parent Child Interaction Therapy for Toddlers. This is a version of therapy that incorporates the guardian in developing skills of a play therapist and other parenting skills to help support their child through trauma, anxiety, depression, adjustments, and other mental health concerns.
View ProfileProfessional Counselor Associate
MA, BA, #R7573
I use child-centered play therapy integrated with expressive art therapy because I believe that to help children requires using their own language and taking care to communicate within individual developmental parameters. I’ve had training for children and parents including gender-affirming play therapy, parenting amidst the pandemic, trust based relational intervention, child-parent relationship therapy, trauma-focused CBT and am working towards certification as a Registered Play Therapist.
View ProfileProfessional Counselor Associate
I am a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist and I have taken a diverse array of play therapy courses over the years. I also received supervision from a Registered Play Therapy Supervisor. Lastly, I have years of experience working with youth of all ages.
View ProfileLicensed Marriage Family Therapist
LPC, LMFT, NCC, IMH-E®
When children have problems, sometimes they don’t have the words to talk about them. Play gives children a way to communicate feelings they don’t understand or can’t express any other way. Play therapy has been shown to be an effective intervention with children for a variety of behavioral and emotional difficulties. I'm currently offering virtual parenting training sessions only. Research has shown that motivated parents can be trained to be as effective as play therapists. See family therapy.
View ProfileLicensed Professional Counselor
Registered Play Therapist, Certified Adoption Therapist
We learn the language of play before we learn to talk. It's how we explore, see patterns, make connections, and test limits safely. Creating a space that's welcoming to kids and families includes a well-stocked playroom with art materials, puppets, sensory tools, musical instruments, and more. We'll use these to follow your child's lead, experimenting with new strategies for regulation, communication, problem-solving, and self-expression. I'll show you how play can bring these out.
View ProfileProfessional Counselor Associate
MS, NCC
Play is kids’ most natural form of communication. Toys are to kids what words are to adults. Play Therapy, like counseling for adults, lets kids express their feelings and process their experiences in order to develop more effective strategies for managing their worlds.
View ProfileLicensed Professional Counselor
Our child therapists have extensive experience in play therapy, including a specialized form of play-based therapy called Child-Parent Psychotherapy, which focuses on the parent-child relationship and increasing connection and attachment in young children. We are unique in having experience and training in working with children under 6 years old, which is a highly specialized area in counseling.
View ProfileProfessional Counselor Associate
PSYD, LPC, LCSW, Professional Counselor Associate
View ProfileMarriage and Family Therapist
MA
Play therapy allows children and pre-teens to communicate and process their feelings symbolically through play.
View ProfileLicensed Professional Counselor
LPC, CADC III
I enjoy doing play therapy with clients whether that is using sand tray, playing music, or doing art therapy. I try to incorporate whatever interests or talents my clients has into the counseling session. I have also had clients bring in their animals from home to play with while we have sessions.
View ProfileLicensed Professional Counselor
LPC, NCC
Play is the language of childhood. Young children respond to stress and change differently than adults do, and they communicate differently, too. As a play therapist, I provide a safe environment where children can express their emotions, learn coping skills, develop self-control, and build self-esteem in a way that comes naturally to them. I love working with children, and would be honored to help support your family!
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