Young children rarely explain their worries in words. They show them through play, drawing, and building, which is also where they can practice new ways of coping. Art and play therapy gives children a way to express big feelings, work through worries, and build skills in a setting that matches how they communicate. Parents are part of the process. Sessions are available in person.
Concerns We Help With
Big Emotions and Outbursts
Frustration, meltdowns, and reactions that are hard for a child to manage in the moment.
Anxiety and Worry
Fears, separation worries, and anxious feelings that show up as stomachaches, clinging, or avoidance.
School Stress
Worry about school, reluctance to go, or difficulty coping with the demands of the day.
Life Changes and Loss
Divorce, a move, a new sibling, illness, or the death of someone close.
Friendships and Social Skills
Difficulty with turn-taking, conflict, or feeling left out.
Trouble Putting Feelings Into Words
Children who struggle to say what is wrong, or who say “I don’t know” when asked.
How Our Approach Works
Meeting Children Where They Are
We start with how your child naturally plays and expresses themselves. Over time, this helps us understand what feels hard for them and gives parents a clearer picture of what may be behind the behavior.
Practicing Skills Through Play
Play is where children practice real life. We use directed play and art-making to build skills such as handling losing a game, asking for help, and calming the body when worry rises.
Therapeutic Methods
Child-Centered Play Therapy
An evidence-based approach in which the child leads the play in a safe, accepting room. It builds self-esteem and a sense of control.
Art Therapy
Drawing, painting, and sculpting help children put difficult feelings outside themselves, where they can be understood and managed.
Sand Tray Therapy
Children build scenes with figures and objects in a tray of sand. The feel of the sand is calming and grounding, which helps many children settle and engage. Building a scene also gives them a creative way to work through feelings and experiences.
Therapeutic Games
Games chosen to build frustration tolerance, turn-taking, and impulse control while the child is engaged and having fun.
Working With Parents
The work in the playroom is one part of treatment. Your child’s therapist meets with you regularly to share what they are seeing, in ways that respect your child’s privacy, and to suggest how to respond at home. The goal is for the skills and insights from sessions to carry into daily life, and for you to feel connected to your child’s progress between sessions.
What to Expect
You don’t need to have it all figured out before you reach out.
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1
A Free Consultation
We talk briefly about what your child is experiencing and match your family with a clinician whose training fits your needs.
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2
Getting to Know Your Child
Your clinician meets with you to learn about your child’s strengths and challenges, then begins sessions with your child at a pace that feels comfortable.
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3
Ongoing Sessions
Sessions combine play or art with skill-building, and your clinician checks in with you regularly. Goals are reviewed together.
Care That Connects Across Specialties
Children’s emotional needs often overlap with anxiety, attention, or family stress. Our clinicians work across specialties, and with your consent your child’s therapist can coordinate with colleagues across the practice.
- When worry or rituals are a major part of the picture, see anxiety and OCD therapy for children and teens.
- When attention and executive function are part of the struggle, see neuro-affirming ADHD therapy for children and teens.
- As children grow, child and adolescent therapy can add more talk-based work.
- Parents can find additional guidance through parent-focused therapy.
- When the strain affects the whole household, family therapy can help everyone work together.
- When a child’s difficulties are putting strain on the parents’ relationship, couples therapy can help improve communication.
