Children and Young People

Using creativity to express feelings and awaken personal growth

Play & Creative Arts Therapies

Supporting and empowering children and young people to resolve their muddles and confusion through therapeutic play and creativity

As children and young people grow up sometimes they have to face problems and difficulties. When going through hard times it is common for them to feel angry, scared, confused and upset.

Children and young people come to therapy for lots of reasons. They may have gone through difficult times with friendships, family or dealing with grief and loss. Maybe they have got into trouble and need to talk through their issues and express their feelings. Rather than having to explain what is troubling them, play and creative expression help to communicate at their own level and at their own pace, without feeling interrogated or threatened. This approach works really well with children and young people of all ages and helps them to makes sense of their lives and reach their own conclusions and find the best way forward.

Art materials, sand trays and other elements of play therapy can be blended with more traditional talking therapy to good effect with young people and adults. This approach is particularly helpful when simply talking about anxieties and traumatic events feels too difficult.

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing".

George Bernard Shaw

Play/Creative Therapy is suitable for everyone from age 4 – 100!

Play and creativity is incredibly important for a child's development; helping to shape key social, creative, language, emotional, cognitive and physical processes. As a result, play and creative arts therapy can help in a variety of ways, although exactly how will depend greatly on the individual needs. The approach is considered particularly important for those who may struggle to express themselves verbally, although generally it can help children and young people of all abilities, cultures and genders.

Some of the common types of problems play therapists deal with include children or young people:-

who find it difficult to concentrate or learn
who have been bullied or use bullying behaviours
with social or behavioural difficulties
who argue frequently with peers or siblings
suffering with anxiety, stress or phobia
with low self-esteem
who suffer with nightmares or disturbed sleep- who are withdrawn or continually unhappy- who display inappropriate behaviour
who have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD)
who are dealing with parental separation, divorce or conflict
who have witnessed domestic violence
who are in hospital
who have experienced sexual, emotional or physical abuse
in care
adoption and fostering (check with adoption services if in process of adoption)
dealing with stressful life experiences such as loss, illness or death of a loved one
who are on the autism spectrum - I use a combination of behavioural and developmental methodology that is both therapist-led and parent-led.

FAQs about Play and Creative Arts Therapy