Caring adults often worry that a therapeutic process will be painful for a child.  This is based on a misconception that therapy for young children is about their developing insight.  Young children are not able to describe complex thoughts and this is why play therapy is useful.  The toys and materials used by children are seen as their words and their use of these toys and materials, as the language or feelings they need to express.  The process involves the therapist building a trusting relationship with the child and providing guidance to help the child to find creative ways to resolve difficulties and make sense of their world.


Parent/s or guardians first meet with the therapist without the young child present for an intake session.  The session takes up to an hour and a half and the fee is 90 euro.  A consent form is usually signed by both parents at this meeting (depending on custody status).


Play therapy sessions are on a one-to-one basis, once a week, lasting 50 minutes per session. After the sixth session there is a review with parents and feedback is given and the recurring themes are explored.  Typically younger children will attend for 10 to 12 sessions.  The fee for each child session and ongoing review sessions with parents is 70 euros.


The play therapy sessions with children include sensory work, movement, art, music, drama and role-play, puppetry, creative visualisation, storytelling, play with miniatures and sand tray worlds.  The process moves between child lead play (non-directed) and therapist lead interventions (directed play and activities) where appropriate.



This approach is non-judgemental.  Children are neither praised nor blamed in the process. 


The therapeutic relationship gives them the experience of  feeling understood, accepted, competent and valued.