Play therapy session
Something is up with your child and you can't reach it. School has used careful words in a corridor conversation. Bedtime has become a battleground, or they've gone quiet in a way that isn't like them. You've tried talking, and talking isn't working, because they don't have the words yet. That's not a failure, theirs or yours. It's just not their language.
£55 ·50 minutes · In person
- PTUK Registered
- Enhanced DBS
Where this work takes you
A weekly hour where your child can work through what's troubling them in the language they're fluent in: play. Parents usually notice the change at home first: softer bedtimes, fewer explosions, a child who starts telling you things again. And you're never left guessing, because we review the themes together as we go.
This is a good fit if
- Your child is 4 to 11 and something has shifted: after a separation, a bereavement, a move, a new sibling, or for no reason anyone can name
- School has raised a flag: struggling to settle, big reactions, going quiet, friendship troubles
- Your child clams up when asked what's wrong, and you'd like them to have a safe way to say it that doesn't need words
It's not the right fit if
- If you're worried about your child's immediate safety, please use the urgent contacts on this site rather than waiting for a reply
- If your child is under 4 or over 11, get in touch anyway and I'll point you towards the right kind of support
- Play therapy works alongside your GP, school and CAMHS, never instead of any medical or psychiatric care your child needs
How it unfolds
-
Before your child arrives
A free phone chat, then a parent consultation. We take a full history and agree what we're hoping to see change, so the playroom work starts on solid ground.
-
The first sessions
Your child explores the room and works out that this space is theirs, that nothing is demanded, and that I'm safe. Trust comes first. Nothing useful happens without it, so we never rush it.
-
The middle
Weekly sessions where the real work happens, through sand tray, story, puppets and paint. Themes emerge, repeat and slowly resolve. We review together every six weeks or so, and you'll always know how it's going.
-
The ending
Endings are planned, never abrupt, because a good ending is part of what your child takes away. We agree it together, prepare your child for it properly, and finish well.
Every session includes
- A free 15-minute parent phone chat before anything is booked
- A weekly 50-minute session, same day and time each week
- Parent reviews every six weeks or so: themes, progress, and what helps at home
- Liaison with school, with your written consent, where it would help
Price
£55
Duration
50 minutes
Format
In person
Location
Cardiff
He asked every week if it was a playroom day. I don't know exactly what happened in that sand tray, and Seren was honest about why I didn't need to. What I know is that my boy came back to us.
Start with a message
Tell me a little about your child and what's been happening. A few honest lines are plenty, and there is no obligation in asking. If it feels right, we'll book a free 15-minute phone chat so you can hear how I work, ask anything at all, and decide in your own time. Your child only ever meets me once you're confident it's right.
Get in touchFree 15-minute parent phone chat · after-school appointments in term time
Asked before booking
Do you work with my child's school?
Often, and only ever with your written consent. A short conversation with a teacher can help the work enormously, and schools are usually glad of it. You decide what is shared, and nothing goes to school without you knowing.
What should I tell my child before the first session?
Keep it simple and honest. Something like: there's a playroom, and a kind grown-up called Seren whose job is playing and listening, and it's a place for when feelings get big. No child needs to be told they're going because something is wrong with them, because nothing is.
Start with a message
Tell me a little about your child and what's been happening. A few honest lines are plenty, and there is no obligation in asking. If it feels right, we'll book a free 15-minute phone chat so you can hear how I work, ask anything at all, and decide in your own time. Your child only ever meets me once you're confident it's right.
Get in touchFree 15-minute parent phone chat · after-school appointments in term time