Our Therapeutic Approaches

At Play2Flourish, we understand that every child and young person is unique. Children communicate, experience emotions and make sense of the world in different ways. For some, play and creativity provide the most natural way to express themselves. Others may benefit from a more structured, practical and skills based approach.

Play Therapy

Play Therapy provides a safe, supportive space where children/young people can use play, art, creativity, music, storytelling, role play and imagination to explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Children and young people do not always have the words to explain what is worrying them or how they feel. Through play and creative expression, they can communicate in ways that feel natural and comfortable to them.

Play Therapy can be particularly helpful for children who communicate more comfortably through play, creativity and non-verbal expression.

Play Therapy can support children experiencing:

Anxiety and worries
Difficult or overwhelming emotions
Low confidence or self-esteem
Friendship and relationship difficulties
Family changes or separation
Bereavement and loss
Emotional or behavioural difficulties
Difficult life experiences
Difficulties expressing feelings verbally
Neurodivergence

“Enter into children’s play and you will find the place where their minds, hearts and souls meet.”

— Virginia Axline

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Understanding thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, is an evidence-based psychological therapy that helps children and young people understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings and physical sensations and behaviours. Sometimes the way we think or respond to difficult situations can unintentionally keep problems going. CBT helps young people understand these patterns and develop practical strategies to make positive changes.

CBT is collaborative and goal-focussed, helping young people develop greater understanding of themselves and build practical skills they can use in everyday life now and in the future.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can support children experiencing:

Anxiety and excessive worry
Negative thinking patterns
Avoidance and difficulties facing fears
Perfectionism

Generalised Anxiety
Social Anxiety
Specific fears and phobias
Panic
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Health Anxiety
Single Event trauma

Can be delivered as Parent-Led CBT

In addition; Dialectical Behavioural Skills can help to reduce intensity and frequency of incidents of Self-harm & Suicidal Ideation

Which Approach is Right for My Child or Young Person?

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to therapy.

Choosing the most appropriate support involves getting to know the individual child or young person and understanding their unique needs. We consider:

Their age, developmental stage and needs.
Their preferred way of communicating
Their ability to understand and reflect on thoughts and emotions
Their individual strengths and interests
The difficulties they are experiencing
Their family, relationships and wider circumstances
Their goals for therapy

Therapy tailored to the individual

Sometimes a child may benefit primarily from Play Therapy, while another young person may benefit from CBT.

For some children and young people, a flexible approach may be most helpful.

Creative activities and visual methods can often be incorporated into therapy to make it more engaging and accessible.

Our aim is always to find an approach that helps the child or young person feel, safe, understood, comfortable, able to engage, supported to make meaningful changes.

We believe therapy should be adapted to the child or young person - not the other way around.