CHILD COUNSELLING SERVICES

Specialized Play Therapy for Kids in St. Thomas, Ontario

More than “just play.” This is child therapy that helps children feel understood, supported, and ready to thrive.

Specialized play therapy for ages 3–12.

Play isn’t a distraction from therapy. It is the therapy.

Children don’t always have the words to explain what they’re feeling, but they do have play. In play therapy, toys, stories, and creativity become their language. In the safety of play, children can explore emotions, practice new ways of coping, and process experiences that may feel too big to put into words. The therapeutic relationship, the play itself, and the environment all work together to support your child.

Through this process, children begin to:

  • Safely express big emotions

  • Build coping skills for daily life

  • Grow confidence in relationships

  • Strengthen resilience and emotional regulation

  • Make sense of their experiences and the world around them

When play therapy can help

Play therapy can be especially helpful for children who are:

    • Anxiety and worry

    • Anger and aggression

    • Emotional regulation difficulties

    • Impulse control and attention challenges

    • Behavioural challenges that don’t respond to typical strategies

    • Bullying

    • Grief and loss

    • Separation and divorce

    • Difficulty with transitions

    • Adjustment to major life changes

    • Trauma (physical, sexual, and emotional abuse)

    • Low self-esteem

    • Attachment challenges

    • Parent–child relationship issues

    • Peer conflict and social skills difficulties

    • Limited verbal expression

    • Selective mutism

    • Difficulty expressing thoughts and feelings

Individual Play Therapy Sessions

Regular child counselling sessions provide your child with a consistent, supportive space to process hard things and grow at their own pace. As a Certified Play Therapist, I don’t just watch your child play. I pay close attention to the themes, patterns, and emotions that emerge — and how your child regulates (or struggles to regulate) in the moment. By noticing these patterns, we can better understand your child’s inner world and guide growth that’s natural and sustainable.

Play therapy honours who your child is right now, while creating space for healing and new ways of coping.

  • Step 1: Parent Intake & Background Session
    A parent-only meeting to talk through your child’s history, concerns, and needs.

    Step 2: Child Sessions Begin
    Weekly play therapy sessions led by your child’s developmental stage and unique personality.

    Step 3: Ongoing Assessment
    I continually observe and adapt sessions to your child’s progress.

    Step 4: Parent Collaboration
    Regular check-ins so you feel supported, informed, and confident at home.

  • $195 per 50-minute session

Play Immersion Therapy

While many families attend weekly sessions, sometimes life calls for a different pace — like if you’re moving soon, going through a big transition, or simply don’t want to wait months for change.

Play Immersion Therapy offers an accelerated format with multiple child therapy sessions and consistent parent support packed into a short timeframe. This creates momentum, helps your child feel safe and connected quickly, and gives you tools you can carry forward long after the immersion ends.

    • One-hour parent intake and parent support session

    • Eight individual play therapy sessions over two weeks

    • Two 30-minute parent check-in calls

    • One-hour parent wrap-up session with tools and next steps

    • Email support throughout the process

  • $2145 CAD

    A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to secure your child’s full two-week therapy block. The remaining balance can be paid in installments.

PARENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Parents are always part of the process

Part of my role is making sure parents feel supported, too. We’ll check in regularly, share insights, and build strategies you can use at home.

And if you’d like more focused guidance, you can explore dedicated Parent Support Services for personalized tools and intensives designed just for you.

Learn more

The difference play therapy makes in your child’s counselling journey

Parents often tell me they notice the difference first at home: fewer meltdowns, calmer evenings, and a stronger sense of connection with their child. Over time, play therapy helps children feel more comfortable in their own skin, more courageous with peers, and better equipped to handle life’s challenges.

As the only Certified Play Therapist in the St. Thomas area, I work to understand what’s beneath your child’s behaviour. When a child feels truly seen and understood, they can relax, express themselves more openly, and feel less overwhelmed — and you can start to feel more confident in your parenting, more connected as a family, and more like a team again.

Change doesn’t happen all at once, but the process builds steady, meaningful growth.

You don’t have to face these challenges alone

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