Frequently Asked Questions

Therapy sessions range from 45-55 minutes depending on your or your child's needs. Your therapist will help you figure out the right timing for you. 

We will take time getting to know you, reviewing your intake paperwork, explaining the process of therapy and confidentiality, and answering any questions you have for us. 

During the play therapy intake, we prefer for you not to bring your child. We would rather spend time talking with parents/caregivers discussing history, the present concerns, treatment goals, and the overall process of therapy. This is best done if we can speak candidly without your child present. 

Let your child know that you are going to bring them to a play therapy office where they will meet with a counselor in a play room. They will get to chose which toys to play with or if they want to do art. Show them pictures of our offices and even a picture of the therapist they will be meeting with so they can have a picture in mind of what the first appointment will look like. 

Tell them that their counselor will play with them and help them learn about their thoughts and feelings.

Do not tell them they "HAVE" to talk to us about certain topics or subjects as this can put up defenses and make the process a little harder, especially if they are feeling a little hesitant. Trust us, we know how to use play to open up the tough stuff and get the conversations rolling. 

The less you say, the better. We will explain the whole process to them, even talk to them all about confidentiality in an age appropriate way!

Whatever they feel comfy and cozy in! We allow kiddos to take off their shoes. 

Sometimes kiddos love to play with sand or paint and there is a chance your child could get dirty. We try our best to clean up but we can't make any promises. 

While we do offer after school appointments, these spots are very limited and get filled quickly. 

If you are in need of therapy and cannot wait for an after school spot to open up, we can fit you in during the day time and provide a school note. 

With your written permission, we will even reach out to your child's teacher or school counselor to coordinate with them regarding your child's therapy needs. 

Yes. If you and your child's other parent are not married, we will need copies of any court ordered custody agreements (temporary or final). 

It is our office policy to coordinate treatment with both parents and obtain consent from both parents prior to commencing therapy.

Having consent from both parents will mean that the therapeutic alliance will be stronger and set your child's healing journey up for success. Your child will have a greater chance at having a successful outcome from therapy.  

We hate to even say this, but unfortunately, if one parent does not consent, we cannot provide therapy to your child. 

We will meet with you approximately every 4 to 6 sessions, depending on your needs, to give you updates on your child's progress, our observations, listen to your concerns, and share practical tips to support your parenting and relationship. 

Please send your therapist an email or text message requesting a brief phone call or a parent consultation session to express concerns. 

Please DO NOT talk to us about your child in front of your child when you bring them to session. This can increase defenses and dysregulation possibly impeding the therapeutic relationship and negatively impacting the session.

Phone calls are meant to be brief and will be free for up to 15 minutes. 

Parent consultations can be scheduled for a 30 min, 45 min, or 55 min session. These sessions will be billed like regular play therapy sessions. 

We do not prescribe medication.

We can provide you with referrals to a psychiatrist or other prescribing physician to help you meet this need.

We do not provide formal assessments in our offices. We will provide you with referrals to a psychologist for formalized testing.

We do diagnose mental health conditions based on history, observations, and symptoms. 

Play therapy has been tested and researched for over 30 years and has been shown to be effective for children up to 12 years of age. 

For kiddos 12 year and older, we do more traditional talk therapy and definitely include expressive arts, games, and activities to help ease the awkwardness of having to talk about uncomfortable topics. 

While those types are therapy are helpful for many people, research shows that play therapy is a developmentally appropriate and effective method of treatment that takes into account the growing brain. 

Play is safe, regulating, empowering, engaging, and even thought provoking. 

Play will help your child go deeper into their thoughts and feelings because it helps them to feel seen and heard. 

Play gives children a sense of control when often, they feel so out of control. 

We don't "just play."

While we play, we teach your child all about their feelings, help them gain insight towards their thoughts and behaviors, and help them brainstorm ways to cope and express.