Play Therapy after a Diagnosis

We offer therapeutic play for children after a diagnosis. Therapeutic play offers a child a safe space to explore their diagnosis and work through how it impacts their sense of self.

What is play therapy?

Play is the natural expression of a child – their instinctive way of expressing themselves. Children understand and make sense of the world predominantly through play. Play therefore makes scary things safe, so that a child can explore things that feel frightening safely.

Play therapy (or therapeutic play) is a type of creative counselling aimed at 4 to 13-year-old children. In the play therapy room, we create a space for their instinctive way of expressing themselves – play – so that they can explore their thoughts and feelings in creative ways, without needing to use words to communicate. The therapist joins their play and reflects on the play a child is engaging in, as a way of revealing to the child what they are expressing.

A silhouette of a young child sitting on a swing. She's smiling. Next to it is a quote from Virginia Axline, a pioneer of play therapy: "Play is a child's natural medium for self-expression."

How does therapeutic play help children after a diagnosis?

When a child is given a life-impacting diagnosis, this has a huge impact on their understanding of who they are.

A child diagnosed with a neuro-diverse condition such as autism or ADHD needs to work through a whole new way of thinking about themselves. A child diagnosed with a life-long medical condition such as diabetes needs to explore how this changes their life and identity.

Therapeutic play gives children the space they need to work through what a new diagnosis means for them.

Are you ready to book?

Yes please!

I have more questions

We use non-directive, child-centred therapeutic play in the therapy room. In other words, we create a safe space for the child and allow them to choose how to express themselves. The therapist joins in with the child’s play, following their lead.

All our therapeutic play follows eight principles from eminent play therapist Virginia Axline:

We develop a warm, friendly relationship with the child.
We unconditionally accept the child as they are.
We create a space where the child has permission to play as they wish and express themselves freely.
We recognise the feelings a child is expressing through play.
We respect a child’s ability to solve problems for themselves.
We don’t direct a child’s actions. This is a space where they are in control and free to make choices.
We don’t hurry therapy; we go at the child’s pace.
We establish only the necessary boundaries for keeping a child safe in the room. There are no other rules to limit play.

Following these principles, we're able to connect with and support your child as they process their world through play.

Our therapeutic play sessions are 45 minutes long.

The therapeutic play space is a confidential space. This means that we won’t share details about what a child has said or how they have played during their session (unless a safeguarding issue comes to light). However, we will happily talk to you about the themes being explored with your child through play.

We always explain to a child that the play space is confidential, but that they are free to share about what happens during their therapeutic play sessions if they want to. Your child therefore may choose to talk to you about what happened during therapy, but they also may not. It's important to let them make choices about what they communicate.

We will remain in regular touch with you about your child’s journey. At the initial assessment, we will discuss your goals for the therapy. We will also do a half-hour interim review with you. At the end of the child’s therapy, there’s a final call to discuss the progress made. You will also receive a report about your child’s journey.

In the therapy room, there is very little difference between play therapy and therapeutic play. It’s more about whether a therapist is qualified to meet the complexity of the child’s needs.

A play therapist has a post-graduate diploma in play therapy; a therapeutic play practitioner has a post-graduate certificate. The different qualification level means that therapeutic play practitioners are unable to see children who are experiencing complex life situations. This includes:

Children from families with a social worker
Fostered, adopted or looked-after children
Children who have experienced significant multiple traumas

Hannah, our therapeutic play practitioner, is currently studying for her post-graduate diploma in play therapy. She always assesses children before beginning therapeutic play, to ensure that she is an appropriate choice for your child’s needs.

If you’re unsure, please fill in our referral form. Hannah will arrange a free, 15-minute assessment to make sure therapeutic play is the right fit for your child.