“Enter into children’s play and you will find the place where their minds, hearts and souls meet”
What is Play and Creative Art Therapy?
‘Play therapy is based upon the fact that play is the child’s natural medium of self-expression. It is an opportunity which is given to the child to ‘play out’ their feelings and problems just as, in certain types of adult’s therapy, an individual ‘talks-out’ their difficulties’
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Virginia Axline
Meet Kellyann
Accredited Play and Creative Arts Therapist
(Post Graduate Diploma in Play Therapy)
Introducing you to CJ Play Therapy, a therapeutic
service available to support children and young people.
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Led by therapist Kellyann Fletcher, I offer 1-1 and group sessions to support emotional wellbeing, and mental health through play and creative arts.
Play therapy is a form of therapy specifically for children and adolescents. It is an established method of helping children with behaviour and emotional problems to help themselves. Providing them with the time to process unresolved emotional challenges and guide them through their own healing.
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Unlike counselling, which is predominantly a talking therapy. Children and young people can often find it difficult to express how they are feeling through words alone. Play and Creative Arts therapy is an integrative and holistic approach; enabling children to process their thoughts and feelings using a range of play-based and creative art mediums known as the toolkit.
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The Play therapist facilitates a safe and confidential space, establishing a therapeutic relationship on trust and connection, whilst working at a pace that is suitable and comfortable for the child.
The Play therapist will work with the child, reflecting on their play or artwork to develop an understanding of what is happening for them. The play items provided are purposely chosen to allow the child to express themselves through symbol and metaphor.
Children and adolescents can’t always make sense of some of those ‘big feelings or challenging life experiences and it can be hard for them to put thoughts and feelings into words. The child leads and the therapist follows- the child or young person has the autonomy to choose.
The sessions offer an approach of both non-directive and directive mediums, whilst facilitating the child’s conscious or unconscious process. This decision-making process is called the Play Therapy dimensions model and is identified by a skilled and qualified play therapist.
The Play Therapy Toolkit
Children and young people can often find it difficult to talk about issues that may be having a negative impact on them. Play and creative arts allow children to work through these issues using an ‘Integrative holistic toolkit’.
Creative visualisation
Therapeutic Storytelling
Drama &
Role Play
Puppets and
Masks
Art
Materials
Music
Dance &
Movement
Sandplay /
Sandworlds
Games
Talking
A Play therapist helps children to make sense of difficult life experiences, or complex psychological issues through play. Play is a natural way of communicating and essential for children to develop physically, emotionally, and socially.
Play therapy is intended for any child or young person who is dealing with…
• Anger/Emotional regulation
• Self-esteem
• Anxiety
• ADHD
• Attachment issues
• Autistic spectrum
• Behaviour issues
• Bereavement/loss
• Bullied/bullies
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Communication issues
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Delayed development
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Family relationship issues
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Lack of confidence
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Nightmares
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Physical disabilities
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Poor school attendance
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Separated/divorced parents
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Parent/carer incarceration
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medical diagnosis/ Hospitalisation
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Child looked after (in care)
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Social exclusion
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Unauthorised absences
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Under-performing (academically, socially, culturally)
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Withdrawn personality
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Trauma
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low mood & depression
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Self-harm
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Experienced Abuse
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Experienced Domestic violence
