FAQs

Still have questions?

Are you on a search for a child therapist and wondering if play therapy for children is the right move? Still weighing up whether we can help you and your family?

Want to ask us anything at all?

And if your questions still haven’t been answered, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Chances are we’ve been asked before, so here are some frequently asked questions and their answers to get the ball rolling.

Frequently Asked Questions

I want to see a therapist for my child. What do we do first?

Before therapy commences,  we will meet for initial parent consultation at our children’s therapy centre that runs between 60-90 mins. During the session, which will ideally be without the child, we will cover:

  • Your concerns/worries about your child’s behaviour and family
  • A full developmental history of your child and family history
  • In some cases, we will conduct a separate 30min family play observation session to further determine treatment approach and needs
  • Discussion of the play therapy process, fees, confidentiality and other practical considerations

The therapist will pay close attention and reflect how the child is engaging with the toys and the underlying emotions that accompany their actions. These play therapy sessions work on developing the child’s awareness and understanding around their own personal experiences, thoughts and feelings. Sometimes limits are set when needed. This is done in a respectful and therapeutic manner that helps the child to learn to make responsible choices and develop self control.

There’s no definitive answer here. All children are different. The length of the play therapy process varies in every case. Some children may improve much faster and take and average 15-20 sessions while more serious or ongoing problems may take longer time to resolve such as 30-50.  We aim for children to gain optimal health and growth that is appropriate to their age and stage of development. That means,  we need to allow the time for them to be supported to re-experience, make sense of and re-integrate their difficult experiences. This then allows them to move successfully through their challenges, change neural pathways and their relationship blueprint (relationships patterns).

Our fees vary. Please contact us directly to discuss our schedule of fees. Possible funding options can be discussed at the initial parent consultation. At this stage, private health rebates are not offered. Medicare rebates are available with certain therapists that are registered medicare providers. We accepted self and plan managed NDIS funded referrals.

The playroom is a child friendly environment equipped with a range of carefully selected toys and art materials. These toys are chosen to allow a child to explore a range of emotions and use their natural tendency. These tools help them “play out” their reactions to life situations, in the presence of a trained play therapist.

Yes, We do. We work with children from ages two through to twelve. The play therapy differs slightly with older children by increasing more arts and crafts materials whilst still using a person-centered approach, but the concept and play therapy principles are the same and as effective.

All our child therapists have undergone extensive training in child mental health with a specialised trauma and attachment focus. Attachment issues are one of the most common traumas we work with. Attachment is addressed with great care throughout the therapy process. The therapeutic bond between child and therapist is the MOST essential part of therapy as it allows the child to feel safe and to be open enough to respond to therapeutic interventions. Without this bond, almost any therapeutic technique will be ineffective.

Many parents believe their children don’t “play” anymore. However, some of the research-proven benefits from play therapy is the unstructured opportunity for a child of any age to create and express their inner thoughts and feelings with the mediums offered in play therapy. For clients aged 10 and up we utilise a bigger room deemed the “activity room” and offer other therapeutic options as well.

Yes! We can offer a range of services to professionals, organisations and schools both face-to-face or online.  If you would like us to deliver a presentation or professional development for a group or an event, please get in touch to discuss your needs.

What can I expect from a play therapy session?

Child-centred play therapy is a non-direct form of child counselling. As therapists, we don’t interfere, rather follow the child’s lead. We’re here to facilitate and support expression and make children aware of their own experiences through acceptance and empathy. 

Once a safe place and trust are developed, the child begins to work through complex inner experiences using the natural language of play and the careful facilitation of a skilled play therapist. The child learns and develops the capacity to better communicate, work through and overcome their troubled feelings and behaviours. Our dedicated work also extends to parents and caregivers through parent counselling, filial therapy, special playtime support, positive parenting education and emotional support.

Generally, the individual play therapy sessions are between the child behavioural therapist and child, unless recommended otherwise after the initial consultation. The therapy sessions tend to be 45-50 minutes. For younger children we may shorten it to 30mins depending on their needs. You will wait in the waiting room of our children’s therapy centre for your child during that time.

Throughout your child’s play therapy process we will have regular contact with parents/caregivers by phone, online or email, and in scheduled parent meetings, but the play therapy sessions themselves will usually be between the therapist and child only if indicated at the initial parent consultation.

Other types of play therapy we may offer to best support the child and family include:

 

Dyadic play therapy which involves the child, parent/carer and therapist. 

Sibling play therapy involves the child, siblings and therapist

Filial play therapy involves the parent/carer being guided by the therapist to facilitate 30 minute play therapy sessions at home with their child. This is just one of the many ways we can support families, and can offer positive parenting courses to strengthen your family.

You sure can. And we encourage this! However, the benefits of play therapy with a trained child therapist is in our education and experience in deciphering and responding to the child’s unique communication. The evidence-based practice of play therapy for children is necessary for healing and development and to obtain mastery.

No, not directly after the session. This time is for your child. But we are more than happy to give you feedback and will schedule an update every 4-5 sessions to discuss your child’s progress and any queries you may have. We book this time in as a separate appointment.

We offer many services within the practice of play therapy. Art therapy, Animal Assisted therapy, Theraplay, Filial therapy are all services offered by our specialist child therapists.

Many therapists may call themselves ‘Play Therapists’ with little formal training. To be a qualified Play Therapist, it takes years of specialised clinical experience and supervision. The child therapists at Play Therapy Hub all hold mental health qualifications at a masters or degree level in addition to their specialised clinical training in play therapy.

Unless there has been a major issue, no. Just like any therapy, the sessions are kept between the patient and child therapist. Of course, if something we regard as important or serious has happened in a session, we will organise an appointment with the parent/guardian to discuss.

Yes. Parenting appointments can be conducted face to face or via tele-link (video) and during after hours if required.  

Our Play Therapy sessions are ideally in-person however this can take place via tele-link if deemed appropriate by the therapist during the initial parent consultation. Any of our parenting support sessions can also be over tele-link.

Our primary play therapy clinic is located in Thornbury, Melbourne. We do offer outreach to schools if they have multiple children in need of play therapy services.

Do you want to know a bit more?

Get in touch with us to book an initial consultation or request more information.

Therapy that includes play can calm the storm in your child’s inner world and bring some well-deserved harmony to your home.

Get In Touch

Testimonials

Here’s what our clients had to say about their children and our Play Therapy Hub Melbourne:

Children’s therapy centre

We began play therapy hoping that it would be an effective way of breaking the difficult cycle that I was in with my son. Our play therapist, Mardi, has a beautiful manner with our son and we have valued her insightful observations about what may be underlying his behaviours.

Danielle (Mother)
Filial Therapy Melbourne Testimonial

The combination of the play therapy and implementing her simple strategies has been very effective in changing things at home. We have found play therapy to be very beneficial for our family and are now undertaking filial therapy to continue to reap the rewards of the play therapy approach.

Karen & Rob (Parents)
Play Therapy Melbourne Testimonial

Natalie is fun, bright and bubbly. Through Play Therapy, she was easily able to connect with my child and we cannot believe how much he has transformed from being an anxious and unsure little boy, into the settled, confident and social child he is now.

Emma (Parent)
Theraplay

My child has a trauma background. He’s getting the Play therapy for about 9 months now. I can’t not thank Helen enough for her help and support . It’s been a very hard journey but the result is amazing. He has got great control on his emotions. He is a happy boy now 🙂

Mark & Linda (Parents)
Child Therapy Melbourne Testimonial

Donna’s play therapy & animal assisted therapy work has been instrumental in supporting & developing an understanding of the underlying issues of our disengaged refugee students. Her expertise has also been welcomed by staff who needed insight in engaging & developing strategies to meet the needs of our highly challenging students.

Ivan Araujo (Dandenong West Primary Youth Worker)

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