FOR KIDS AGES 2-12
Play Therapy
Where Your Child’s Emotions Find a Voice
You've noticed the changes...
The meltdowns over small things. The worry that won't let go. The battles that used to be bedtime and are now everything.
You've read the parenting books, tried the sticker charts, asked your pediatrician, and you still have this quiet feeling that something needs a different kind of help.
Choosing therapy isn't about fixing what's "wrong" with your child. It's about giving them the space, understanding, and tools to grow in a healthy way, and giving you a partner who speaks their language. Because for kids, play is the language.
At Play and Wellness Center, your child's therapist won't just "watch them play." Our clinicians hold advanced training and credentials in play therapy (several are Registered Play Therapists or RPT-Supervisors), and your family is typically seen within two weeks, no waitlist, no limbo, just help when you need it.
WHY IT WORKS
Play Does the Talking
Children aren't small adults. They can't sit across from a therapist and narrate their feelings, and expecting them to sets them up to fail.
Play therapy flips the setup so your child can finally succeed.
A Voice Before Words
Kids work through big feelings in play the same way adults work through them in conversation. In the playroom, the volcano, the sandbox, and the baby doll say what your child can't yet. That's not avoidance, that's the work happening.
Safety that Changes the Brain
A therapeutic playroom where a child feels safe and accepted is where regulation develops. Therapist supported play helps children practice new skills, and build the emotional muscles they'll use for the rest of their lives.
Skills that Come Home with Them
Your child's playroom wins don't stay in the playroom. You'll hear from your therapist what's shifting and why, and you'll get practical ways to keep it going at home, so progress belongs to your whole family, not just the session.
SOUND FAMILIAR?
You've Been Trying to Figure It Out,
You Don't Have to Do It Alone
Maybe you've done rewards, the countdowns, the deep-breathing videos on YouTube at midnight. Maybe a teacher has mentioned behavior, or a relative keeps offering opinions. And maybe some days you wonder if you're making too much of it or not enough.
Here's the thing: the problem was never your effort. Parenting a child who is struggling is parenting with half the map. You've been doing the work; you've just been missing the piece that fits your child. Getting that piece isn't admitting defeat. It's the most loving next step there is.
A CLOSER LOOK
More Than Play. It's How Children Make Sense of Their World.
Play therapy uses a child's natural way of learning and expressing themselves: play, within a relationship with a trained therapist. Just as adults use talk therapy, children use play to process thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a way that matches their development. The Association for Play Therapy defines it as the intentional use of play by trained therapists to help children resolve emotional and behavioral difficulties and support healthy growth.
While play may look similar from the outside, play therapy is guided by a therapist who helps your child safely explore emotions, build insight, and develop new coping skills. The playroom provides structure, emotional safety, and intentional support that everyday play can't offer, and over time, the play itself changes in ways that tell the story of your child's healing.
And you're part of it. Caregivers are essential here. Your therapist will collaborate with you through regular check-ins, guidance, and support, so your child's progress extends into your home, and you gain tools and insight to better understand and connect with them.
IS THIS YOUR CHILD?
What Play Therapy Helps With
Play therapy supports children of all ages!
It's especially effective for ages 2-12 who are working through challenges including:
- Anxiety or depression
- ADHD and impulse control challenges
- Autism spectrum differences
- Big emotions: meltdowns, tantrums, emotional ups and downs
- Trouble with transitions — school mornings, drop-offs, new siblings
- Self-esteem and emotional regulation
- Social and academic difficulties
- Life stressors: divorce, grief, relocation, medical issues, trauma, or loss
You don't have to have all the answers before reaching out. Sometimes the first step is simply recognizing that your child could use a little extra support.
THE HEART OF IT
Why Families Choose Play and Wellness Center
Registered Play Therapists
Play therapy is our identity, not a side service. Several of our clinicians hold the Registered Play Therapist (RPT) or RPT-Supervisor credential through the Association for Play Therapy. All of us have advanced, specialized training in exactly this work.
No Waitlist and Convenient Hours
Families are typically seen within two weeks, and we do our best to offer convenient afterschool and evening appointments because big feelings don't only happen 9-to-5.
Parents Are Part of the Conversation
You know your child best. We keep you informed, involved, and equipped with ongoing communication and tools for home. Therapy becomes part of your family life, not a separate world.
Neurodivergent-Affirming Care
We honor your child's unique way of thinking, learning, and engaging with the world. Different isn't disordered and our playroom reflects that.
GETTING STARTED
Three Steps From Here to the Playroom
1.
Reach Out
Request an appointment online or call us. Tell us a little about your child and what's going on, a few sentences is plenty.
2.
Match and Meet
We'll match your child with the therapist who best fits their age, needs, and personality. You'll meet in person in Gainesville or virtually anywhere in Florida.
3.
Play, Grow, and See Change
Weekly sessions begin, with routine parent check-ins along the way so you never guess whether it's working.
FAQS
Questions Parents Ask About Play Therapy
Let's Help Your Child Thrive, Together
READY WHEN YOU ARE
You've been carrying this long enough. Whether you're ready to book or just want to ask a question, reaching out is the easy part and your child is worth the conversation.
Content adapted from the Association for Play Therapy (a4pt.org).
In Person Services in Gainesville, Alachua, High Springs, Newberry, and surrounding areas in Florida | Virtual Therapy Statewide In Florida