play therapy in Encinitas, Ca & Telehealth across california
Help for your little one who’s struggling and can’t put it into words yet.
Support for WHAT your child CAN’T YET PUT INTO WORDS
When your child is hurting, and nothing you try seems to reach them, it wears on you.
You watch them struggle, you replay every choice you've made, and you carry it all day and half the night. You just want to see them happy again, playing, laughing, sleeping through the night, walking into school without their stomach in knots.
I would be honored to help you get them there.
Play Therapy for Kids Encinitas, Ca & Telehealth across california
You've watched your kid melt down over something small with no idea what set it off.
You've asked what's wrong and gotten a shrug, or tears, or nothing at all. It's not that they won't tell you. They can't, not the way we do as grown-ups. So it comes out sideways instead, in the meltdowns, the clinginess, the big feelings that seem to come from nowhere. Play is how kids tell the truth.
So much of what overwhelms them lives in the parts of the brain that don't have words yet, and play reaches those parts in a way talking can't.
Sometimes I follow your child's lead and let them show me what they need to. Other times I gently guide the play to work on a specific challenge, and to them, it still just feels playful and fun. Little by little, whatever they've been carrying gets lighter, and you start to catch that first glimpse of your kid coming back.
How play therapy works
What you can expect
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A space that's just theirs
Your child gets one place in the world where they don't have to be good, or brave, or hold it together. Somewhere they can just be a kid and let their guard down. For a lot of kids, that alone changes something.
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Someone who speaks their language
I don't sit across from your child and ask them to explain their feelings. I get on the floor and meet them in play, because that's how kids this age actually tell you what's going on inside.
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The behavior starts to make sense
The behavior that's been wearing you down usually means something. As your child works through what's underneath it, the meltdowns, the clinging, the tears before school tend to settle, and home starts to feel calmer.
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That first glimpse of your kid again
Slowly, you'll see it. A little more ease, a little more of the kid you know. That's the whole point of this work, and it's the part I never get tired of watching.
a note for parents
I know it can look like your kid is just playing with toys, but play is how they show us what they can't yet say out loud. Behind every session is a real purpose.
While your child feels like we're just playing, we're often doing the deeper work underneath, processing something hard, building emotional regulation, practicing social skills, and helping them understand their own feelings. Little by little, they find their footing again, and you start to get your kid back.
parent support
Frequently Asked Questions
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It really is. The toys are the tools. While your child plays, I'm tracking themes, patterns, and the feelings they can't name yet, and I'm gently guiding the work the whole time. Kids process things through play the way adults process things through talking.
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More than okay. That's how it's supposed to work at this age. Your child doesn't need to explain their feelings out loud for real change to happen.
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Yes. Your child's sessions are theirs, and I protect that, but you and I meet regularly so you understand what's going on underneath the behavior and what helps at home. You're never shut out.
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Keep it simple and warm. Something like, "You're going to spend time with someone who has a room full of toys, and her job is to help kids with big feelings by playing together." No fixing, no pressure.
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It depends on your child and what's going on, and I'll always be honest with you about how it's going. This is a process, not a quick fix, and the goal is always to get your kid to a steadier place, not to keep them in therapy forever.
Let's start with a conversation.
Tell me a little about what’s been going on with your child. We’ll talk it through and figure out together whether I’m the right fit for your family. No pressure, just a first step. I offer free consultations if you’d like to talk things through before deciding.