Powerful Play: How Play Therapy Helps
If I pick up one of my son’s stuffed animals and use Bunny to talk to him, we could be there for hours. He’ll chat, laugh, and play with me-as-Bunny until one of my hands cramps, then shake my wrist to “bring Bunny back!”
Like me, you want to understand your child’s inner world. You want to help them when they’re struggling. As a Gen X/Millennial/Gen Z parent, you likely hold the belief that “good parents talk to their kids.” And sure, there’s value in that — it reflects a shift away from the authoritarian parenting many of us grew up with.
But here’s the thing: kids don’t always process through talk. And when your child isn’t opening up with words, you’re left decoding big behaviours and quiet moments alike. That’s where play — and play-based therapy for children — can help. Not by forcing conversation, but by meeting your child in the language they already speak.
Children aren’t wired to easily “talk about it”
Children aren’t wired to explain what’s bothering them the way adults are — and let’s be honest, most adults struggle to articulate the tough stuff too. Kids often don’t have the words to describe fear, grief, anxiety, sadness, or longing. So when they do offer an answer, it might not reflect what’s really going on underneath.
That’s not a deficit — it’s developmentally appropriate. Emotion and memory centers in the brain mature long before the logic and language regions do. That’s why your child might show you something is wrong before they can say it. In child counselling, we always remind parents: behaviour is a form of communication. And it often speaks louder than words.
Play is the language you helped your child develop. It provides a safe, embodied way to explore experiences. Through pretend play, art, building, or storytelling, children can begin to regulate emotions, make meaning, and regain a sense of control.
Play offers three core healing ingredients:
Sensory: It engages the whole body and nervous system
Relational: It happens in connection with a trusted adult
Patterned: It’s repetitive, predictable, and safe over time
These are exactly the conditions we aim to create in therapy for children, including when there are big behavioural concerns.
What Is Play Therapy?
At our west Ottawa psychotherapy centre, we use play therapy as part of our work with children depending on their age, goals, and presenting concerns. Our child therapists bring unique toolkits, but we share a core approach: the child leads, and the therapist follows — not just with ears, but with deep emotional attunement.
A child therapist might use:
Miniatures or figures to act out scenes
Puppets or dolls to give voice to unspoken feelings
Books, art, or games to explore emotions
Sand tray play or sensory tools to support regulation
Co-regulating activities to help “pump the brakes” or “gas up” when needed
We don’t push children to talk. We invite them to express, explore, and regulate. When a child therapy session feels safe and playful, healing begins.
And yes — we’ve had kids ask to have their birthday party at The Wren Centre. (We’re flattered, but no — we’re not in that business. 😅)
Why It Works: The Research Behind the Play
As a middle-aged mom, I get peddled a lot of things that need to pass a hooey-detector before I buy in. So if you’re skeptical, I get it.
But play therapy isn’t fluff. A well-known meta-analysis (Bratton et al., 2005) found moderate to large effects on emotional and behavioural adjustment in kids. The Association for Play Therapy continues to publish findings that show measurable gains across ages and diagnoses.
Play-based child counselling can:
Reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, aggression, and withdrawal
Build emotional regulation and confidence
Support healthy attachment through parent-child psychotherapy
Improve resilience and adaptability
From a neuroscience lens, play also regulates the nervous system. It uses imagination, movement, rhythm, and connection — all essential in reducing fight-flight-freeze responses. When kids feel safe and engaged, their stress physiology shifts. And when repeated over time, it rewires.
What Can Play Therapy Help With?
At The Wren Centre, our child counsellors and therapists support children experiencing:
Separation or divorce
Grief and loss (yes, even pet loss — we also offer grief counselling for children)
School avoidance and anxiety
Emotional dysregulation
Changes in mood or behaviour
Challenges with friends or self-esteem
Yes, we see lots of children for therapy when there’s been school stress, separation or divorce, grief (like loss of a grandparent), or other hard childhood experiences. But therapy doesn’t have to be the last resort - we can offer our kids proactive, preventative mental health care as a part of their support system. We can foster a healthy relationship to self-care and emotional expression early in our child’s lives for all the benefits it brings now, but the seeds it plants for later in life.
Is it time to reach out?
You don’t have to wait for things to get worse.
Child therapy can be a space where your child feels safe, strong, and understood — long before things reach a boiling point.
Some signs that support might help:
Intense or repetitive themes in their play
More frequent meltdowns or shutdowns
Sleep issues or appetite changes
Regression (accidents, baby talk, clinginess)
Avoidance, sadness, or sudden worry
If you’re noticing any of these shifts — or even just feeling that something’s off — it’s okay to reach out. You don’t have to figure it out alone.
At The Wren Centre, we believe in the power of play and the potential of children. Our Ottawa-based child therapists would be honoured to support your family.
📞 Book a free consultation or contact us at 343-307-6677 or hello@wrencentre.ca
If you’re curious if therapy could be helpful to you or your child, feel free to reach out. Our team of therapists work with clients of all ages, including children and teens.
