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When a child is struggling, they don’t always have the words for it. What they have is play. Before children can explain what they’re feeling, they show us — in how they build, act things out, draw, and choose what to do next. Play therapy meets a child there, in the language that already makes sense to them. At GreenValley Counselling Services in Cambridge, our specially trained child therapists use play to help children work through worries, big feelings, and change — in a large, welcoming playroom built for exactly this
Play therapy is a way of helping children that takes their natural language seriously. For a child, play isn’t a break from real life — it is how they make sense of it. Through toys, sand, art, figures, and imaginative play, a child can express what’s going on inside them and begin to work it through, often long before they could put any of it into words.
It’s an evidence-based approach, and at its heart is something simple: a child who feels safe, and a trained therapist who knows how to follow where the play leads. Our Cambridge therapists are trained in child-centred play therapy, which means the child sets the pace and direction, and the therapist meets them there rather than steering them somewhere they’re not ready to go.
Children come to play therapy for all sorts of reasons — a worry that won’t settle, a change at home, a loss, a frightening experience, or simply not seeming like themselves lately. Play gives them a way to:
Play therapy doesn’t rush a child, and it doesn’t ask them to perform. It gives them room, and it trusts the process children have used to understand their world since they were born.
Play therapy works best in a room built for it, and our Galt office has one children love. It’s large and thoughtfully equipped — a dollhouse, miniatures, Lego, games, a sand tray, toy food, dolls, vehicles, and more. There’s a piano and a range of musical instruments, so music can become part of the work too. And there’s a very large, well-loved stuffed sloth who has become a favourite companion for many of the children who visit.
The room is set up so that whatever a child needs to express, there’s a way for them to do it.
The first couple of sessions are entirely child-led. Your child is free to explore the room and play however they like, which gives them time to feel safe and gives the therapist a window into their world. After that, sessions usually blend gentle, purposeful activities chosen around your child’s needs with time that stays completely child-led. Very young children, who aren’t yet ready for directed activities, stay with fully child-led play throughout.
Throughout, the pace belongs to your child. Nothing is forced, and most children come to genuinely look forward to their time in the playroom.
Play therapy works with children from around age 3 and up. Play and creative approaches stay effective well into the teen years, and both Candice, Susan and Jisca also work with teens using creative and other approaches. If you’re not sure whether it’s the right fit for your child, our team can help you figure that out.
Your first contact is with one of our client care coordinators, Kim or Aleeyah, who will listen to what’s going on and suggest a couple of therapists who would suit your child, so you can choose who to book with. Most families book a first appointment directly; if you’d rather get a sense of someone first, a free introductory call with a therapist is available — and a therapist can often help you clarify what’s going on and whether play therapy is the right fit.
We usually begin with a session or two with you, the parent, to understand your concerns and your child’s history. From there, your child meets with their therapist, and we keep you informed and involved throughout. Where parent support is one of the goals, we also offer practical ways to support the work at home.
Here’s the walk from the front door to one of our offices.
Lin & Bratton (2015), Journal of Counseling & Development
When a child is struggling, it’s felt by the whole family. Play therapy gives them a way to work through it — in their own language, at their own pace — and gives you a team alongside you. When you’re ready, a short conversation with one of our client care coordinators is all it takes to begin.
Call: 226-666-2872
Toll Free: 888.699.7817
Email us at: info@greenvalleycounselling.com
Text: 226.916.5309
24 Queen Square, Cambridge, ON. N1S 1H6
Located in the Doctor’s House – 24 Queen Square, Cambridge, ON. N1S 1H6
We are near the Public Library, Idea Exchange, across from Queen Square fountain in downtown Galt.
There is parking available around the Square or at the Library.
Our phones and emails are answered Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.
Therapists’ Hours:
Monday 10 pm to 7 pm
Tuesday 9 am to 5 pm
Wednesday 9 am to 7 pm
Thursday 9 am to 8 pm
Fridays 11 am to 8 pm