Welcome
Welcome to Ebb & Flow Play Therapy, where children and families find healing and growth through the power of play.
~ No referral needed – families can contact us directly
~ NDIS welcome – supporting self-managed and plan-managed participants
~ We start with you – an initial parent/carer intake (without your child)
~ Thoughtful planning – understanding your child and family before therapy begins
Unsure where to start? We’re always happy to chat and help guide you
Honouring play as a child’s natural language
What is
Play Therapy?
Play Therapy is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy designed specifically for children. It uses play - a child’s natural language - as a way for children to communicate, explore their inner world, and make sense of their experiences in a way that feels familiar and safe.
Because children do not always have the words to explain what they are feeling or what they have been through, play therapy meets them where they are developmentally. Within a supportive and accepting therapeutic relationship, children can express feelings, process experiences, and discover new ways of coping and relating. It is not simply play; it is meaningful communication and healing at a child’s level, supporting emotional growth, resilience, and stronger relationships over time.
Supporting your child and family through play
Play is the way children make sense of their world. Long before children can find words for their experiences, they communicate through play, movement, and imagination. At Ebb & Flow Play Therapy, we honour play as the child’s primary language and as a powerful pathway for emotional expression, healing, and growth.
We offer a calm, welcoming, and emotionally safe space where children and families can feel genuinely supported. Within this space, children are free to explore big feelings, revisit experiences, and develop social and emotional skills in ways that feel natural and non-threatening.
Our therapeutic work is guided by the belief that children grow best within emotionally safe relationships. Sessions are paced to each child’s needs, strengths, and readiness, allowing them to build confidence, regulation, and resilience over time. Rather than rushing change, we gently support children to develop skills and understanding in ways that feel respectful, empowering, and sustainable - both for the child and the family.
Why Play Therapy Works
Play Therapy is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that is developmentally appropriate for children. The parts of the brain responsible for language, emotional regulation, and impulse control are not yet fully developed in childhood, which is why many children communicate their experiences through play and behaviour rather than words.
With access to thoughtfully chosen toys and creative materials, children can explore their inner world and big feelings in ways that feel manageable and meaningful, helping them make sense of experiences and feel more secure within themselves and their relationships. With gentle support, children develop resilience, coping abilities, and new ways of relating, supporting healing, growth, and connection over time.
Benefits of Play
Play Therapy offers children a safe and developmentally appropriate way to express, explore, and understand their inner world. When children don’t yet have the words to explain how they are feeling or what they have experienced, play becomes their natural way of communicating, processing experiences, and building capacity within a supportive therapeutic relationship.
At Ebb & Flow Play Therapy, our work supports children’s emotional wellbeing while also strengthening the skills they need to participate more fully at home, school, and in their community.
Through Play Therapy, children are supported to:
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Express emotions in safe and meaningful ways
Exploring feelings such as worry, anger, sadness, or fear through play, supporting emotional awareness and expression in ways that feel safe and manageable. -
Develop emotional regulation and coping skills
Through play and a supportive therapeutic relationship, children gently discover new ways to settle their bodies, express emotions, and respond more flexibly to challenges — supporting emotional regulation, independence, and participation over time. -
Build functional skills for everyday life
Developing flexibility, problem-solving, impulse control, and frustration tolerance through play, supporting daily routines, learning, and transitions. -
Strengthen social communication and relationships
Building empathy, communication, cooperation, and social understanding to support relationships with family members, peers, and educators. -
Process experiences such as trauma, loss, or change
Exploring experiences at a pace that feels safe, supporting emotional safety, resilience, and a growing sense of control and mastery. -
Build confidence, identity, and independence
Supporting self-esteem, resilience, and a stronger sense of self, helping children feel capable, valued, and connected.
Play Therapy supports children in developing emotional, social, and functional capacities, while also supporting families to better understand their child’s needs and strengths.
Contact Ebb & Flow Play Therapy
Reach out to us for any inquiries, appointments, or to learn more about our play therapy services that promote healing and emotional well-being for children and families.