Play therapy is a counselling approach that may use play, creative materials, and conversation to help children share what is on their mind. Registered Psychologists and Registered Provisional Psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP), along with counsellors certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), social workers regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), and therapists. Counselling offered in person in Edmonton and St. Albert, and virtually across Alberta.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Play Therapy Is Right for Your Child

You may not be sure whether what you are seeing in your child is a phase that will pass, or something worth talking to someone about. You might also be wondering how playing could count as therapy at all. Both are fair questions, and you do not need to have answered them before you start looking for information.

Maybe your child shrugs and says "I don't know" when you ask what is wrong. Small things, like a change in plans or the wrong cup at dinner, can set off reactions that seem much bigger than the moment. Or something has shifted in your family, such as a move, a new baby, a separation, or a loss, and your child has not quite seemed like themselves since.

Young children do not always have the words for what they feel. So it can show up in their behaviour, their sleep, or the way they play instead. These reactions often make sense given what a child is going through. They do not mean something is permanently wrong with your child, or that you have failed as a parent.

If you are trying to work out whether play-based counselling might suit your child, this page explains what it involves, what the research can and cannot tell us, and how families get started. If you are a grandparent, teacher, or another adult in a child's life gathering information, the same details apply. A parent or legal guardian would usually need to be involved in starting services.

Who We Help

Play-based counselling may be worth exploring for:

• Children whose feelings or worries seem easier to show than to say
• Families going through a change, such as a move, a separation, a new sibling, or a loss
• Families who want support after a child has been through something upsetting, and who want to discuss whether play-based work or another approach fits best
• Parents and caregivers who would like to be part of planning and check-ins
• Families who are not sure what kind of support fits and want to talk it through first

This service may not be the right fit for:

• Immediate danger or crisis. Please use the crisis resources below.
• Court or legal needs. Parenting time evaluations, custody reports, and reports for legal proceedings are outside this therapy service. Psychological assessments are a separate service.
• Finding out whether abuse happened. Therapy is not an investigation. If you believe a child is being harmed, contact police or Alberta child intervention services.

If Someone Is in Danger Right Now

Counselling cannot respond to emergencies. If you or a child is not safe, please reach out to one of these services:

• 911 for immediate danger, or go to your nearest emergency department
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free)
• Crisis Text Line (Canada): text CONNECT to 686868

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Play Therapy Is, and What It Is Not

Play therapy is a counselling approach that may use toys, art materials, stories, games, and conversation. The aim is to give a child another way to communicate when direct conversation feels hard. A clinician pays attention to the child's play alongside listening and age-appropriate discussion. The point is not to read meaning into every drawing or toy.

The approach can vary. A clinician may use child-led play, more structured activities, creative expression, caregiver conversations, or other counselling methods when they fit. What is included is discussed openly with your family before and during counselling.

Some boundaries worth knowing:

• Play therapy is not a legal service, an investigation, or crisis care.
• It does not include a psychological assessment or diagnosis. If a formal assessment would help, our team can explain that it is a separate service, such as child and youth assessment services.
• The pace is guided by your child's comfort and your family's goals, not by a set schedule.
• Counselling is confidential, with some legal limits. These are explained in detail further down this page.
• Clinicians work within their own training and professional scope. If a concern falls outside it, they can talk with you about other options.

Signs Stress or Change May Be Affecting Your Child

Families usually reach out because of something they have noticed, not because of a label. You may recognize some of these patterns:

• Saying "I don't know" or going quiet when asked about feelings
• Big reactions to small changes, transitions, or the word "no"
• Seeming more clingy, worried, or easily startled than before
• Pulling back from friends, activities, or play they used to enjoy
• Changes in sleep, such as trouble falling asleep, bad dreams, or wanting to sleep near you
• Stomach aches or headaches that do not seem to have a medical cause
• Returning to younger habits, like baby talk or bedtime accidents
• Play that keeps returning to the same upsetting theme
• Trouble settling at school or daycare after a change at home

None of these patterns means a child has a particular condition. They can be ordinary ways children respond to stress, change, or hard experiences, and they do not define who your child is. If physical complaints continue, it makes sense to check in with your child's doctor as well. If these patterns are affecting daily life, talking with a clinician may help you understand what is going on and what kind of support could fit.

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. You can use the Match with a Therapist tool or browse Our Therapists. If you would rather talk it through, our admin team can help at 780-904-4880, including which clinicians currently offer play-based work.
• Book your first session. Depending on your child's age and the clinician's approach, the first session may involve your child, you, or both. It covers consent, confidentiality, your reasons for reaching out, your child's strengths and interests, and what you hope will change.
• Build your plan together. You and the clinician agree on goals and on how caregivers will be involved. The plan reflects your child's age, preferences, and needs.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes and are often weekly or every two weeks. Frequency can be adjusted as things change.
• Progress check-ins. Your clinician reviews progress with you regularly. If something is not working, the plan can change.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Counselling is a shared process, and your voice and your child's voice matter at every stage. You can learn more on our Getting Started with Therapy page, or read about preparing children for therapy.

Evidence and Approaches

Research on play therapy exists, but the evidence available for this page is limited. We reviewed two systematic reviews. The records we hold do not include their findings in enough detail to say how well play therapy works, or for whom. Rather than overstate it, here is what can fairly be said.

Child-Centred Play Therapy

What it helps with: It may give some children a way to express feelings and experiences through play when talking directly feels hard.

Evidence summary: A systematic literature review has examined child-centred play therapy for young people who have experienced trauma ("Child-Centered Play Therapy for Youths," n.d.). The record available to us does not include the review's methods or results. For that reason, this page makes no claim about how well the approach works.

Limitations: Without those findings, we cannot state how effective it is, which ages it suits, or how it compares with other approaches. Children respond differently.

Play-Based Work Within a Wider Range of Approaches

What it helps with: It lets families and clinicians weigh play-based counselling alongside other psychological approaches for young children.

Evidence summary: A systematic review with partial meta-analyses has looked at the evidence for 12 psychological methods used with young children who have trauma-related difficulties ("Psychological Treatments for Young Children," n.d.). The record available to us does not report findings specific to play therapy.

Limitations: We cannot say whether play therapy is more suited, equally suited, or less suited than other approaches for any particular child. Your clinician can talk through the options with you.

What Results to Expect

Change in counselling is rarely a straight line. A child may seem more settled for a few weeks and then have a harder stretch, especially around new changes or stress. Some families notice shifts over weeks or months. Others find longer-term work more helpful, and some find that a different approach suits their child better.

Many things can affect how counselling goes:

• What your child has been through and how recently
• Your child's age, stage of development, and comfort with play or talking
• What is happening at home, at school, and in the wider family right now
• How caregivers are involved
• The fit between your child and their therapist

No therapy can guarantee outcomes, and play therapy is no exception. The fit between a child and their therapist matters. If the relationship or the approach does not seem right, changing therapist or trying a different approach is always an option.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What is shared in counselling is kept confidential. Psychologists at our clinic are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and follow the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW).

Personal information at a private clinic is generally protected under Alberta's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). The Health Information Act (HIA) governs health information held by health custodians, such as Alberta Health Services and physicians. It may apply if your child's care involves information shared with them.

There are legal limits to confidentiality. A clinician may need to share information without consent when:

• There is a risk of serious harm to your child or to someone else
• There is a suspicion that a child is being abused or neglected, which Alberta law requires to be reported
• A court order requires records to be released

With children, privacy also involves parents and guardians. How much of a session is shared with caregivers depends on your child's age, maturity, and consent, and on the goals of counselling. Your clinician will explain how updates and privacy work for your family during the first session. You are welcome to ask questions about any of this before anyone shares something personal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my child have to talk about what happened in detail?

No. Your child does not have to describe difficult experiences in words, and the pace is guided by their comfort. Play can give some children another way to show what is on their mind. Much of the work can focus on what is happening now, such as sleep, school, or transitions. As a parent, you can also share only what feels manageable at the first session.

Will I be told what my child says in sessions?

Your clinician will explain how updates work during the first session. With children, they aim to balance the child's privacy with keeping caregivers involved. There are legal limits to confidentiality, including risk of serious harm, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, and court orders. See the Confidentiality and Privacy section above for details.

How many sessions will my child need?

There is no set number. Some families find a short period of support is enough, while others benefit from longer-term work. It depends on your child, what they have been through, and your goals. Your clinician reviews progress with you regularly, and you can change the plan at any point.

What if the therapist is not the right fit for my child?

Fit matters, especially for children. If it does not feel right for your child or for you, our admin team can help you find a different clinician. Asking for a change is a normal part of finding the right fit. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can play therapy happen online?

We offer virtual counselling across Alberta, with the same confidentiality standards as in-person sessions. Whether a play-based approach works well by video depends on your child's age and needs, and on the clinician. Our team can tell you which clinicians currently offer it virtually. Learn more about online counselling.

Who needs to give consent for my child to start counselling?

Consent for a child's counselling usually comes from a parent or legal guardian. If parents are separated or share decision-making, our team may ask about those arrangements before the first session. Please call us if you are not sure what applies to your family.

Is play therapy only for young children?

Play-based methods are commonly associated with younger children. Creative or activity-based methods may still be part of counselling for older children and some teens. A clinician can help you decide whether play-based, talk-based, or a mix of both seems worth trying.

What if my child is not safe at home right now?

Safety comes first. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. The Family Violence Info Line (310-1818) is available 24/7 across Alberta if you need guidance about family violence. Counselling can be part of support once a child is safe, but it cannot replace emergency or protective services.

Meet Your Clinicians

Our team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Canadian Certified Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Student Therapists are master's-level practicum students seeing clients as part of supervised training.

Training and experience with children and play-based methods differ between clinicians. Please ask our admin team which clinicians currently offer play therapy and how they work. You can read individual profiles on Our Therapists, use the Match with a Therapist tool, or call 780-904-4880 for guidance.

Children and Youth

We offer counselling for children, adolescents, and young people. Clinicians who work with younger clients adapt how they work to the child's age and stage of development. For some children that means play. For others it may mean drawing, games, or simply talking.

Caregivers often know the most about a child's routines, relationships, and strengths. When appropriate and agreed upon, clinicians work with parents and caregivers to support the child at home as well as in sessions. You may also find these pages useful: child and youth counselling, parenting support, and family violence counselling.

Taking a Next Step

If you would like to explore whether play therapy might suit your child, you can:

• Book a session online
• Use the Match with a Therapist tool
• Call our admin team at 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy to see what to expect

You do not need to know exactly what is going on with your child before you call. Starting the conversation is enough.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• Child-centered play therapy for youths who have experienced trauma: A systematic literature review. (n.d.). [Systematic literature review].
• Psychological treatments for young children suffering from trauma-related symptomatology: Systematic review and partial meta-analyses of the current evidence-base for 12 methods. (n.d.). [Systematic review with partial meta-analyses].