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Play Therapy in Wilmington, NC

Children don't always have the words to explain what they're feeling or why something is bothering them. They may communicate through play, behavior, imagination, movement, drawing, or changes in the way they interact with the people around them. Play therapy gives children a way to communicate and work through their experiences in a language that feels natural to them.

At Stillpoint Counseling & Wellness, our child therapists use play therapy and other developmentally appropriate approaches to help children understand their emotions, develop coping skills, strengthen relationships, and navigate difficult experiences. Play therapy can be helpful for children experiencing anxiety, trauma, grief, family changes, behavioral concerns, emotional regulation difficulties, and other challenges.


Helping children express, understand, and work through big feelings

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What Is Play Therapy?

Play is one of the primary ways children explore and make sense of their world. Just as adults may use conversation to process their experiences, children often communicate through play. A child may not be able to say, “I'm feeling anxious about what is happening at home,” but their worries may emerge through the stories they create, the games they play, the way they interact with toys, or the emotions they express during a session.
In play therapy, a trained therapist creates a safe, supportive environment where a child can explore feelings and experiences through developmentally appropriate play.

The therapist observes, engages, reflects, and helps the child develop new ways of understanding and responding to what they are experiencing.
Play therapy is not simply letting a child play while a therapist watches. Therapeutic play is intentional and guided by clinical knowledge of child development and the child's individual needs.


Why Do Children Use Play in Therapy?

EMDR was originally developed as a treatment for trauma and PTSD, and it continues to be widely used for trauma-related concerns. Research also continues to explore its use with other psychological concerns, including anxiety, depression, phobias, and other experiences associated with distress.

EMDR may be helpful when you are experiencing:
  • Post-traumatic stress or PTSD
  • Childhood or developmental trauma
  • Medical trauma
  • Accidents or other frightening experiences
  • Sexual or interpersonal trauma
  • Grief or distress following a traumatic loss
  • Anxiety connected to past experiences
  • Persistent distressing memories
  • Strong emotional or physical reactions to reminders of the past
  • Shame, guilt, or negative beliefs connected to traumatic experiences
  • Feeling stuck in patterns that seem connected to earlier experiences

You don't have to have a formal PTSD diagnosis to explore whether trauma-focused therapy may be appropriate for you.

What Happens During Play Therapy?

Play therapy looks different for every child. Depending on the child's age, needs, and treatment goals, sessions may include toys, games, art, storytelling, imaginative play, movement, sensory activities, or other creative forms of expression.

The therapist may provide opportunities for the child to:
  • Express emotions
  • Practice coping skills
  • Explore difficult experiences
  • Develop problem-solving skills
  • Practice social and communication skills
  • Build confidence
  • Develop emotional awareness
  • Learn ways to regulate strong feelings
  • Explore relationships and boundaries
  • Experience a sense of safety and connection

The therapist follows the child's developmental needs while providing therapeutic structure and support.

Play Therapy for Anxiety

Anxiety can look different in children than it does in adults. A child may not say, “I'm anxious.” Instead, you may notice:
  • Frequent reassurance seeking
  • Difficulty separating from parents
  • Avoidance
  • Perfectionism
  • Irritability
  • Physical complaints such as stomachaches or headaches
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Excessive worry
  • Fear of making mistakes
  • Difficulty trying new things
  • Changes in school performance or attendance

Play therapy can give children a safe way to explore fears and practice coping with uncomfortable emotions. Therapy may also incorporate mindfulness, breathing, emotional regulation, cognitive-behavioral strategies, or other approaches appropriate for the child's developmental level.


Learn More about Anxiety

Play Therapy and Trauma

Children can be affected deeply by experiences that are frightening, overwhelming, or outside their ability to understand. Trauma may result from abuse, neglect, accidents, medical experiences, witnessing violence, family disruption, loss, or other experiences that overwhelm a child's sense of safety. Children may respond to trauma through changes in behavior, sleep, mood, relationships, play, or emotional regulation.

Play therapy can provide a safe environment where children can gradually process experiences at a pace that respects their developmental needs. A trauma-informed therapist does not force a child to talk about an experience before they are ready. Instead, therapy focuses on safety, connection, regulation, and helping the child develop the resources they need to process what has happened.  Trauma informed, evidenced based therapies for children include but are not limited to TF-CBT, PCIT, and CPP.  All these modalities can include play therapy.

Learn More about trauma

Play Therapy and Emotional Regulation

Some children experience emotions very intensely and have difficulty calming themselves once they become upset.
You may notice:
  • Frequent tantrums or meltdowns
  • Difficulty transitioning between activities
  • Strong reactions to frustration
  • Difficulty identifying emotions
  • Impulsive behavior
  • Difficulty recovering after becoming upset
  • Sensory sensitivities
  • Trouble expressing needs

Play provides opportunities to practice recognizing emotions, tolerating frustration, problem-solving, and developing new ways to regulate. Over time, children can begin to carry these skills outside of the therapy room.


Play Therapy for Behavioral Concerns

Sometimes behavior is a child's way of communicating that something isn't working. A child who becomes aggressive, withdrawn, defiant, clingy, or unusually emotional may be communicating distress that they don't yet know how to express with words. Rather than focusing only on stopping the behavior, therapy can explore what may be underneath it.

Together with parents and caregivers, the therapist can work to understand:
  • What happens before and after difficult behaviors
  • What the child may be communicating
  • Emotional or environmental triggers
  • Developmental needs
  • Family and relationship dynamics
  • Skills the child may still be developing
  • Strategies that can support the child at home and school

The goal isn't simply to make a child behave differently. It's to help the child develop the emotional and relational skills they need to respond differently.



Play Therapy and Grief

Children grieve too, but they don't always grieve in the same way adults do. A child may move in and out of grief quickly. They might cry one moment and play happily the next. They may ask the same questions repeatedly or seem unaffected by a loss before suddenly becoming upset. Play can provide a natural way for children to express and process grief.

Play therapy may be helpful following:
  • The death of a loved one
  • Divorce or separation
  • Moving
  • Changes in family structure
  • Loss of a friendship
  • A significant change in a caregiver's availability
  • Other experiences of loss or transition

Therapy can provide a safe place for children to make sense of what has changed while maintaining opportunities for connection, play, and development.




Learn More about grief

Play Therapy and Family Changes

Children can have strong emotional reactions to changes within their families, even when adults believe the changes are positive. New siblings, divorce, remarriage, relocation, changes in custody, parental stress, illness, or other family transitions can affect a child's sense of security.

Play therapy can give children space to explore these changes while helping parents better understand what their child may be experiencing. When appropriate, treatment may also include parent sessions or family therapy so that caregivers can learn ways to support their child's emotional needs outside of therapy.




What to Expect From Your Child's First Session

The beginning of therapy often involves getting to know your child and your family. The therapist may want to learn about your child's development, relationships, strengths, challenges, school experience, and what led you to seek therapy. Depending on the child's age and circumstances, the therapist may initially spend time with the parent or caregiver before beginning individual work with the child. Your child does not need to know exactly what to say or explain why they are there. The therapist's job is to help create a safe environment where your child can gradually become comfortable and communicate in ways that feel natural to them.

It is common for children to feel uncertain about starting therapy. Some children may worry that they are in trouble or believe that therapy means something is wrong with them. Others may simply be hesitant to spend time with someone they don't know. Play therapy can make the therapeutic environment feel more natural and engaging because children can participate through activities that are familiar to them. A therapist will work on building trust and connection rather than expecting a child to immediately open up. The therapeutic relationship develops over time.





Why Choose Stillpoint for Play Therapy?

At Stillpoint Counseling & Wellness, we recognize that children exist within a larger system. A child's emotional well-being can be influenced by family relationships, school, friendships, physical experiences, stress, sensory needs, developmental stage, and the emotional environment around them. Our therapists take a holistic and integrative approach that considers the whole child rather than focusing only on a particular behavior or symptom. Depending on your child's needs, therapy may incorporate play therapy, mindfulness, somatic and body-based approaches, attachment-informed therapy, trauma-informed care, cognitive-behavioral strategies, family therapy, or other developmentally appropriate approaches.

We also believe children deserve therapy that respects who they are and where they are developmentally. Our child therapists recognize that children are not simply small adults. Their emotional experiences, communication, relationships, and coping strategies are shaped by their developmental stage and environment. We combine professional clinical training with a warm, relational approach that allows children to build trust at their own pace. We also recognize that supporting a child often means supporting the people around them. When appropriate, we work collaboratively with parents, caregivers, and families to create consistency and connection beyond the therapy room.

Find a Play Therapist in Wilmington, NC

If your child is struggling with anxiety, big emotions, behavioral changes, trauma, grief, family changes, or another challenge, you don't have to navigate it alone.

Stillpoint Counseling & Wellness offers play therapy and child counseling in Wilmington, NC for children and families. Our therapists can help you determine what type of support may be the best fit for your child.

find a play Therapist

rachael easton, LCSW

Rachael Wade, LCSW

McKenzi Hopkins, LCSWA

Play therapy is commonly used with children, particularly younger children who may have difficulty expressing complex emotions through conversation. The specific age range depends on the therapist's training and the child's developmental needs.




back to the questions

What age is play therapy for?



No. Children do not need to be able to explain their feelings before beginning therapy. Play, drawing, movement, and other forms of expression can provide developmentally appropriate ways for children to communicate.





back to the questions

Does my child need to be able to talk about their feelings?


No. While play is central to the process, play therapy is a therapeutic intervention provided by a trained mental health professional. The therapist uses play intentionally to help the child work toward specific therapeutic goals.







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Is play therapy just playing?



Parent involvement varies depending on the child's age, needs, treatment goals, and therapeutic approach. Your child's therapist will discuss how caregiver involvement can best support treatment.






back to the questions

Will parents be involved in play therapy?

Yes. Play therapy can help children explore fears, develop coping skills, increase emotional awareness, and practice responding to anxiety in developmentally appropriate ways.









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Can play therapy help with anxiety?


Play therapy can be incorporated into trauma-informed treatment to help children develop safety, regulation, emotional expression, and coping skills. Trauma treatment should always be individualized to the child's developmental needs and circumstances.








back to the questions

Can play therapy help children who have experienced trauma?


Yes. Sometimes individual play therapy is appropriate, while other situations may benefit from family therapy or a combination of approaches. Your therapist can help determine what type of treatment best fits your child's needs.








back to the questions

Can my child have play therapy and family therapy?


Behavior can provide important information about what a child is experiencing. Therapy can look beyond the behavior to understand emotional, developmental, relational, and environmental factors that may be contributing to it while helping children and caregivers develop new skills.











back to the questions

What if my child's behavior is the reason we're seeking therapy?

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