At Springboard, we believe that play is not just for fun — it’s a vital language for healing, connection, and expression. For many children and young people, especially those with adverse life experiences, play can be a powerful and natural way to explore feelings and rebuild a sense of safety.

Play Therapy offers students a safe, non-directive space where they can express themselves without the pressure of words. Through carefully facilitated sessions, students can work through difficult emotions, test out ideas, and reframe past experiences — all at their own pace.

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What Happens in Play Therapy?

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• A Safe, Contained Space
  Play therapy takes place in a calm, consistent environment, supported by a trained practitioner. Students are free to choose from a range of resources including art materials, puppets, sand trays, miniature worlds, movement toys and more.

• Non-Directive Approach
  We follow the child’s lead. The therapist does not direct or question but instead joins the student in their world, creating safety and connection through presence, attunement and acceptance.

• Trauma-Informed Practice
  Sessions are rooted in an understanding of attachment and trauma. We recognise that play allows students to process complex feelings, regulate the nervous system, and experiment with new relational patterns.

• Emotional Growth & Integration
  Over time, students may become more confident, more able to manage big feelings, and better equipped to build trusting relationships — both in and outside of the therapy space.

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Why Play?

 

Play gives children control, choice, and voice — things that may have been lost or taken away in their early experiences. It also bypasses the cognitive overload of “talking about feelings” and lets healing happen organically.

We honour the deep emotional work that takes place in play, and we work closely with families and staff (where appropriate) to support each student’s journey.