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In Play Therapy, children express what they cannot yet say in words. Play therapy allows us to meet your child in their world—where healing can begin through toys, stories, movement, and metaphor.
In Play Therapy, children express what they cannot yet say in words. Play therapy allows us to meet your child in their world—where healing can begin through toys, stories, movement, and metaphor.
🧱 Lego® Story Building: We use structured and unstructured Lego® builds to help children express feelings, build problem-solving skills, and explore themes like control, collaboration, and identity.
🎭 Puppet Play: Puppets give children a safe distance to act out emotions, conflicts, and stories they may not be ready to say aloud. This helps with emotional regulation, social skills, and trauma processing.
🌀 Feelings Charades & Role-Play: Children act out or guess feelings through movement, storytelling, or dramatic play. These games build empathy, emotional vocabulary, and flexible thinking.
💬 Therapeutic Board Games: We use custom and classic games (like Feelings Uno, The Talking Feeling Game, or Conflict Resolution Jenga) to support emotional awareness, coping skills, and social insight.
🧘 Movement & Regulation Games: Through yoga poses, obstacle courses, or “Freeze & Breathe,” we help children build body awareness and calming strategies they can use in daily life.
Play Therapy at Rocky Mountain Art and Play Center
Play Therapy at Rocky Mountain Art and Play Center
Where Big Feelings Become Brighter Futures
Gentle, evidence-informed care for children and families
Gentle, evidence-informed care for children and families
At Rocky Mountain Art & Play Center, we help children transform overwhelm into skills and confidence—one playful, meaningful session at a time. Our team brings over 45 years of combined experience supporting kids with anxiety, ADHD, ODD, attachment challenges, school stress, disability-related needs, and big emotions. We blend Play Therapy with expressive arts, Montessori-informed strategies, and depth-psychology wisdom to meet each child exactly where they are.
What is Play Therapy?
What is Play Therapy?
Play Therapy is a developmentally appropriate form of psychotherapy for children. Through toys, stories, sand, art, movement, and imagination, kids express what words can’t yet hold. In the safety of the playroom, they practice problem-solving, emotional regulation, flexible thinking, and healthy communication—skills they can bring home and to school.
Why play?
Because play is a child’s natural language. In play, the nervous system softens, curiosity awakens, and new patterns take root.
Who We Help
Who We Help
We provide individualized sessions for children experiencing:
Anxiety, separation anxiety, and worries about school or peers
ADHD, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and focus challenges
ODD, defiance, meltdowns, and emotional dysregulation
Attachment-related struggles, grief, and big life transitions
Disability-related challenges and sensory needs
Mood concerns, low confidence, and social skills delays
Ages typically served: toddlers through pre-teens (and teens as appropriate). Parent coaching is available for all ages.
How Our Play Therapy Works
How Our Play Therapy Works
1) Thoughtful Intake & Assessment
1) Thoughtful Intake & Assessment
We begin with a parent consultation to understand strengths, concerns, history, and goals. When helpful, we offer Assessment & Identification to clarify learning, attention, social-emotional, and sensory profiles—so care plans truly fit your child.
2) Individual Play Sessions
2) Individual Play Sessions
Children meet with a dedicated clinician in a warm, well-equipped play space (sandtray, art, stories, building, movement). Sessions focus on regulation, expression, and practicing new behaviors safely.
3) Parent Collaboration
3) Parent Collaboration
You’re the most important person in your child’s growth. We provide coaching, home strategies, and school-friendly tools so progress sticks beyond the playroom.
4) Review & Refine
4) Review & Refine
We set clear goals, track wins, and adjust supports as your child grows. You’ll always know what we’re working on and why.
Our Integrated Approach
Our Integrated Approach
Every child is unique. We craft a personalized blend of:
Child-Centered Play Therapy & Sandplay
Choice, safety, and symbolic play allow children to express experiences that may be difficult to put into words while building confidence and emotional resilience.
Expressive Arts & Movement Therapy
Drawing, storytelling, music, and movement help children process emotions, release stress, and rehearse healthy coping strategies.
Attachment-Based & Relational Work
Guided interactions help children and caregivers strengthen connection, practice repair after conflict, and build emotional safety in relationships.
Montessori-Informed Structure
Predictable routines, hands-on materials, and independence-building activities help children feel competent, capable, and secure.
Depth Psychology & Imaginal Approaches
Using metaphor, symbolism, and storytelling children explore their inner emotional world through imagination and play and through a symbolic emotional mapping system as a way to work with feelings they have.
Polyvagal-Informed Nervous System
Regulation Body-based tools such as breathing, rhythm, sensory grounding, and bilateral movement help calm the nervous system and support emotional regulation.
Mindfulness & Emotional Regulation Skills
Children learn practical tools for noticing thoughts and feelings, calming their bodies, and responding to challenges in healthy ways.
CBT, DBT & ACT-Informed Coping Skills
Evidence-based strategies help children develop flexible thinking, distress tolerance, problem-solving skills, and values-based decision making.
Parent Coaching & Family Support
Parents learn practical strategies to support emotional regulation, strengthen connection, and reinforce skills at home.
Goals Kids Work Toward
Goals Kids Work Toward
Name feelings and needs
Use “calm-down” tools before a meltdown
Wait, take turns, and handle “no” without losing control
Repair after conflict (apologize, rebuild trust)
Ask for help and advocate at school
Grow confidence, resilience, and self-compassion
Why Families Choose Us
Why Families Choose Us
Whole-child lens: Behavior is communication; we listen to what’s underneath.
Creative, developmentally smart: Play and arts meet kids where they learn best.
Parent partnership: Practical tools you can use the same day.
Experienced team: 45+ years combined in children’s mental health.
Trauma-aware & neurodiversity-affirming: Safety, dignity, and strengths first.
Aligned with home & school: We collaborate with your village.
What a First Month Can Look Like
What a First Month Can Look Like
Week 1: Parent consult + gentle child intake play session
Week 2: Regulation and relationship-building through play
Week 3: Targeted skill practice (transitions, frustration tolerance, repair)
Week 4: Parent coaching + progress check + home plan refresh
Get Started
Get Started
Ready to help your child turn big feelings into brighter futures?
FAQs
How long are
sessions?
Typically 45 to 50 minutes. Younger children may benefit from shorter, highly structured time.
How involved are parents?
Very. We include brief check-ins, dedicated coaching sessions, and practical at-home routines.
Do you offer assessments?
Yes—our Assessment & Identification services clarify strengths and needs to guide care and school support.
Do you take insurance?
Yes, however, we are primarily private-pay and can provide superbills upon request. (Please ask us about your options.)
What age group benefits most from Play Therapy?
Play Therapy is ideal for children ages 2–12. Because play is their natural language, it allows younger kids to express and resolve emotional challenges in ways that feel safe and meaningful. Older children and preteens may also benefit, especially when sessions are tailored with art, story, or sandplay elements.
Can Play Therapy help with behavior problems like lying, stealing, or aggression?
Yes. These behaviors are often signs of unmet emotional needs or difficulties with impulse control. Through play, children learn to understand their feelings, make better choices, and develop empathy—all within a safe and non-shaming space.
How long will my child need Play Therapy?
Every child’s journey is unique. Some children show improvement after a few months; others benefit from ongoing support, especially if challenges are longstanding or related to trauma or developmental differences. We’ll review progress regularly and collaborate with you to determine the right length of treatment.
What should my child bring to sessions?
Just themselves! We provide all materials—art supplies, sand, toys, games, and sensory tools. Comfortable clothing is recommended since sessions can get creative or a little messy.
What if my child doesn’t want to come to therapy?
This is common, especially at first. We take time to build trust and curiosity. Our playroom environment is warm, engaging, and child-led, helping children feel ownership of the process. Parents are coached on how to talk about therapy in empowering ways before and after sessions.
How do parents stay involved?
Parent collaboration is key. We provide regular updates, progress reports, and parent-only coaching sessions that teach practical tools you can use at home. Your participation strengthens and accelerates your child’s growth.
Can siblings participate?
Sometimes, yes. We may include siblings in specific sessions when it supports relationship repair, empathy building, or family harmony. Each family’s plan is customized to their needs.
Do you coordinate with schools or other providers?
Absolutely. With your consent, we collaborate with teachers, school counselors, pediatricians, or occupational therapists to ensure consistency and support across environments.
Is Play Therapy the same as regular playtime?
Not quite. While both involve play, Play Therapy is guided by a trained clinician who uses play intentionally to help children express emotions, resolve conflicts, and learn self-regulation. It’s play with a purpose.
What if my child doesn’t talk much during sessions?
That’s completely okay. Many children express themselves through play, art, or movement long before they feel ready to use words. The play itself communicates their inner world. As trust deepens, language and insight naturally begin to emerge.
How will I know if Play Therapy is working?
You’ll begin to notice small but meaningful changes—fewer meltdowns, quicker recovery after frustration, more openness to connection, or better problem-solving at school. We also provide regular progress reviews and parent check-ins so you can track your child’s growth over time.
Do you offer support for parents, too?
Yes. We believe healing happens in relationships, not isolation. We offer parent coaching sessions that focus on emotional attunement, effective communication, setting boundaries with empathy, and reinforcing therapeutic skills at home. When parents feel equipped and supported, children thrive.
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