A compassionate, evidence-based approach to care
Children do not always have the words for what they are feeling. That is not a limitation unique to young children either. Even older kids who are articulate and verbal will often communicate more honestly through what they do than through what they say. Play therapy starts from that reality. It meets children where they actually are, rather than asking them to engage in a style of conversation they are not yet equipped for.
At Vantage Mental Health, our play therapist works with children and their families across Minnesota to address a wide range of emotional, behavioral, and developmental concerns. Sessions are designed to feel safe and natural to the child while being clinically guided throughout. Parents are kept informed and involved in a way that supports the work happening in the room.
We offer play therapy in person at our clinics in Stillwater, Edina, and St. Anthony, with telehealth available throughout Minnesota where appropriate.
Understanding Play Theray
Play therapy is a structured, theoretically grounded form of psychotherapy that uses play as the primary mode of communication and intervention with children. It is not simply supervised free play. There is a clinical framework behind how the therapist sets up the environment, responds to the child, and tracks what is happening across sessions over time.
The approach is rooted in the understanding that play is the natural language of childhood. Through sand trays, puppets, art materials, role play, and other forms of creative expression, children communicate experiences and emotions that would be difficult or impossible to put into words. A trained play therapist knows how to work within that language. They understand what a child’s choices in the room might reflect, and they respond in ways that build trust, reduce anxiety, and gradually support the child in processing what they are carrying.
There are different theoretical models within play therapy, including child-centered play therapy, which gives the child a significant degree of autonomy within the session, and more directive approaches, where the therapist takes a more active role in guiding the child toward specific goals. At Vantage, the approach is tailored to each child based on age, presenting concerns, and what the clinical picture suggests will be most helpful. The Association for Play Therapy recognizes it as an evidence-based treatment, and research supports its effectiveness across a broad range of childhood presentations.
Conditions Treated with Treament Name
Play therapy is genuinely versatile. It tends to be most valuable for children who are experiencing something that is hard for them to name or explain, but it applies across a wide range of presentations, including ones where a child can articulate their distress but still benefits from a non-verbal processing space.
Concerns commonly addressed through play therapy include:
- Anxiety, worry, and fearfulness
- Depression or persistent low mood in children
- Trauma, abuse, or exposure to distressing events
- Grief and loss, including the death of a family member or pet
- Behavioral challenges at home or school
- Difficulties with emotional regulation and anger
- ADHD and related attention or impulse challenges
- Autism spectrum concerns and social skill development
- Adjustment difficulties following divorce, relocation, or family change
- Low self-esteem or social withdrawal
- Selective mutism
Play therapy can also work well alongside parent consultation or family therapy when the broader family system is part of what needs support.
Our Team
Meet Our Play Therapy Experts
A licensed play therapist with specialized training in child-centered and directive approaches, working with children and families navigating a wide range of emotional and behavioral concerns.
Specialties:
What to Expect From Treatment
The first session typically involves meeting with the parents or caregivers, without the child present, to gather background, understand the concerns that prompted the referral, and talk through what play therapy looks like and how progress is measured. This intake conversation matters. It gives the therapist context that shapes how they approach the child from the very beginning.
From there, the child begins attending sessions, usually weekly, in a room that is set up specifically for this kind of work. The environment is intentional. The materials available, the structure of the space, and the way the therapist shows up in the room are all part of how the therapy functions. Children often warm up quickly, though some take longer, and both are completely normal.
Parents and caregivers receive regular updates on how things are progressing and what the therapist is observing. This is not a process that happens behind closed doors without the family knowing what is going on. Good play therapy involves the adults in the child’s life in a meaningful way, because what happens at home matters just as much as what happens in the session.
Treatment length varies. Some children make meaningful progress in 12 to 16 sessions. Others, particularly those working through more complex trauma or developmental concerns, benefit from a longer course of care. Your therapist will give you an honest sense of what to expect based on your child’s specific situation.
The Benefits of Play Therapy
Play therapy offers children a way into therapeutic work that feels natural rather than clinical, and that difference matters more than it might seem.
- Meets children developmentally. Rather than expecting children to engage like small adults, play therapy works within the developmental stage the child is actually in, which makes it more accessible and more effective.
- Supported by clinical research. Play therapy has a substantial evidence base behind it, with studies documenting improvements in anxiety, behavioral concerns, trauma symptoms, and social functioning across diverse child populations.
- Builds self-expression and emotional vocabulary. Over time, children who go through play therapy often develop a greater ability to identify and communicate their feelings, skills that serve them well beyond the therapy room.
- Involves the family. Play therapy does not treat the child in isolation. Parents and caregivers are part of the process, which helps reinforce progress at home and keeps the adults informed and supported throughout.
Who This Treatment May Be Right For
- A child who is struggling emotionally or behaviorally but cannot fully explain what is wrong
- A child who has been through something difficult and seems to be carrying it in ways that affect their daily life
- A child whose anxiety, sadness, or anger is getting in the way of school, friendships, or family relationships
- A family navigating a significant transition and wanting support for their child during that process
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Our team is here to answer your questions and help you figure out whether play therapy is the right fit for your child. We work with families in Stillwater, Edina, and St. Anthony, and serve communities throughout Minnesota including Northeast Minneapolis, Roseville, and the broader Twin Cities metro. You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. A conversation is a good place to start.