One of the biggest misunderstandings about child therapy is that children come into therapy to play games. While therapy often includes play, art, movement, and creative activities, these interventions are intentional and often chosen to help children build emotional, social, and behavioral skills.
As a parent, if you’ve ever wondered what happens during therapy, here’s a little look behind what therapy may look like with your child.
The Therapy Journey: A 5 Step Process
Here’s what sessions may look like:
Step 1: The Intake
A typical intake session includes the consent process and gathering of information about your child’s history, current concerns, strengths, relationships, and goals. Parents typically provide background information while the therapist may also ask the child some questions about themselves.
Step 2: Building Trust
Children are more likely to engage in therapy when they feel safe and connected with their therapist. Before talking about difficult topics, therapists spend time building rapport and helping children become comfortable in the therapy space.
This relationship is one of the strongest predictors of successful therapy outcomes.
Step 3: Treatment Planning
After learning about your child’s needs, the therapist develops goals. An example of goals may include reducing anxiety, improving emotional regulation, increasing confidence, strengthening communication skills, or addressing behavioral concerns.
As therapy progresses, these goals are reviewed and adjusted based on the child’s growth.
Step 4: Learning New Skills
Throughout treatment, children learn strategies that they can use outside of therapy. Depending on their needs, sessions may include psychoeducation on emotions, coping skills, relaxation strategies, communication techniques, or problem-solving exercises.
When in therapy, the goal isn’t simply to talk about problems. It’s to help children build tools they can use as they get older.Â
Step 5: The End
As children meet their goals and demonstrate lasting improvement, therapy gradually comes to an end. Ending therapy is an important part of the process, giving children an opportunity to recognize how much they’ve grown while reinforcing the skills they’ve developed.
What Does a Therapy Session Look Like?
Every session is different because every child is different.
Some children enjoy talking openly, while others communicate best through play, drawing, storytelling, or movement. Therapists meet children where they are.
Sessions may include:
- Talk-based therapy
- Art projects
- Storytelling
- Books and worksheets
- Role-playing social situations
- Board games
- Movement activities
- Relaxation and mindfulness exercises
Even activities that appear playful often have therapeutic goals behind it.
Why Play Matters
Children naturally communicate through play before they are able to fully express complex emotions with words. Think about when you were a kid and playing around on the playground with your friends. You may have played games, used your imagination, or found different ways to express yourselves with your friends. In a way it’s similar to what is done in therapy too. This is one reason play is such a valuable therapeutic tool.
Therapists often use two primary approaches:
Directive Play
In directive play, the therapist leads structured activities with a specific goal in mind. Games, role-playing exercises, or problem-solving activities may be used to teach emotional regulation, communication, or coping skills.
Non-Directive Play
In non-directive play, the child takes the lead while the therapist follows their interests. Through toys, art materials, puppets, sand trays, or imaginative play, children often express thoughts and emotions that might be difficult to verbalize directly.
The therapist carefully observes patterns, reflects emotions, and helps children better understand themselves without directing every activity.
Progress Doesn’t Always Look the Way You Expect
Parents sometimes expect therapy to produce immediate changes, but growth is often gradual. Some weeks children make noticeable progress, while other weeks involve practicing skills or working through setbacks.
This is completely normal.
Therapy is less about quick fixes and more about helping children develop lasting emotional skills that continue to benefit them throughout their lives. If you’re wondering whether therapy could help your child, you don’t have to have it all figured out before reaching out. Our team is here to walk alongside your family, one session at a time – contact us today to get started.
About the Author:
Matthew Mak, M.S.Ed, works with clients ranging from adolescents to adults, helping them navigate anxiety, self-esteem, and stress management. He has particular experience supporting young clients on the autism spectrum, as well as those managing ADD/ADHD, using an empathetic, strength-based approach to help them build lasting coping skills. Matthew integrates evidence-based methods like CBT and ACT to help clients feel more grounded, confident, and understood.
