About our Play Therapy program
Play Therapy is a child-centred early intervention program for children with complex trauma background. It uses the child’s natural language of play to help them make sense of difficult experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Play is that natural way children communicate, process, heal, and grow.
The children may have experienced grief and loss, abuse, domestic violence, divorce and separation, attachment issues, bullying, medical trauma and chronic illness, the impact of parental drug and alcohol or mental health issues, ASD, ADHD, and anxiety.
Play Therapy is based on attachment and neuroscience as it considers the sequential nature the brain develops and any significant traumas which may have impacted it as it was developing, particularly in the first 3 years of life.
By providing a child with a safe space in a trusting therapeutic relationship to express their feelings and process their experiences through play, the brain is encouraged to build new neural pathways which help regulate emotions and manage anxiety.
The Rev. Bill Crews Foundation’s experienced Play Therapists offer Play Therapy 1:1 in its specially designed Play Therapy rooms in Ashfield and the Summer Hill Children’s Centre. We are also delivering 1:1 Play Therapy in schools. The Play Therapy program is a minimum of 12 sessions, at the same day and time, once a week.
Group Play Therapy
Group Play Therapy brings together a small group of children of the same emotional age who have the same therapeutic need.
The group becomes a microcosm of the child’s world, providing an opportunity for self-exploration and self-growth in the safety of the therapeutic relationship. In each session, the group are invited to participate in an expressive and projective play activity such as art, music, sand, clay, nature, water play, puppets, drama, and messy play.
Group Play Therapy injects a realistic element to the therapeutic process in that it enables the child to start to consider the reaction and feelings of others.
Group Play Therapy is an 8-week program, at the same day and time, once a week. This program is delivered in schools.
Play Therapy Updates
We’re excited to announce that our Play Therapy rooms will be relocating from Ashfield to a new Western Sydney location in 2025!
While we are not accepting new referrals for the remainder of 2024, please feel free to reach out to us if you'd like to stay informed on our new Western Sydney Play Therapy Hub opening in the new year.
Play Therapy and Baby & Me for children in Sydney
About Baby & Me
The Rev. Bill Crews Foundation offers a “Baby & Me” Infant Massage Group in a safe and supportive environment. Infant massage offers a range of benefits, including enhancing the attachment / bonding process between parents/carers and their babies. The group is run by our experienced Registered Play Therapists who are Certified Infant Massage Instructors with the Australian Infant Massage Information Service.
The group is suitable for new parents/carers and their babies from pregnancy until 9 months of age.
In addition to Infant Massage instruction, the group also benefits from learning about the benefits of attachment-based play and child development.
The Rev. Bill Crews Foundation’s Play Therapists have been trained in the program and are licensed to deliver it.
Learn more about our Play Therapy and Baby & Me programs
For additional information about our Play Therapy or Baby & Me Programs please email us:
annac@billcrews.org
nurh@billcrews.org
meganl@billcrews.org
