Creative Therapies for Children and Youth

Music, Play, Somatic, and Expressive Arts Therapies in a Safe, Supportive Environment

At Lori Gill Psychotherapy, we recognize the profound benefits that creative approaches to therapy can offer. These methods allow for non-intrusive expression of feelings and emotions, making it easier for clients of all ages to engage in the healing process.

As a result we offer alternate treatment approaches for children, youth, and adults through the use of creative methodologies such as music, art, sand, play, and therapeutic games focused counselling.

These innovative therapies not only foster emotional expression but also support personal growth, resilience, and healing in a safe and supportive environment.

We provide a play and art focused therapy room, and somatic therapy / body movement area with specialized equipment, toys, and activities. These items have been carefully selected to encourage creativity and natural behaviours, providing opportunity for optimal observation and assessment.

Using the Body to Promote Emotional Regulation

Our experiences and emotions have a profound impact on the body. Often, the body holds excess energy, which can manifest as heightened emotions—such as stress, anxiety, anger, and trauma—or as low energy states, like depression, grief, loss, and chronic fatigue.

At Lori Gill Psychotherapy, our goal is to help children, youth, and adults learn how to effectively manage these emotional states. We teach clients to:

Release Excess Energy: Learn techniques to let go of overwhelming emotions and stress.
Up-Regulate When Hypoaroused: Discover ways to boost energy and motivation when feeling low or depleted.

Our Somatic Therapy & Sensory Spaces

At Lori Gill Psychotherapy, each of our therapeutic rooms is equipped with dedicated somatic therapy resources designed to facilitate emotional regulation—whether you need to up-regulate your energy or down-regulate during moments of overwhelm.

A Safe, Nurturing Environment

Our therapy spaces are intentionally designed to create a safe and supportive atmosphere where clients can explore their emotions freely. Here’s what you can expect in our somatic therapy and sensory spaces:

Mindfulness and Awareness:
We teach clients to notice and feel their emotions without judgment. By fostering mindfulness, clients can develop a deeper understanding of their emotional landscape.
Skill Development:
We focus on building competencies that empower clients to manage their emotions effectively. This includes practical techniques for emotional regulation and coping strategies tailored to individual needs.
Lifelong Tools:
Our goal is to help clients carry these skills forward into their everyday lives. By equipping them with lifelong tools, we aim to promote ongoing emotional health and resilience long after therapy sessions have ended.

Play Focused Therapy - A child's most natural form of expression

At Lori Gill Psychotherapy, we understand that play is a child’s most natural form of expression. Through play, children often work through their emotions and feelings, making it a powerful therapeutic tool. Our play-based therapy deepens this natural process, using play to build emotional awareness and facilitate the expression of a child’s feelings and experiences in a safe, non-threatening manner.

Healing Through Therapeutic Play - A child's most natural form of expression

Understanding Play-Focused Therapy for Your Child

Play-Focused Therapy is a therapeutic approach that allows children to express their feelings and work through problems by “playing out” their experiences. Through the use of toys and creative play, children can symbolize their inner and outer worlds, making sense of what they feel and experience.

Why Play is Important

Natural Language of Children: Play is how children communicate. It’s their way of expressing emotions and understanding their experiences without the need for words.
Developmentally Sensitive: This approach is particularly suitable for children who have experienced trauma. When trauma occurs, the verbal part of the brain often shuts down, making it hard for children to articulate their feelings. Play provides a safe, non-verbal way for them to explore and express those emotions.

How Play-Focused Therapy Works

Therapeutic Relationship: The therapist creates a safe space through acceptance, attunement, and structure. By following the child’s lead, the therapist honors their pace and readiness to explore trauma-related themes.
Projection and Exploration: Children project their feelings and experiences onto toys, which allows them to create a psychological distance from their trauma. This distance helps them to explore difficult material in a way that feels safer and more manageable.
Empowerment and Mastery: As children externalize their stories through play, they gain a sense of mastery over their experiences. This process is especially important for children who may feel powerless or vulnerable after a traumatic event. The therapist respects the child’s ability to solve problems and make choices, helping to restore their sense of self-efficacy.

The Benefits of Play-Focused Therapy

Emotional Expression: Children can express complex emotions without the pressure of verbalizing them.
Safe Exploration: Play therapy provides a structured environment where children can explore their feelings and experiences safely.
Building Resilience: Through play, children learn coping skills and develop emotional regulation, which supports their overall growth and healing.

In play focussed therapy, traumatized children learn:

that the world can be safe, consistent and predictable
that feelings (both positive and negative) are acceptable
to trust and attach to other people
to be creative and resourceful in confronting problems
develop a greater capacity to cope
to experience behaviours and feelings of control/mastery
to develop an internal source of evaluation
to be more self-directed, responsible and autonomous
to develop an enhanced sense of self and become more self-accepting

(adapted from Landreth 2002)

Sand Tray Therapy

Sand tray therapy is a gentle, expressive approach that allows children to use miniature figures and objects to create their own worlds in a tray of sand. Children choose items that interest them—such as people, animals, or fantasy figures—and arrange them in the sand in any way they wish.

This process helps children:

Express thoughts and feelings they may not have words for
Safely explore their inner and outer experiences through play
Feel seen and understood, whether or not they choose to talk about their creations

The therapist simply observes and supports the child during the process, offering a safe space for healing and self-discovery.

Benefits of sand tray therapy:

sand is a familiar medium with inherently soothing qualities
is kinesthetic and allows sensory trauma memories to be released
increases capacity for self-awareness as unconscious material comes to consciousness
enhanced communication
once externalized the experience can be viewed from a different perspective and reworked allowing the child to move towards resolution and a sense of mastery
provides safe psychological distance from which to deal with emotional pain
provides a sense of catharsis.
the sand tray provides a sense of containment for overwhelming experiences

Expressive Arts Therapy

Art-based therapy offers children and youth a safe, creative way to express feelings and experiences—especially when words are hard to find. Through activities like painting, drawing, or sculpting, young people can explore their emotions, develop self-awareness, and begin to heal.

After creating their art, children are invited to share what their creation means to them, helping them make sense of their feelings in their own way. Because trauma often affects the parts of the brain used for language, art therapy is especially helpful for those with intensive needs, allowing for expression and emotional regulation when talking isn’t possible.

We know that trauma can make it hard for children and youth to talk about their experiences. Expressive arts therapies offer a safe way to share and process feelings without needing to use words, allowing healing to begin even when talking feels too difficult.

Curious about Art Based Therapy? Did you know....

Art based therapy is NOT about artistic talent, skill, or ability
that neuroscientists can see that when someone imagines doing something (e.g., watching a sunset or riding a bicycle), the areas of the brain involved in actually doing the activity are activated and light up on the brain scan
that the field of neuroscience (through technologies such as MRI/PET imaging) has begun to show proof that art therapy has a positive effect psychologically and emotionally
that art based therapy affects the wiring of the brain
that making imagery / art is more powerful than simply imagining it and that doing it can actually make lasting changes in the brain

Ready to Support Your Child's Healing Journey?

Curious about how creative therapies—like play, art, sand tray, or sensory-based approaches—can help your child?
We’re here to answer your questions and guide you in finding the best fit for your family’s needs.

Let’s take the next step toward healing and growth together.