Children and play therapy
You've noticed a change in your child. Whether they're dealing with a big life change, anxiety, emotions that feel too big to manage, or something else entirely, play therapy meets them where they are — no pressure to explain, perform, or "talk it out" before they're ready.
Our office on Shoal Creek, across from Pease Park.
Most parents wait. They watch for a few months, ask other parents, decide it will pass, and then something happens at school or at bedtime and they start wondering if they should get more help. That is not slowness. It is what a reasonable person does, and almost everyone arrives here the same way. Maybe you've noticed:
Bedtime and/or sleep has changed significantly.
Anger that seems out of proportion to what caused it.
A child who has gone quiet, or clingy.
Suddenly frightened of something they were fine with last year.
A big life change: a death, a divorce, a move, or an accident.
Your normal parenting strategies aren't working anymore.
The first conversation is with you, the parent. That means you can ask anything you want and describe plainly what your concerns are. What happens from there depends on your child — your therapist will make a recommendation on frequency, type of therapy, and how much they'll want you involved in sessions, or checking in by phone in between.
The therapist will build a thoughtful, therapeutic relationship with your child — one of safety, non-judgment, and trust. This will help your child feel comfortable exploring their emotions and experiences.
The consultation: A free twenty minute phone call with you, the parent. You describe what's been going on, and we'll work out together whether this is the right place and who on the team fits. It ends in a recommendation, not an assignment.
The first session: Parents and child come together. The therapist will talk with all of you first. Toward the end, they'll spend some time with your child one-on-one.
How you stay involved: Your therapist will recommend how often you check in, based on what your child needs. That might mean joining some sessions or a quick phone call between them. Either way, you'll be part of the process.
Kari Kulak
MDiv, LPC Associate
Supervised by
Gena St. David, PhD, LPC-S, LMFT-S
Kids don't always have the words for what they're feeling, and that's okay. Play is how children naturally process their world, work through hard emotions, and make sense of things that feel too big to talk about directly. In play therapy, your child gets a space that's just theirs, with a therapist trained to understand what's showing up in their play and gently help them move through it.
Parents play an important role, too. Your therapist is only with your child once a week, so the work happening in session lands much better when it's reinforced at home. Your therapist will stay in touch to share ways to support that integration and continued growth outside of sessions.
What play therapy involves
What the work looks like depends on your child's age. What doesn't change is that it happens in their own medium, not by asking them to explain themselves.
Child-centered play & sandtray for younger children, with parent sessions alongside.
Expressive arts as they get older, with parent sessions alongside.
Filial Therapy & Parent-Child Coaching
Sometimes the biggest shift happens when you're in the room, too. We'll teach you the same skills your child's therapist uses, so you can build connection and respond in ways that help your child feel safe and seen — tools that last long after sessions end.
We see children, teens, and adults, so your family doesn't have to start over somewhere new when a child gets older, or when a parent decides they could use support of their own.
Ages 4 and up.
No, though it looks like it from the doorway. To your child, it feels like building, drawing, or pretending. To your therapist, it's a window into what your child is working through, and a way to help them process it. The play is real, and so is the work happening underneath it.
How much detail you get often depends on your child's age — younger kids' sessions tend to involve more parent communication, while teens are given more privacy to build trust with their therapist. Either way, we'll keep you in the loop on the big picture: how they're doing, what themes are coming up, and anything you need to know to support them at home. If there's ever a safety concern, we'll always bring you in.
We understand. Very few children arrive enthusiastic, and a child being reluctant is usually information rather than an obstacle. Encourage your child to try coming a couple of times. If they don't end up connecting with the therapist by session 3, let's make a new plan together.
Yes, we do. We have a services page written specifically for teens, since that work is different from what we do with younger children.
Appointments Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, in person in Central Austin (across from Pease Park) or virtually across Texas. Weekends are sometimes available, so please ask if that works better for you.
No. The practice does not bill insurance directly. We can check your out-of-network benefits for you, by hand, before you commit to anything.
Twenty free minutes with someone who knows the team. You describe what's going on, and we tell you honestly whether this is the right place. Rates, insurance, and timing are all part of that conversation, not a surprise later.
Book a free consultationYou tell us what you have been noticing, in whatever words you have for it.
We talk through what would help, and answer any questions that you have about the process.
You leave with a recommendation to work with someone on our team, or a referral to another resource in the area. Either way, you won't be back at square one.
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