South Eastern Play and Creative Therapies

23/12/2025

Strong Connections – Therapeutic Social Skills Group 🌈

This intensive 6-session school holiday program supports children to build confidence, connection and emotional regulation in a small, nurturing group environment.

Through structured therapeutic play, children are supported to:

• Build self-esteem and confidence
• Develop social skills and peer relationships
• Strengthen emotional and physical regulation
• Experience belonging and trust

Ages 5–7 & 8–10

📅 13–15 Jan & 20–22 Jan

⏱ 45-minute sessions

👥 Max 4 children per group

💰 $95 per session ($570 total)

⚠️ Commitment to attend all sessions is required

NDIS & Medicare accepted. Run by an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker/Registered Play Therapist.

Places are limited.

👉 Register https://south-eastern-play-and-creative-therapies.splose.com/public-form/aa18e4fc-8215-45cc-a433-784115d4606d orcontact us directly.

16/12/2025

15/12/2025

Want to learn more about our school holiday program?

🧠 *This is not a “sit and talk” group*
Strong Connections therapeutic group program helps children to build *social competence, emotional regulation and self-esteem* through what children do best — play, movement, connection and shared experiences. Play is the child's natural means of communication.

🌱 Each session is carefully designed around the four core dimensions of Theraplay®:

🔹 Structure – playful games and activities that provide predictability/structure and encourage turn taking and other social skills, helping children feel secure
🔹 Engagement – joyful, interactive play that builds connection and attention
🔹 Nurture – experiences that support sensory regulation, emotional safety and self-worth
🔹 Challenge – fun, achievable challenges that grow confidence and resilience

This group is ideal for children who:
• struggle to navigate and maintain peer relationships
• find it hard to share, use turn taking and use cooperative play
• have difficulty regulating emotions and behavioural responses
• feel overwhelmed in traditional talk-based social skills groups

*The Facilitator is an experienced Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and Registered Play Therapist*

📣 Places are limited to keep the group small, safe and highly supportive.

👉 **Register now** and give your child the opportunity to grow confidence, connection and joy through play.

📩 Message us or click the link to secure a spot today:

09/12/2025

As we approach the Christmas period, we wanted to let you know that our clinic will be closed from Monday 22 December and will reopen on Monday 12 January 2026.

🎄We wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Year period!

***We are not a crisis service so if you or your child is needing support over the Christmas period please use the details below:

For urgent mental health needs:
Latrobe Regional Hospital Mental Health Triage on 1300 363 322 (Gippsland)
Monash Health Psychiatric Triage Service (CAT Team) 1300 369 012 (Casey/Cardinia)

Mental Health Support:
Headspace - 1800 650 890 - www.headspace.org.au/
Kids Helpline - 13 11 14 - www.lifeline.org.au/
Lifeline - 13 11 14 - www.lifeline.org.au/
Parentline - 13 22 89 - www.parentline.com.au/

Family Violence Support:
Safe Steps - 1800 015 188 - www.safesteps.org.au/
The Orange Door - www.orangedoor.vic.gov.au

04/12/2025

EXCITING NEWS! 🎉
Upcoming Intensive School Holiday Therapeutic Group Program: Strong Connections

We will be running two therapeutic social skills groups in the January school holidays for the following age groups:

🟡 5-7 years
🟢 8-10 years

This is a structured, therapist directed, play therapy group designed to support children with their self-confidence, build social competence, and emotional and physical regulation.

Please see the attached flyer for more information.

To register your child please complete the online form using the link below:

https://south-eastern-play-and-creative-therapies.splose.com/public-form/aa18e4fc-8215-45cc-a433-784115d4606d

To find out more call us on 0404 218 731 or admin@playandcreativetherapies.com.au

28/10/2025

How beautiful and creative is this space for kids to explore, express, and grow!

Love seeing our new play therapy room come to life! ✨

24/10/2025

EXCITING NEWS! 🎉 We have moved our clinic to Warragul and are no longer operating out of our Officer clinic.

OFFERING:
🟡 Child Play Therapy
🟢 Family Play Therapy
🔵 Creative Counselling for teens and adults

If you want to know more or to make an appointment contact us on 0404 218 731 or admin@playandcreativetherapies.com.au.

Alternatively, to register we will contact you as soon as we receive your registration form to book an appointment.
Child Registration Form https://south-eastern-play-and-creative-therapies.splose.com/public-form/d2d31e50-8665-4b40-b477-ce3c92de08f1

Adult Registration Form https://south-eastern-play-and-creative-therapies.splose.com/public-form/0d5f36ee-1930-417e-b938-dcb6d45e525b

05/10/2025

08/08/2025

🪺 Recipe for a Play Therapist 🪺

Recipe for a Play Therapist

Ingredients:

2 heaped cups of empathy

1 strong foundation in child development

3 generous scoops of patience

1 cup of creativity (rainbows and puppets optional)

½ cup of humour (to laugh with, never at)

A pinch of therapeutic limits

4 tablespoons of active listening

A splash of imagination

Endless sprinkles of curiosity

Essential: a calming voice and a warm smile

Instructions:

1. Start with empathy as your base — it’s the heart of every good play therapist. Mix in a solid understanding of developmental psychology to give your work structure and depth.

2. Stir in patience and creativity slowly. These will help you connect with children at their own pace, in their own world.

3. Fold in humour to help ease anxiety and build rapport. Just a pinch can bring light to even the most difficult sessions.

4. Add your listening skills, being sure to include both what is said and what is shown through play.

5. Season with imagination and curiosity. Let the child lead — your job is to follow, understand, and reflect their world.

6. Top with a warm, consistent presence. Children thrive on predictability and safety, so your steady, genuine approach is the glue that holds it all together.

7. Let it simmer over time. Progress is slow-cooked, never rushed.

Serves: One child at a time — with care, compassion, and connection.

03/08/2025

Helpful resource on PDA

*Please note* PDA Society training is booked via our website

https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/events-training-landing/

If you are unsure if you are being offered training by us you can contact training@pdasociety.org.uk to check

Our What is PDA? information sheet is FREE to download & share with others via the link below. Also available in this series are our What is PDA? booklet and What is PDA? video. https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/what-is-pda-menu/

01/08/2025

*Free play therapy sessions*

At South Eastern Play and Creative Therapies we support the training and development of Play Therapy students. See below for a great opportunity for one family to access support for their child:

My name is Felicity and I’m currently completing my Master of Child Play Therapy at Deakin University. As part of my clinical placement, I’m offering *FREE* Learn to Play therapy sessions for children aged 2 to 5 years. There’s only ONE spot left, immediate availability on Fridays between 12pm and 2:30pm, so please get in touch as soon as possible if you're interested!

Learn to Play is a directive, therapeutic approach designed to help children who may find it difficult to engage in pretend play. Pretend play is essential for building social skills, language, creativity, self-regulation, and flexible thinking. This child-centred therapy supports children to enjoy, initiate, and deepen their pretend play, with the goal of helping them become confident, independent players across all settings.

When: Now!
Where: Officer

Please contact Felicity to discuss if this might be a good fit for your child:

Email: s220530091@deakin.edu.au

Mobile: 0402 383 881

27/07/2025

Is your child struggling to express their emotions or feeling overwhelmed by anxiety?

Play Therapy is a developmentally sensitive, neurodiversity-affirming and trauma-informed approach. 💕 We can support a range of needs including: separation anxiety, depression, trauma/family violence, social anxiety, Autism, ADHD, PDA

If you would like to register your interest complete the Play Therapy Enquiry Form by scanning the QR code on our flyer or click here: https://south-eastern-play-and-creative-therapies.splose.com/public-form/fcdae678-8164-46f4-997a-e93f1f31eea7... For more information, connect with us via email: admin@playandcreativetherapies.com.au or give us a call at 0404 218 731.