Melanie Huffman Child & Family Counselling

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Kingston, ON
Melanie Huffman Child & Family Counselling

Being a kid can be tough. So can parenting. Together we can work to bring more joy to your family life.

02/19/2026

Love how Jen The Redwood Center for Children & Families describes CCPT!

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1AU9mGepta/?mibextid=wwXIfr

02/17/2026

To a child, this isn’t just play.

It’s problem-solving.
Expression.
Control.
Safety.

Sometimes big things come out in small, ordinary moments on the floor.

If your child struggles to explain what they’re feeling,
or you’re noticing emotions showing up in ways that are hard to read,
play may already be doing the talking.

Child-Centered Play Therapy meets children where they are — without pressure, labels, or forcing words.

✨ Now accepting clients
📍 Kingston
🔗 melaniehuffman.com

02/15/2026

Things people do not choose:
Sexual orientation
Gender identity
Appearance
Disability
Mental illness
Race

Things people do choose:
To be an as*hole to people over things they cannot control.

02/10/2026

When children don’t have the words, they use what they know.

Play becomes how they show fear, joy, confusion, control, and connection.
Not because something is wrong, but because play is their language.

Child-Centered Play Therapy creates space for children to express what they’re carrying, at their pace, in ways that feel safe and natural to them.

You don’t have to interpret it alone.
And your child doesn’t have to figure it out by themselves.

✨ Now accepting clients
📍 Kingston - 1315 Centennial Dr Unit 5.
🔗 www.melaniehuffman.com

02/03/2026

Being a kid can be hard.

Big emotions.
Small bodies.
Not enough words.

When talking feels impossible, play opens the door.

Melanie Huffman now offers Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) — a gentle, evidence-based approach that helps children:

• Express emotions safely
• Make sense of what they’re feeling
• Build confidence and emotional regulation
• Feel understood without being pushed or rushed

In CCPT, children lead.
The play becomes the language.
Healing happens without pressure.

Melanie is one of only two Child-Centered Play Therapists locally.
Her dedicated playroom is now open, and she’s accepting new clients.

If your child is struggling and you’re not sure how to help — this is a place to start.

https://melanie-huffmancounselling.clientsecure.me/
📞 613.530.7218

01/27/2026

This is Melanie Huffman, a child and parent therapist who uses play to help children feel safe, understood, and supported as they grow.

You can book an appointment here: https://www.melaniehuffman.com/services

01/20/2026

“Connection is the foundation for all healing.”
Children do not heal by being told what to do or how to feel.

They heal through relationship. Play therapy works because it meets children where they are. In play, children feel safer. Less judged. More in control. That sense of safety creates connection.
When a therapist follows a child’s lead in play, the child experiences an adult who is present, curious, and emotionally available. That connection helps regulate the nervous system before words are ever needed.

From that place of safety, children begin to explore feelings, practice new responses, and make sense of their experiences. Not because they are pushed to change, but because connection allows growth to unfold.

This is why play is not “just play.”
It is how connection becomes healing.

01/13/2026

Children are not as fragile as we fear.
They are resilient when they feel safe.

Play therapy does not fix children.
It gives them space to use skills they already have.

When a child feels understood,
growth happens naturally.

01/07/2026

Learn how play therapy can support your child.

12/24/2025

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

December is a lot for kids. If you notice more tears or quicker overload, it is normal. I have space in January if your family needs support.

12/17/2025

The holidays are a sensory marathon for a lot of kids. Loud rooms. Strong smells. Bright lights. Crowded spaces. New routines. Their nervous system takes the hit long before the behaviour shows it.

Many kids don’t have the language to say “this is too much,” so it comes out as clinginess, irritability, shutting down, or refusing to join in. This isn’t misbehaviour. It’s overload.

One way to help: build sensory exits into the day. A quiet room. Noise reducing headphones. A slow walk outside. A predictable break after every event. These small resets lower the overall load and make everything else more doable.

If December already feels heavy for your child, support is available. Play therapy helps kids process what they’re holding so they don’t carry it alone.

12/13/2025

“They should know better by now” sounds reasonable, but it misses how child development works.

Kids grow in uneven lines. A child who seems mature in conversation can still fall apart when their nervous system is overloaded.

Big reactions are signals, not choices.
One practical shift that helps right away. Name the cue, not the behaviour.

Instead of “stop overreacting,” try “your body is telling me this is too much right now.” It lowers shame and helps the child understand what is happening inside.

If you want help learning how to read these cues, Melanie offers parent consultations built around real examples from your home.

Address

4 Cataraqui Street Unit 101
Kingston, ON
K7K1Z7

Opening Hours

Monday

12pm - 8pm

Website

http://melaniehuffman.com/

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