Sunflower Play Therapy : Shropshire, Staffordshire and South Cheshire.

30/06/2025

My son is very into the Matilda film at the moment and the soundtrack is on almost constantly in my home!

Matilda the Musical might seem like a whimsical, magical tale but there are so many powerful moments.
Every time I see the film I am deeply moved by the song 'Quiet'.

'Quiet' is not just a beautiful song, it offers a striking depiction of something much deeper; dissociation as a response to an overwhelming and traumatic environment and experiences.

When Matilda sings 'Quiet,' she is not describing silence. She’s describing a psychological shutdown.
Her day-to-day traumatic experiences have become so overwhelming and chaotic that the only way for Matilda to cope is to retreat inward.

As well as the music changing from fast and chaotic to calm and quiet - her words are a powerful snapshot of dissociation:

"And when everyone shouts like they seem to like shouting, the noise in my head is incredibly loud.
And I just wish they'd stop - my dad and my mom and the telly, and stories would stop for just once.
And I'm sorry I'm not quite explaining it right,
But this noise becomes anger, and the anger is light,
And its burning inside me would usually fade but it isn't today, and the heat and the shouting and my heart is pounding, and my eyes are burning...and suddenly everything, everything is...quiet.
Like silence but not really silent, just that still sort of quiet...
And though the people around me, their mouths are still moving,
The words they are forming cannot reach me anymore.
And it is quiet,
And I am warm,
Like I've sailed into the eye of the storm."

This resonates far beyond the film and sadly, as therapists and clinicians, it's something that we see frequently with the children that we work with. They may not always have the words to name it, but they are experiencing it intensely.

Dissociation can be confusing for a child to experience and it's so important to help them to understand that it is not weakness; it’s survival - the mind is protecting itself by disconnecting.

What is so powerful about this song is that it frames that moment of detachment not just as an escape, but as a kind of resilient clarity.
It’s a stark reminder that even in silence and stillness, the mind will do what it must to protect us.

There’s a really important education within the song for leaders, educators, and anyone in a caregiving role: sometimes a quiet child isn't just shy — they may be overwhelmed.
And for children with trauma, their minds are already in protection mode and so dissociation is more likely to occur.

'Quiet' reminds us to listen for what isn’t said — and to meet it with empathy, understanding and acceptance.

“Quiet” from Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film)Music by Tim MinchinPerformed by Alisha Weir, The Cast of Roald Dahl's Matild...

17/05/2025

Sun's out, chalk's out!

Anyone else making the most of this sunshine whilst it's here?

Nature is absolutely fantastic for mental health. It gives us natural brain stem calmers to help ease any stress and worries...all for free!

What is everyone else doing to make the most of the good weather ? ☀️

13/05/2025

I know we're almost halfway through the week but I've had so many messages regarding SATs that I thought I'd share this.

The frustration/anger I feel every single year when SATs rolls around is close to unmatched. At some point, the government will listen to teachers, mental health professionals and parents and allow kids to be kids and drop the extreme pressures that so many of them feel towards SATs.

However, until then, there are things that we can do.

- Show interest and empathy.
We all know a child's pet hate is to be quizzed repeatedly about their day! But showing a gentle interest and lending an empathetic ear makes a child feel heard and cared about. It is important to pick up on their signals if they don't want to discuss it but to let them know that you're here for them and would love to hear about it when they're ready - no matter how it went.
It is also important to consider the difference between empathy and sympathy and ensure we are practicing empathy.
If a child is finding the exam difficult to discuss, make it clear to them that the exam isn't what you're most interested in ...it's how they feel 💛.

- Focus on the positives.
Sometimes we all need someone else to point out the positives for them. "You showed up", "You did your best", "I'm proud of you for being so brave" or even "that's one more over!" 💛

- Celebrate the skills they showed.
Similarly but slightly different to the point above, SATs require different skills from different children - depending on their attitude towards them? Did they show determination and a keen attitude to learn and try their best? Did they show resilience and perseverance?
These are far more important life skills than SATs are able to test! 💛

- Cuddles and play, play and more play!
Who doesn't want a cuddle from their caregiver when they're feeling a little bit wobbly?!
And play is so powerful to aid mental wellbeing and regulation. Be it toys, painting, board games, outdoor games - find something you can play with your child and watch the stress begin to ease! 💛

26/04/2025

I bought one of these yesterday after seeing a recommendation from the lovely The Rainbow Hub Lancaster recently ⭐ 🌈.

I actually bought it to use with children but I found it so relaxing that I know it will become just as useful to me as it will be for them.
Emily from The Rainbow Hub initially shared this as something that she uses between sessions in order to wind down.

Finding something that can help you as a therapist to decompress after a session is super important but a day as a therapist is so jam packed and fast paced that it often needs to be something that can be done quickly. This is just perfect for something to concentrate on and quiet your mind, without taking much time at all. It is definitely something that I will be using.

Thanks Emily and The Rainbow Hub. 🌈 🌻

10/03/2025

I went to the opening of a new shop in the town where I live last week. It was fantastic - the toy aisle was full of sensory toys and fidgets...and then I saw this!

Isn't it tragic that, with all that we know about how early experiences shape a child's sense of self, one of the first places children encounter limiting messages based on their gender is the toy aisle.

Nothing infuriates me more than seeing toys labelled 'girls' and 'boys'.
When we label dolls as 'girls toys' and fire engines as 'boys toys' we are sending silent signals and messages to the very youngest of children about what’s acceptable for each gender.

Play is how children explore emotions, build life skills, develop confidence and find their own sense of self.

I will never forget taking my son to a ballet class for toddlers. He was the only boy and was perfectly content with this. The class were asked to pretend to be butterflies and he wholeheartedly joined in. The teacher came rushing over to him and said "don't worry - you can be a dragon".
I promptly told him he could chose to be a butterfly or a dragon. He carried on pretending to be a butterfly...like every other dancer in the room.

Every child benefits from nurturing play - for example, playing with dolls.
Every child benefits from problem-solving activities - for example, Lego and building blocks.
Regardless of gender, these skills of emotional logic, confidence and sense of belonging are built just the same.

What about this colouring book makes it for boys? What about this colouring book means that a girl cannot enjoy the colouring sheets inside?
What part of a unicorn makes it that boys shouldn't play with it? What part of a doll means that a boy shouldn't play Daddy's, or even Mummy's?

Instead of forcing dated stereotypes on children, we should focus on offering kids a variety of toys that match their interests, not just what society once told us matched their gender.

The goal? Raising emotionally intelligent, confident and most of all, secure children —one toy at a time.

07/03/2025

World Book Day 📚🐛.

What did your little ones go as?

05/03/2025

The last few days of sunshine have been a welcome break for most of us after the winter weather we've gotten used to over the last few months.

Our brains will be thankful for the sun too, as sunshine has a direct impact on our brains and mental health.

☀️ Sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D, which supports brain function and mental health, it also increases serotonin levels, making you feel happier and more energised.

☀️ Natural light regulates your circadian rhythm, helping you sleep better at night.

☀️Time in the sun can enhance cognitive function, improving memory and concentration.

☀️We are more likely to go outside when it's sunny, which of course gives us all of the natural benefits that being outside brings to our brain - including those all important natural brain stem calmers.

☀️And, of course, everything just feels better when the sun is shining!!

27/02/2025

I am so pleased to share that I am now an accredited play therapist!

Accreditation is an acknowledgement of a demonstration of positive high impact work with traumatised children and acknowledges a high level of experience.

I'm so glad I finally got round to applying for my accreditation because it feels like a real achievement!

21/02/2025

Yesterday I had a day off work to spend with my children during their half term break. Of course we squeezed in lots of outdoor time as I'm a big fan of the benefits of outdoor play but we also visited the Flaxmill in Shrewsbury. My son is learning about the industrial revolution at school so this was the perfect trip for him.

My daughter soon found an area with toy bricks and building blocks. There were signs encouraging children to build their own tower. Here she is building 'Morrisons Cafe', 'The Hideout' and 'Thomasland".

I took this picture as it's the perfect example of the real life experiences that children bring to their play.

My daughter goes to Morrisons cafe with her Grandparents fairly regularly, and The Hideout is another cafe local to us that do her favourite milkshakes. We went to Thomasland earlier in the week with her friends. This model even included the 'hook a duck stand' that she won a toy on during our visit. All of her building and design were her own independent ideas.

My daughter used her real life experiences to shape her play, and she communicated her enthusiasm and enjoyment of these experiences throughout her game. She was re-living her experiences through her play without even realising it.

If this is what play can do for my daughter and her positive experiences, imagine what it can do and how powerful it is for children who have suffered trauma.

Play therapy is powerful.

05/02/2025

🧠 Education Beyond Four Walls 🧠

In my role, I often see how the most meaningful growth can happen outside traditional classrooms.
Real life skills and learning often takes place in the experiences of every day —exploring nature for building risk management skills, social skills through conversation and connection, mathematics through baking and cooking...the list goes on!

Education outside the classroom helps develop resilience, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking. It encourages curiosity and adaptability - all skills that are just as essential for mental well-being as they are for academic success.

Many children, particularly those with special educational needs or with a history of trauma, may struggle to sit and learn in a traditional classroom environment.
Trauma, for example, impacts on a child's physical development - they may struggle to just sit up straight, let alone hold a pencil and practice number bonds.

We know about the importance of learning styles in education, so why don't we embrace this. A child who is a kinetic learner may need to move in order to learn effectively. By providing them the opportunity to do this, we are helping them to harness their potential and to really enjoy and crave learning and education - building a lifelong love for learning.

And, in 2025, are we really still expecting a child who has suffered awful, harrowing early life experiences or a child who may not know where their next meal is coming from, to sit still and practice their handwriting?

We have to listen to the research, of which there is plenty, and change our culture to encourage a broader definition of learning—because life itself presents us with learning opportunities everyday.

Our job is to learn to harness them.

04/02/2025

🧠 It's Children's Mental Health Week 🧠

As a play therapist, I am lucky enough to witness the incredible power of play in helping children express emotions, process challenges, and build resilience.
Play is their language, and toys are their words — through it, they work through feelings that may be too big or confusing to say out loud.

This week is a reminder that every child deserves to be seen, heard, and supported. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and nurturing it starts with listening, validating their emotions, and providing safe spaces for them to grow.

Let’s come together to promote kindness, empathy, and connection for our young ones. Let's allow them the space and the tools that they need to navigate through their trauma.

Remember, sometimes the best way to help a child is simply to let them play.