Play Therapy with Julie Thigpen

03/29/2026

02/03/2026

Why should we celebrate International Play Therapy Week?

02/01/2026

Welcome to my Happy Place!
😍
This is my current playroom at Distinctive Counseling and Consulting, PLLC. I've been in this amazing space for almost 4 years, and it's quite different from my first play space 25+ years ago.
I started out with a large black suitcase on wheels. 😏 No BOA, no sandbox, no cash register - but even then I knew what I'd been told: "Y♡U are the most important thing in the playroom." So I showed up with what I could carry!
Long before I had all the confidence or knew all the "right stuff" (not sure that ever happens!), I had been taught skills and given tools. But the most valuable asset was Paul Barlow encouraging me to trust what I knew, what I felt, and the ability of the child to find what they need within the RELATIONSHIP of Play Therapy.
Now this amazing space is my HAPPY PLACE! Not because it has all the things - an incredibly large playroom with so many toys, a place for sandtray and my growing collection, comfortable space for parents, and room for working with associates and providing play therapy supervision. It's my happy place because I have seen it, felt it, and know that ANY playroom has the potential to allow a child to be themselves - whoever and however they need to be.
The playroom is a place to play, yes. It is also a place to do hard things, try new ways of being, or truly just BE. A playroom is more than a room or a place to grow and heal. The Playroom is where you discover that the Happy Place is Y♡U!🥰

01/31/2026

It is so incredibly sad that many parents struggle to know what to say or even if they should talk to their kids about hard things... but you as a parent have a responsibility to support your child as they learn to navigate the world. Most of us also want our values to shape how our children understand and respond to difficult situations.
Here's what I hope you'll remember: You don't have to have all the answers or be perfect. What matters most isn't getting the words exactly right - it's creating openness. When you approach your child with honesty and warmth, you're teaching them something invaluable: We can talk about hard things together.
Your child is already aware. They're picking up on tension, catching news fragments, overhearing conversations. When we stay silent, we don't protect them - we leave them to make sense of things alone, often with their own anxious interpretations filling the gaps.
The graphic I'm sharing offers age-appropriate language for talking with 8-10 year olds about ICE and immigration issues currently in the news. Use what fits your family. Adapt it to your values. The goal isn't to eliminate worry or answer every question perfectly - it's to be their guide, helping them develop empathy and understanding while ensuring your voice is part of how they make sense of what they're hearing.

Another break your heart post.....

01/31/2026

This Sunday marks the start of Play Therapy Week, and I’m excited to celebrate almost 30 years of using my passion and doing the work I absolutely love. As a play therapist, I’ve spent decades at the table, in the sandbox, and on the floor with hundreds of children, and I have been blessed by every one of them. I’m proud and humbled that this career – born from my gifts woking with kids and joys of play – has let me watch those tiny hands and big imaginations grow and heal.
Over the years I’ve seen generations of families open themselves to healing as their children pour their hearts into play. 💖
I have participated as Play Therapy has grown and expanded to a widely recognized as the developmentally appropriate, evidence-based way to help kids heal and thrive not just in therapy but in their lives. I’m especially proud of my role mentoring dozens of new therapists and advocating for play therapy in our community. Together we’ve helped more families realize that compassionate, empowered therapeutic care through play truly works.
I truly believe that play is a child’s natural language – their truest way to communicate thoughts and feelings. Play is the language children speak best, and its power to heal never ceases to amaze me.️ ❤️‍🩹 I can’t wait to share more stories, insights and fun as we celebrate Play Therapy Week!

01/31/2026

This is a great explanation of executive state 🧠

01/31/2026

This is good! 💞
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1FVivGQizW/

01/06/2026

Speaker series for parents and educators@VillaMontEducationalConsulting

01/06/2026

GoZen: Anxiety Relief for Children ❤️

01/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1C7ViUp8rk/

12/12/2025

💞🥰💞

These are among the most important things I put on my to-do list. ❤️

12/12/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Bxj2iXXpb/