Play Therapy in Knoxville, Tennessee
Helping Children Express Big Feelings, Develop Coping Skills, and Feel More Confident
When your child is struggling, it can be difficult to know what they need—or how to help.
Maybe your child has become more anxious, angry, withdrawn, or emotionally overwhelmed. You may be seeing frequent meltdowns, behavioral problems, difficulty at school, changes in sleep, or fears that interfere with everyday life. Your family may also be navigating grief, divorce, trauma, a major transition, or another experience your child does not yet have the words to explain.
Children do not always communicate emotional distress through conversation. They often communicate it through their behavior and play.
At Knoxville Counseling Services, we provide play therapy for children in Knoxville, Tennessee, in a warm and supportive environment. Our child therapists use play, art, games, sand tray, imaginative activities, and other developmentally appropriate approaches to help children express themselves, process difficult experiences, and practice healthier ways of managing emotions.
Through a trusting therapeutic relationship, children can begin to feel understood, capable, and supported.
What Is Play Therapy?
Play therapy is a developmentally appropriate form of counseling that uses play and creative expression to help children communicate and work through emotional, behavioral, and relational concerns.
Adults often process difficult experiences by talking about what happened, identifying emotions, and considering possible solutions. Children may not yet have the vocabulary, emotional awareness, or abstract reasoning skills needed to express everything they are experiencing through words alone.
Play gives children another way to communicate.
In a play therapy session, a child may use toys, games, art materials, stories, movement, puppets, action figures, dolls, sand tray miniatures, or imaginative play. These activities allow the child to express feelings, explore relationships, practice solutions, and make sense of experiences in a way that feels natural.
Play therapy is more than simply allowing a child to play while an adult observes. A trained play therapist carefully selects materials and uses therapeutic skills to understand the child’s communication, respond to emotional needs, establish appropriate limits, and support the child’s treatment goals.
Depending on the child, therapy may be more child-directed, more structured, or a combination of both. The therapist develops an individualized approach based on the child’s age, personality, needs, strengths, and reasons for coming to therapy.
Who Is Play Therapy For?
Play therapy is most commonly used with children because play is one of the primary ways children learn, communicate, and develop.
It may be appropriate for preschool-aged children, elementary-aged children, preteens, and some adolescents. Older children and teenagers may also benefit from creative or play-based approaches, including games, art, sand tray, storytelling, movement, and experiential activities.
Play therapy may be especially helpful for a child who:
Has difficulty expressing feelings
Becomes uncomfortable during direct emotional conversations
Communicates distress through troublesome behaviors
Feels anxious or overwhelmed
Has experienced a loss or frightening event
Is adjusting to a significant family change
Struggles with confidence or self-worth
Needs help developing coping and emotional-regulation skills
Benefits from hands-on, creative, or experiential learning
Before treatment begins, the therapist will speak with the parent or caregiver to learn about the child’s history, current concerns, strengths, development, and needs. This helps determine whether play therapy is a good fit.
What Concerns Can Play Therapy Address?
Children may be referred to play therapy for emotional, behavioral, social, developmental, or family-related concerns.
Play therapy may help children experiencing:
Anxiety and excessive worry
Separation anxiety
Frequent fears or phobias
Emotional outbursts
Anger or aggression
Difficulty regulating emotions
Behavioral problems at home or school
Low self-esteem or low self-worth
Perfectionism
Grief and loss
Trauma or frightening experiences
Family conflict
Parental separation or divorce
Adjustment to a blended family
Adoption or foster-care-related concerns
Attachment and relationship difficulties
School-related stress
Friendship or peer problems
Bullying
Social-skills difficulties
Depression or withdrawal
Life transitions
Medical stress
ADHD-related concerns
Impulse-control difficulties
Autism-related emotional or relational needs
Play therapy can also help children strengthen broader developmental skills. Depending on treatment goals, a child may work toward:
Identifying and expressing emotions
Developing healthy coping strategies
Increasing frustration tolerance
Improving problem-solving skills
Building confidence
Practicing appropriate boundaries
Communicating needs more effectively
Increasing flexibility
Strengthening social skills
Processing difficult experiences
Developing a more positive sense of self
Building healthier relationships with caregivers and peers
Play therapy is not a one-size-fits-all intervention. The therapist will consider the child’s symptoms, developmental level, family circumstances, and individual needs when recommending treatment.
How Can I Tell If My Child May Need Play Therapy?
Every child has difficult days, strong emotions, and periods of challenging behavior. These experiences are a normal part of development.
Professional support may be helpful when emotional or behavioral changes:
Continue for several weeks
Become more frequent or intense
Appear in more than one setting
Interfere with school, sleep, friendships, or family life
Prevent the child from participating in normal activities
Cause significant distress for the child
Create frequent conflict at home
Follow a loss, frightening experience, or major transition
Do not improve with ordinary parental support
You may also notice physical complaints such as frequent headaches or stomachaches, increased clinginess, changes in appetite, sleep problems, school avoidance, withdrawal, repeated reassurance-seeking, or the loss of interest in favorite activities.
You do not need to know exactly what is wrong before contacting a therapist. An initial consultation can help clarify what your child may be experiencing and what kind of support would be appropriate.
What Happens During Play Therapy Sessions?
The playroom provides a safe and accepting environment in which children can express themselves at their own pace.
Sessions may include:
Child-directed imaginative play
Therapeutic games
Puppets, dolls, and action figures
Sand tray therapy
Drawing, painting, or other art activities
Stories and metaphors
Movement or sensory activities
Role-playing
Emotion-identification activities
Problem-solving exercises
Coping-skills practice
Mindfulness or grounding exercises
Some children begin playing immediately. Others need time to observe the room, become comfortable with the therapist, or choose an activity. There is no “right” way for a child to participate.
During sessions, the therapist pays attention to the child’s words, choices, emotions, themes, relationships, and patterns of behavior. The therapist may reflect what the child appears to be communicating, help the child identify feelings, support problem-solving, or gently introduce activities related to treatment goals.
The therapist also creates clear and appropriate boundaries so the child can experience both freedom and safety.
Over time, the therapeutic relationship gives the child an opportunity to feel heard and accepted while practicing new emotional and behavioral skills.
Is Play Therapy Just Playing?
To an observer, parts of a session may look like ordinary play. The difference is the therapist’s training, intention, and relationship with the child.
In everyday play, a child may entertain themselves, interact socially, or practice developmental skills. In play therapy, carefully chosen materials and therapeutic responses help the child communicate, explore emotional experiences, and move toward specific treatment goals.
For example, a therapist may use play to help a child:
Give form to a fear that is difficult to describe
Rehearse a safer response to conflict
Develop a sense of control after a frightening experience
Practice recognizing emotions
Explore different roles within a family
Build confidence through mastery
Experience limits delivered with consistency and care
Create a story that helps organize a confusing experience
The therapist is not looking for one hidden meaning behind every toy or drawing. Instead, the therapist considers repeated patterns within the larger context of the child’s history, development, behavior, and relationships.
What Is the First Appointment Like?
Play therapy usually begins with an initial parent or caregiver consultation.
This appointment gives the therapist an opportunity to learn about:
Your reasons for seeking therapy
Your child’s strengths and personality
Emotional or behavioral changes
Developmental and medical history
Family relationships and important transitions
School experiences
Previous treatment
Your goals for therapy
Depending on the child’s age and the therapist’s approach, the first appointment may include the parent, the child, or both. Your therapist will explain how the process will work and help you prepare your child for the first individual session.
You can describe therapy in simple, reassuring language:
“You are going to meet someone who helps children with feelings and problems. There will be toys, games, and art supplies. You can talk or play, and your therapist will help you feel comfortable.”
Avoid telling your child that therapy is a punishment or that they are going because something is wrong with them. Therapy should be presented as a supportive resource.
What Does Progress Look Like?
Progress is different for every child. It is not always immediate or perfectly linear.
As therapy continues, parents may begin noticing that the child:
Recovers more quickly after becoming upset
Uses words more often to express feelings
Experiences fewer or less intense emotional outbursts
Asks for help more effectively
Shows greater confidence
Becomes more flexible when plans change
Sleeps more comfortably
Participates more fully at school or home
Develops healthier coping strategies
Communicates more openly with caregivers
Demonstrates better problem-solving
Reconnects more easily after conflict
Sometimes a child’s emotions or behaviors temporarily become more noticeable as they begin addressing difficult experiences. Your therapist can help you understand the child’s process and determine whether treatment is moving in a helpful direction.
The length of therapy depends on the child’s needs, the complexity of the concerns, family circumstances, and treatment goals. Your therapist will discuss progress with you and make recommendations throughout the process.
How Are Parents Involved in Play Therapy?
Parents and caregivers are an important part of a child’s treatment.
Children spend only a small amount of their week in therapy. The relationships and routines they experience at home have a powerful influence on their emotional well-being. Parent involvement helps the therapist understand the child more fully and helps families support progress between sessions.
Depending on the child’s age and needs, parent involvement may include:
An initial parent consultation
Regular parent check-ins
Parent-support sessions
Family sessions
Education about child development
Strategies for responding to challenging behavior
Emotional-regulation tools for home
Support with boundaries and positive discipline
Guidance for strengthening the parent-child relationship
Collaboration with schools or other professionals when appropriate and authorized
Parent involvement does not mean that caregivers receive a detailed report of everything the child says or does during therapy. Children need an appropriate level of privacy to develop trust in the therapeutic relationship.
Your therapist will explain confidentiality and its limits, share relevant themes and recommendations, and inform you of safety concerns. The goal is to protect the child’s therapeutic space while ensuring that caregivers have the information and tools needed to support treatment.
Therapy is most effective when parents and therapists work as a team.
Why Choose a Registered Play Therapist?
A Registered Play Therapist, often identified by the credential RPT™, is a licensed mental health professional who has completed specialized play-therapy education, supervised experience, and clinical practice requirements established by the Association for Play Therapy.
Choosing an RPT gives parents additional assurance that the therapist has pursued specific preparation in using play therapeutically—not simply placed toys in an office or occasionally used games with children.
Registered Play Therapists receive specialized training in areas such as:
Child development
Play-therapy theories and techniques
Therapeutic use of toys and creative materials
Emotional and behavioral concerns
Parent and family involvement
Ethical play-therapy practice
Documentation and treatment planning
Cultural humility and individual differences
Maintaining the credential also requires ongoing professional development.
At Knoxville Counseling Services, Courtney Brandon is a Licensed Professional Counselor/Mental Health Service Provider and Registered Play Therapist. She specializes in helping young people navigate emotional regulation, anxiety, grief, trauma, depression, family transitions, and self-esteem concerns.
Courtney uses a warm, collaborative, and strengths-based approach. Her work with children may incorporate child-centered and directive play therapy, sand tray therapy, artistic expression, coping-skills practice, and other approaches selected for the individual child.
Knoxville Counseling Services also includes child and adolescent therapists with varied training and specialties. We work to connect each family with a clinician whose experience, approach, location, availability, and payment options fit the family’s needs.
Is Knoxville Counseling Services Accepting New Play Therapy Clients?
Therapist availability changes as children complete treatment and new appointment times become available.
Knoxville Counseling Services welcomes inquiries from parents seeking play therapy and child counseling. Because each therapist maintains an individual schedule and may work with different ages, concerns, insurance plans, and payment arrangements, we cannot guarantee an immediate opening with a particular provider.
When you submit an inquiry, please include:
Your child’s age
The primary concerns you would like help addressing
Your preferred office location
Your general scheduling availability
Your insurance plan or preference for self-pay
Whether you are requesting a specific therapist
This information helps us identify the most appropriate available provider. If a preferred therapist is unavailable, we may be able to recommend another clinician within the practice who works with children and families.
[Ask About Current Play Therapy Availability]
How Can I Schedule Play Therapy for My Child?
Beginning therapy can feel like a big decision. You do not need to have the perfect words or know exactly which type of treatment your child needs before contacting us.
To get started:
Visit our contact and scheduling page.
Complete the general inquiry form.
Tell us briefly about your child, your primary concerns, and your scheduling needs.
Our team will review your inquiry and help identify a therapist who may be a good fit.
The therapist will contact you regarding availability and next steps.
We strive to respond to new inquiries within 24–48 business hours. Email inquiries may receive a faster response.
[Contact Knoxville Counseling Services]
Frequently Asked Questions About Play Therapy
Will my child have to talk about what happened?
No. Children are not forced to discuss experiences before they are ready. Play therapy allows children to communicate through activities, symbols, stories, and relationships as well as words.
The therapist creates opportunities for expression while respecting the child’s pace and emotional safety.
Can play therapy help if my child refuses to talk?
Yes. Difficulty talking about emotions is one reason play therapy can be helpful. The therapist can build a relationship through play, art, games, and shared activities without requiring the child to participate in an adult-style conversation.
Will I be in the room with my child?
This depends on the child’s age, needs, and treatment plan. Some sessions may involve the child individually, while others may include a parent, caregiver, sibling, or family member.
Your therapist will explain the recommended structure.
How long are play therapy sessions?
Session length varies by provider, the child’s age, and the treatment plan. Your therapist will discuss appointment length, frequency, fees, and scheduling before treatment begins.
Does insurance cover play therapy?
Insurance coverage varies by therapist and plan. Many clinicians at Knoxville Counseling Services participate with selected insurance networks, while others offer self-pay services.
Play therapy is generally billed as a psychotherapy service. Families should confirm behavioral-health benefits directly with their insurance company. Our team can also tell you which payment options are available for a particular therapist.
How long will my child need therapy?
There is no universal timeline. Some children benefit from short-term support focused on a specific transition or skill. Others need more time to process trauma, address long-standing concerns, or develop trust.
The therapist will evaluate progress regularly and discuss recommendations with you.
What if I am unsure whether play therapy is the right choice?
You are welcome to submit an inquiry. A therapist can learn more about your concerns and help determine whether play therapy, another counseling approach, parent support, family therapy, or an outside service would best meet your child’s needs.
Give Your Child a Safe Place to Be Understood
When children struggle emotionally, they do not always know how to ask for help. Their feelings may appear through worry, anger, withdrawal, physical complaints, difficulty at school, or behavior that leaves the entire family feeling overwhelmed.
Your child does not have to explain everything perfectly before receiving support.
Play therapy gives children a developmentally appropriate way to communicate, process difficult experiences, discover their strengths, and practice new skills. It also gives parents greater insight and practical tools for supporting growth at home.
Seeking therapy does not mean that you have failed as a parent. It means you have noticed that your child may need additional support—and you are willing to help.
Knoxville Counseling Services provides compassionate play therapy and child counseling for families in Knoxville, Tennessee. We would be honored to help you determine the next step for your child.
[Request a Play Therapy Appointment]
Complete our general inquiry form to ask about current availability.
This page is intended for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical or mental health care. If your child is in immediate danger or experiencing a mental health emergency, call 911, go to the nearest emergency department, or call or text 988 for crisis support.