Helping children shine

Firefly Play Therapy

Welcome, and thank you for visiting.
My name is Sarah, and I am a Certified Play Therapist based in Throcking, Buntingford, Hertfordshire.
I work with children both in schools and from my private therapy room.

When words are hard to find, Play Therapy becomes a child's voice.

I accept privately funded referrals from parents and schools. Please feel free to explore my website to learn more about me, what play therapy involves, and how it may help your child.
If you have any questions, I'd love to hear from you.
I understand how challenging it can feel when your child is struggling.

Through play therapy, I provide a safe, supportive space where children can express themselves, build confidence, and develop the skills they need to thrive-both emotionally and academically.

'You can discover more in an hour of play than in a year of conversation'
- Plato

About Me

Play therapy helps children express feelings they can't yet put into words.
Nurturing children's inner light.

I am a Certified Play Therapist, having completed my Certificate and Diploma through the Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy (APAC), the training arm of Play Therapy UK (PTUK).

Before becoming a play therapist, I worked as a primary school teacher in both the UK and Australia. After 16 years in education, my career naturally moved towards children's mental health. I retrained and spent six years working within the NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), supporting children, young people, and their families. Alongside this, I have completed additional training in developmental trauma. In 2024, I returned to working in schools as an EYFS class teacher and Certified Therapeutic Play Practitioner, while completing my final year at university to qualify as a Play Therapist. I now work fulltime as a Certified Play Therapist.

I believe play therapy is an incredibly powerful way to support children in learning how to manage their emotions and process the events in their lives. Through play, children can build resilience and confidence, allowing them to thrive emotionally, socially, and academically.

You can find me on the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) accredited register of Play and Creative Therapists. I hold a full DBS check and work within the PTUK ethical framework.

I am also registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), fully GDPR compliant, and hold Public Liability insurance.

What is Play Therapy?

Where play helps children glow and grow.
Through Play Therapy, children can safely explore their emotions, build resilience and develop confidence.

Play Therapy is a child-centred form of therapy that gives children a safe space to express their feelings, thoughts, and experiences.

It is a one-to-one process, led at the child's pace, where they can play, explore, and work through their emotions in their own way. Many children struggle to put their feelings into words but play provides a nurturing pathway to unlock what they may be holding inside.

In the playroom, children build a trusting relationship with me as their therapist. They are free to explore a wide range of tools and materials such as sand trays, puppets, art resources, musical instruments, role play, and other therapeutic toys. Throughout this process, I reflect to your child what they are expressing in their play. This helps them to understand, process, and make sense of their inner world, while building confidence, resilience, and emotional wellbeing.

Because children's language development lags behind their cognitive development, they communicate their awareness of what is happening in their world through their play.'
- Landreth & Bratton

How does this work?

Supporting children to find their spark.

Before play therapy begins, I always carry out an assessment with the child and their family. This ensures we understand your child's needs and agree on clear goals for therapy.

Here's what you can expect:

Initial parent/carer meeting - We complete a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), a short tick-box form that helps provide a baseline measure. We also talk about your hopes and goals for your child, safeguarding and confidentiality, and whether any reports need to be shared.
If the referral comes via school - I meet with the school staff, who also complete an SDQ and set their goals and outcomes for the therapy. If you would like me to see your child privately within their school (rather than at my therapy room), I would liaise with the school to arrange a suitable confidential space.
Introductory meeting with your child - This short session allows your child to meet me, see the therapy room, and learn what to expect. They are also introduced to their own "therapy box," where anything they create in sessions will be kept safe.
Agreement to begin therapy - Once everyone is happy that I am the right therapist for your child, we agree to start sessions and sign the necessary contracts.
Review meetings - I meet with parent(s)/carer(s) and, where appropriate, class teachers (if the referral is through school) roughly every 6-8 weeks to review progress and adjust goals if needed.

Every child carries a little light within them. Play Therapy helps it shine. Fireflies remind us that even the smallest light can shine brightly.

Firefly Play Therapy was inspired by a child who reminded me that each of us carries a spark within - our unique essence and strength - and that Play Therapy can help children let their little light shine, even in challenging times, igniting resilience and hope. They designed my logo for me.

Where and How I Work

Firefly Play Therapy is based near Buntingford. I work with schools and from my private therapy room in Throcking, where I offer one-to-one sessions.

Sessions last 40 minutes and take place weekly.

I work with children aged 4 years and above.

A minimum of 15 sessions is recommended, although many children benefit from longer-term support.

Play therapy gives children a safe space to work through big feelings in a way that makes sense to them.

Who can benefit from play therapy?

Play therapy helps children work through big feelings and life events in a way that makes sense to them - building confidence, emotional control, and stronger relationships

Play therapy can help children with a wide range of needs and difficulties. It is especially useful when children find it hard to put feelings into words and need a safe, developmentally appropriate way to process experiences and build resilience.

Common presenting issues I work with include:

Attachment- and trauma-related difficulties
Abuse
Anger difficulties
Anxiety
Bereavement and loss
Bullying
Care-experienced children (foster care / adopted)
Communication difficulties
Emotional and behavioural regulation difficulties
Family breakdown and parental separation
Friendship and peer relationship difficulties
Chronic illness or significant health concerns
Low self-esteem and lack of confidence
Nightmares and sleep disturbances
Physical regulation difficulties (sleeping, eating, toileting)
Social withdrawal
Selective mutism
Under-performance at school / not meeting academic potential

Get in Touch

If you'd like to know more about how play therapy could help your child, I'd love to hear from you.