Kenya Dickens is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Clinic Director at our Towson clinic. She works with clients who feel stuck or overwhelmed and need a safe space to process trauma, anxiety, depression, and life changes. Her approach is collaborative and warm, using evidence-based methods such as CBT, EMDR, mindfulness, and play therapy. “Mindfulness in motion” means helping children build awareness of their bodies, breath, and emotions through movement and play rather than stillness or silence. In this conversation, Kenya explains what play therapy is, what a first visit looks like, how child-led trauma work is paced, which regulation skills families can practice at home, and how schools can reinforce progress.
What play therapy is and why it helps
What is play therapy, and how do you describe it to families?
Play therapy is a developmentally appropriate, evidence-based practice that helps children process emotions, experiences, and trauma through play without having to rely only on their words. Play is a child’s first language. Before kids learn words, parents are already teaching play with things like peek-a-boo. Children naturally lean on play to express themselves, so we meet them there. As the therapist, I’m constantly tracking regulation, attachment cues, and shifts in play so I can support safety without directing or overwhelming the child.
What a first visit looks like
What happens in the first session with a child?
The focus is safety and relationship building. I orient the child to the space and set predictable, child-appropriate boundaries. They explore at their own pace. I observe how they move through the room, how they regulate, what they gravitate toward, and how they engage with me during play. There is no pressure to talk about divorce, trauma, or anything difficult; the goal is just for the child to feel safe and in control.
How do you set expectations with parents on day one?
When kids come in person, they want to touch everything, and a play therapy room has toys out so they can choose. I tell the child, “This is your space. If something is unsafe, I will let you know.” Parents sometimes ask what “no rules” means. I explain that safety rules always apply. Early sessions are about building a safe relationship. As time goes on, we can introduce more directive play that helps kids understand how they are showing up in daily life.
Trauma work that is paced and child-led
How do you decide when to approach hard material?
Trauma work is always client-led. With children, that means it’s child-led. I watch for cues like changes in play, posture, affect, and energy. If a child looks overwhelmed, we slow down and regulate. We do not dive straight into trauma. The first couple of months are about learning coping strategies to rely on when dysregulated. That can include 5-4-3-2-1 grounding, mindfulness, breathing exercises, and sensory input like kinetic sand or a weighted object. In my clinic we also have an anger management and sensory room so a child can hit a pillow or a punching bag to release energy before returning to what is hard.
What does trauma look like in play?
It often shows up symbolically. In sand tray work a child might place a toy gun, add gravestones, or bury a doll. We follow the play instead of pushing for words. We are gently building the window of tolerance while protecting safety and control, which many children feel they lost after trauma. For caregivers, it’s important to know that symbolic play does not increase trauma; it gives children a safe way to process experiences that are already there. Trauma work is paced and child-led. For some children, this work may eventually include trauma-focused approaches such as EMDR, always adapted to the child’s developmental level and readiness.
Skills that travel home and to school
How do you bring parents into the process?
Parent involvement is essential. Often the last 15 to 20 minutes, the child teaches a caregiver what they practiced. A child might show deep breathing, cookie breathing, pushing against a wall, blowing bubbles, or pretending to blow out candles. Caregivers then might start seeing these skills at home, or teachers might report that a child chose a calming strategy at school.
Do families need special tools or supplies?
Parents often ask what to buy. Before spending money, I offer options that do not require new supplies. Play is for adults too. We use bibliotherapy as well that includes kid-friendly books, like one we have on cookie breathing. Certain videos and YouTube channels can help in the car or grocery store.
We may only see a child one or two hours a week. Families have them the rest of the week, so we teach caregivers the same skills we use.
What are your go-to regulation strategies for any age?
Mindfulness, progressive muscle relaxation, grounding, tapping, deep pressure, and a deep hug help calm the nervous system so a child can reflect on feelings and re-engage in the work. Our nervous systems need similar support whether we are three or thirty.
Signs of progress
How do you know therapy is working?
I listen to caregivers and to the child. Caregivers report fewer meltdowns, smoother transitions between households, improved sleep, and fewer nightmares. In session, I hear richer emotional language. A child might say, “I felt really angry and then I moved from here to here,” and then describe what they did to calm down. They may not know the clinical names, but they can explain the steps. I also look for better frustration tolerance at home and school and changes in play themes. We may move from dolls fighting to calmer stories or different toy choices. For example, a child who once flipped tables may now ask for a break or choose to squeeze a stress ball instead.
Ages and common reasons to start
How young can a child begin play therapy, and what concerns bring families in?
I have seen children as young as four, and sometimes three. Insurers often approve from age four, but three can be appropriate if there is enough language to share basic feelings. Even with limited language, trained play therapists can read themes in play. Families come in for many reasons: communication challenges, anxiety that shows up behaviorally, anger, and adjustment after big changes. I am a trauma-based therapist, so I often work with children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or other significant events.
Partnering with schools
How do you collaborate with teachers and school teams?
With consent in outpatient care, we can share general strategies that fit the school setting. I often recommend movement and sensory breaks. For students with ADHD, I have asked teachers to tape a square around the desk that is away from peers so the child can safely move within that boundary. I ask schools not to take away recess so children have that outlet.
Aligning adult language about emotions also helps. Adults can model regulation by taking a mindfulness minute when needed. When kids experience the same support across settings, progress happens faster.
A note to caregivers
What should caregivers expect in the first months?
Parents sometimes hope for a fast fix. Early work can include ups and downs. Some kids show quick relief, while others express more emotion once they feel safe. Progress is gradual. We move at the child’s pace. If we push too fast, we risk turning a child off from therapy. I ask parents to think in hours, not session counts. Six sessions may be only six hours of work, and it takes time to make durable change.
What is your goal for every child in play therapy?
I am not here to fix a child or fix a family. I want the child to feel safe enough to heal, connect, and grow. As safety grows, children begin to heal parts of themselves they did not know were hurt.
Find support for your family at Columbia Mental Health
If your child is having a hard time after a stressful event, a big transition, or ongoing challenges at home or school, play therapy can give them a safe place to practice skills, build confidence, and tell their story in the language that feels most natural. When caregivers and schools reinforce the same simple strategies, progress tends to come faster and last longer.
Our team partners with families and schools so progress shows up at home, in class, and in everyday life. For new clients, please click here to schedule an appointment. For existing clients, please click here and find your office location to contact your office directly.