How Do I Know If My Child Needs Play Therapy?
Every parent has been there, watching their child struggle and wondering: Is this just a phase? Should I be more concerned? Is there something I should be doing?
Knowing when to seek professional help for a child isn't always obvious. Children can't always tell you what's wrong, and the signs that something is off don't always look the way you'd expect. Sometimes it's big, explosive behavior. Sometimes it's the opposite: a child who goes quiet, withdraws, and stops engaging with the things they used to love.
If you've been asking yourself whether your child might benefit from play therapy, this article is designed to help you think it through. We'll cover the signs that point toward play therapy, what ages it's designed for, how it differs from other types of child therapy, and what kinds of behavioral and emotional challenges it can address.
At Pecan Branch Counseling in Denton, TX, Esther Smith, LPC, RPT™ specializes in play therapy for children ages 3 and up. Families across Denton, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Argyle, and surrounding communities come to her when their child is stuck and when they're not sure where else to turn.
Signs Your Child Might Benefit From Play Therapy
No single profile describes a child who needs play therapy. What they have in common is that something has shifted and the usual approaches haven't helped.
Here are some of the signs families bring to us most often:
A teacher or daycare provider has raised concerns. Sometimes the first person to notice something is off isn't a parent. It's a teacher or daycare provider who sees your child alongside other children every day. If your child's teacher has mentioned behavioral issues in the classroom, difficulty getting along with peers, or struggles at drop-off that aren't improving, that outside perspective is worth taking seriously. Teachers and daycare providers see patterns across hundreds of children; when they flag something, it's usually because what they're observing stands out. That feedback doesn't mean something is seriously wrong, but it does mean your child may benefit from additional support.
Separation anxiety at drop-off that isn't easing up. Some adjustment at daycare or preschool drop-off is completely typical, especially in the early weeks. But if the distress is intense, prolonged, or getting worse rather than better if your child is clinging, crying, or shutting down every single morning long after the adjustment period that's a sign worth exploring. Separation anxiety at this level often points to something deeper that drop-off is surfacing, not causing.
Social struggles with peers. Difficulty sharing, frequent conflicts with other children, trouble reading social cues, hitting or biting, or withdrawing completely from peer interaction these patterns in a daycare or preschool setting are often early signals of emotional or developmental challenges that play therapy is well-positioned to address.
Behavioral changes that feel out of proportion. Tantrums that escalate beyond what seems developmentally appropriate. Aggression toward siblings, peers, or adults. Defiance that's intensifying rather than improving. These behaviors are often a communication of a child telling you, in the only language available to them, that something is wrong.
Emotional shutdown or withdrawal. A child who used to be engaged and connected starts going quiet. They lose interest in activities they loved. They seem far away even when they're in the room. This kind of inward turn is easy to miss because it doesn't make noise but it matters just as much.
Anxiety that's getting in the way. Worry that's disproportionate to the situation. Refusal to participate in activities or spend time away from a caregiver. Physical complaints, such as stomachaches or headaches, with no clear medical cause.
Sleep disruptions, nightmares, or regression. Returning to behaviors they'd outgrown, such as bedwetting, thumb-sucking, baby talk, or new bedtime fears that are hard to settle. These are often signs that a child is carrying something they don't know how to let go of.
A significant life event or loss. Divorce, a death in the family (including pets), a move, a new sibling, a change in caregivers, or any experience that disrupted their sense of safety and predictability. Children don't always react immediately. Sometimes the response comes weeks or months later.
Something you can't quite name. Sometimes parents just know. They can't point to one specific thing, but something feels different. Their child seems off, and nothing they've tried has helped. That instinct is worth honoring.
The rule of thumb: if your child's behavior or emotional state is affecting their daily functioning or the family dynamic at home, at daycare, at school, or in relationships and it's been going on for more than a few weeks, it's worth talking to a professional.
A note on parent-to-teacher communication: If your child is in play therapy and also attending daycare or preschool, sharing relevant context with their teacher can make a meaningful difference. You don't need to disclose everything — but letting a teacher know your child is working through something, and what tends to help, creates consistency between the therapy room and the classroom. Esther can help you think through what to share and how.
What Ages Benefit From Play Therapy?
Play therapy isn't one-size-fits-all. The approach shifts as children develop. Here's how Esther structures her work based on age:
Ages 3–10: Evidence-Based Play Therapy (CCPT). Play Therapy is the primary approach for children in this age range. At these stages of development, children process emotions through play rather than words. They simply don't yet have the cognitive or language development to engage with feelings in a structured, verbal way. The playroom gives them a different path: one that works with how their brains actually function. Every item in the room has therapeutic purpose, and the child-led approach is grounded in decades of research showing that children heal most effectively when they feel genuinely in control of their own process.
Early intervention in this age range tends to produce strong results. Even brief disruptions in routine, attachment, or safety can have a meaningful impact on young children and addressing them early, before patterns become entrenched, makes a real difference.
Ages 10 and Up: Activity Therapy and Expressive Arts. As children move into late childhood and adolescence, the approach evolves. Older kids and teens often find traditional talk therapy uncomfortable or unproductive, but that doesn't mean they're ready to just sit and talk. Activity therapy and expressive arts give them a structured but flexible way to engage: through movement, art, creative projects, and other modalities that bypass the self-consciousness that can make verbal therapy feel like a performance.
This approach works particularly well for teens who are resistant to traditional therapy, or who are dealing with trauma, identity questions, or emotional challenges they don't yet have language for. Esther tailors the approach based on where each young person is developmentally and what they're bringing into the room.
The key point across both age ranges: there's no child who is too young or too old to benefit from the right kind of support. If your child is struggling and the approach of "just talk to me about it" isn't working, there's a different path available.
What's the Difference Between Play Therapy and Regular Child Therapy?
This is one of the questions parents ask most. The honest answer: it depends on what you mean by "regular child therapy."
Many licensed therapists work with children but working with children and being trained in play therapy are not the same thing. A child therapist without specialized play therapy training will often use the same tools they use with adults, adapted for a younger person: conversation, psychoeducation, behavior charts, worksheets, and skill-building exercises. These approaches can be effective, especially for older children and teens who are verbal and engaged.
Play therapy is different in a few important ways:
It uses the child's natural language. Rather than asking a child to translate their experience into adult-style verbal processing, play therapy works within the mode children are already fluent in. The playroom is designed for this. Every item in it has a therapeutic purpose.
The child leads. In Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), the therapist follows the child's cues rather than directing the session toward a predetermined goal. This approach is grounded in decades of research showing that children heal most effectively when they feel genuinely in control of their own process.
The relationship is the intervention. In play therapy, the therapeutic relationship between the child and therapist isn't just a means to an end. It is the primary mechanism of change. A consistent, attuned, accepting relationship with a trained play therapist gives children an experience that directly counters whatever disconnection, fear, or dysregulation brought them in.
The RPT™ credential matters. A Registered Play Therapist has completed specific post-graduate training hours, supervised clinical experience, and continuing education in play therapy beyond what's required for a standard therapy license. When you see RPT™ after a therapist's name, it means they've gone beyond general licensure to specialize in this work.
Esther Smith holds the RPT™ credential, along with certifications in Child-Centered Play Therapy and Child-Parent Relationship Training. If you're comparing options for your child, those credentials are worth asking about.
What Behavioral and Emotional Issues Can Play Therapy Address?
Play therapy is sometimes associated only with trauma but it's much broader than that. Here's a more complete picture of what it can help with:
Anxiety and fear. Separation anxiety, generalized worry, social anxiety, specific phobias, school or daycare refusal, and the physical symptoms that often accompany anxiety in children (stomachaches, headaches, frequent trips to the nurse's office).
Behavioral challenges. Aggression, defiance, impulsivity, difficulty following rules, frequent meltdowns, and behavioral patterns that get in the way at school, daycare, or home.
Trauma. Abuse, neglect, accidents, medical trauma, witnessing violence, natural disasters, or any experience that overwhelmed the child's ability to cope. Play therapy is one of the most well-researched approaches for childhood trauma.
Grief and loss. Death of a parent, grandparent, sibling, or pet. Loss of a relationship, a home, or a sense of normalcy. Children grieve differently than adults and often need a different kind of support.
Family transitions. Divorce, remarriage, a new sibling, a move, a change in caregivers, or any significant shift in the family system that has disrupted a child's sense of stability.
ADHD and emotional dysregulation. Children with ADHD often struggle not just with attention but with self-control, self-responsibility, impulse control, and emotional regulation. These are big feelings that arrive fast and are hard to manage. Play therapy helps develop the internal tools to recognize, tolerate, and respond to emotions more effectively.
Social difficulties. Trouble making or keeping friends, difficulty reading social cues, withdrawal from peers, or patterns of conflict in peer relationships, including challenges that are showing up at daycare or school.
Low self-esteem and negative self-talk. Children who are hard on themselves, who say "I'm stupid" or "nobody likes me," or who seem to carry a pervasive sense of not being good enough.
Selective mutism. Children who speak freely at home but go completely silent in other environments, such as school, social situations, or around unfamiliar adults.
What One Family Experienced
A father brought in his seven-year-old daughter after she started refusing to go to school. She had always been a little anxious, but after her grandmother died the previous year, her anxiety escalated significantly. She'd cry every morning, complain of stomachaches, and cling to him at drop-off in ways that were distressing for both of them.
She was verbal and bright, but when her father tried to talk with her about what she feared, she couldn't explain it. She just knew she didn't want to go.
In play therapy, she gravitated toward the dollhouse. Over several months, she played out scenarios involving families separating and reuniting, characters getting sick and recovering, and small figures finding safe places to hide. She never talked directly about her grandmother. She didn't need to.
By the time they wrapped up, the school refusal had resolved, the morning routine had normalized, and her father described her as "more herself than she's been in over a year." The grief hadn't disappeared but she'd found a way to carry it.
Practical Steps If You're Considering Play Therapy
Start by observing and documenting. Before calling anyone, spend a week or two noting what you're seeing when it happens, how long it lasts, what seems to trigger it, and how your child responds to your attempts to help. This information will be useful in a first consultation.
Ask specifically about play therapy training. When you contact a practice, ask whether the therapist holds an RPT™ credential and has specific training in Child-Centered Play Therapy. General child therapy experience is not the same thing.
Request a parent consultation first. A qualified play therapist will want to meet with you before the first session to understand the child's history and your concerns. This is also a chance for you to assess whether the fit feels right.
Prepare your child simply and positively. Tell them they're going to meet a new friend and they get to do and say a lot of the things they would like.
Give it real time. The first several sessions are relationship-building. Progress is often quiet at first and then accelerates. Committing to at least 8–12 sessions before evaluating gives the process a fair chance to work.
Why Pecan Branch Counseling for Play Therapy Near Denton, TX
If you're looking for a child therapist in the Denton area who specializes in play therapy, not just a general therapist who occasionally works with kids, Esther Smith at Pecan Branch Counseling is worth a call.
Esther holds the RPT™ credential, is certified in Child-Centered Play Therapy and Child-Parent Relationship Training, and has built her clinical practice around helping children get unstuck from the emotional and behavioral challenges that are keeping them from thriving as well as helping parents connect with their kids on a deeper level. She works with children starting at age 3, using evidence-based play therapy through age 10, and activity therapy and expressive arts for older children and teens.
Pecan Branch Counseling serves families in Denton, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Argyle, Corinth, Highland Village, Krum, Sanger, Aubrey, and surrounding communities. A care coordinator is available to help match your child with the right therapist based on their specific needs and your family's situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my child's behavior is a phase or something that needs professional attention?
A few factors help clarify this. Duration matters. If the behavior or emotional change has been going on for more than 4–6 weeks, it's worth getting an outside perspective. Intensity matters. If the behavior is affecting daily functioning at home, at daycare, at school, or in relationships, that's a signal. And context matters. If a significant event (loss, transition, trauma) preceded the change, it's worth exploring with a professional rather than waiting to see if it resolves on its own.
My child's daycare teacher flagged some concerns. Should I be worried?
Not necessarily, but you should pay attention. Daycare and preschool teachers see children in a structured environment with peers, spend multiple hours a day with your child, and have specialized training in early childhood development, which gives them a different vantage point than parents have at home. When a teacher flags something consistently, it's usually worth a conversation with a professional to get an outside perspective. A free consultation with a play therapist is a low-pressure way to talk through what you're hearing and decide whether to move forward.
Can play therapy help if my child doesn't seem to have a specific problem? They're just not themselves.
Yes. Some of the most meaningful play therapy work happens with children whose parents can't point to one clear cause. Children carry stress, confusion, and emotional weight in ways that don't always have obvious sources. If your child seems off and your instincts are telling you something is wrong, that's enough reason to reach out.
What's the difference between a play therapist and a child therapist?
All play therapists are child therapists, but not all child therapists are trained in play therapy. The RPT™ credential, Registered Play Therapist, indicates specific post-graduate training, supervised hours, and continuing education in play therapy, beyond a standard therapy license. If play therapy is what you're looking for, ask specifically about that credential.
What ages does Esther Smith work with at Pecan Branch Counseling?
Esther works with children starting at age 3. For children ages 3–10, she uses evidence-based Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT). For children ages 10 and up, the approach shifts to activity therapy and expressive arts, modalities designed to meet older children and teens where they are developmentally.
Where can I find play therapy for my child in Denton, TX?
Pecan Branch Counseling offers specialized play therapy for children ages 3 and up at 525 S. Locust Street, Suite 101, Denton, TX 76201. Esther Smith, LPC, RPT™ is a certified play therapist with advanced training in Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) and Child-Parent Relationship Training (CPRT). Families from Denton, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Argyle, and surrounding communities are welcome. Call 940-565-8300 or visit www.pecanbranchcounseling.com to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
Does my child have to want to go to therapy for it to work?
Not necessarily. Most children who come to play therapy aren't asking to be there. They're coming because their parents brought them. That's completely normal. The playroom environment and child-led approach tend to win children over fairly quickly, because it doesn't feel like the adult-driven, sit-down-and-talk experience they might be imagining. Children who are resistant at first often become the most engaged clients after a few sessions.
Ready to Find Out If Play Therapy Is the Right Fit?
If you're looking for play therapy in Denton, TX or the surrounding area, Pecan Branch Counseling offers a free 15-minute phone consultation to help you think through whether it's the right fit for your child. You don't have to have all the answers before you call — that's what the consultation is for.
Call us at 940-565-8300 or reach out through our contact form at www.pecanbranchcounseling.com. We'll get back to you within about 24 hours.
Pecan Branch Counseling 525 S. Locust Street, Suite 101 Denton, TX 76201 940-565-8300 www.pecanbranchcounseling.com Serving Denton, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Argyle, Corinth, Highland Village, and surrounding communities.