McAtee Psychology
Play Based Intervention
Supporting parents and their children through the early years of growth and development. Available in Calgary with online sessions across Alberta.
Discover How to Express and Understand Emotions
Learn How to Build Social and Relationship Skills
Understand How to Develop Coping and Resilience
What Is Play Based Intervention ?
Play-based interventions use playfulness to support children in exploring and processing emotions, even around challenging or emotionally heavy topics. Because play is naturally associated with positive feelings, it helps children feel safer and more engaged, making it easier to access and work through overwhelming emotions.
These interventions involve guided interactive play designed to promote social, emotional, cognitive, language, and physical development. Therapists may use reinforcement, modeling, verbal redirection, and indirect instruction to support and encourage play in ways that are developmentally responsive to each child’s needs.
Specifics
- Specifically for children – preschool age and up
- Children are internally motivated to play because it is engaging and fun, and when children play, they are focused on the activity itself instead of the outcome. It facilitates the development of the therapeutic connection/relationship between children and the therapist and can increase a child’s ability to explore, interact, and express themselves.
- Play-based interventions can take place in various settings such as small groups, one-on-one, and in family sessions.
How It Helps
Play-based interventions within a therapeutic setting contributes to overall well-being and healthy development.
- Processing grief and loss
- Social skills/social development
- Increasing emotional awareness
- Family life changes/transitions
- Self-esteem
- Anxiety and depression
- Trauma
- Increasing empathy for others’ thoughts and feelings
- Development of healthy problem-solving skills
- Alleviating internalizing (social withdrawal, physical health complaints, nervousness, etc…), and externalizing (physical and verbal aggression, defiance, inattention, etc…) behaviour problems
- And much more..
Therapeutic Play ?
Play is one of the most natural ways children connect, explore feelings, and make sense of their world. At McAtee, we use play with intention because play can open doors that conversations alone sometimes can’t.
All of our clinicians gently incorporate play into sessions when it supports connection, emotional expression, or learning new skills.
This might look like art, storytelling, imaginative play, sensory activities, or simple games that help kids feel safe and understood.
Specifics
We also offer therapeutic play, a more structured and emotionally focused approach that goes deeper than general play-based therapy.
Play-Based Therapy
A flexible, engaging way to support regulation, communication, and skill-building. All of our clinicians can weave this into their work when helpful.
Therapeutic Play
A specialized, intentional method that uses specific play techniques to help children process emotions, build confidence, and express themselves in a developmentally attuned way.
At our clinic, Amie and Alana have specialized training in Therapeutic Play Skills.
How It Helps
Therapeutic play can help a child:
- Gently process difficult emotions like fear, sadness, worry, or anger
- Build confidence, resilience, and a stronger sense of self
- Explore experiences or changes they aren’t ready to talk about directly
- Strengthen attachment, trust, and emotional security
- Understand and express their feelings more clearly
- Heal through symbolic, developmentally appropriate play techniques
Therapeutic play is designed to support emotional healing, not just emotional expression.
All About Play Based Intervention Therapy
What is the difference between play-based-interventions and play therapy?
Both approaches use play to support a child’s emotional growth, but they differ in how structured they are.
Play-based interventions weave playful, creative activities into counselling to help children express emotions, build confidence, and develop social and emotional skills in a natural, developmentally appropriate way.
Play therapy is a more specialized form of therapy led by a clinician with advanced training in therapeutic play. It offers a structured and focused way for children to process deeper emotional experiences or trauma through play.
At McAtee Psychology, many of our clinicians incorporate play-based strategies in their work with children. We also have a Therapeutic Play Practitioner who provides specialized play therapy for children who may benefit from a more focused approach.
What are the benefits of play-based interventions?
- Play-based therapy contributes to overall well-being and healthy development.
- Increased engagement in the therapeutic process
- Enhanced therapeutic connection/relationship between child and therapist
- Improving child-parent attachment
How does it work?
Play is regarded as a ‘language’ in which children can express their experiences in a developmentally appropriate way.
When should this intervention be applied?
- When talk therapy is not developmentally appropriate
- When typical communication of thoughts, feelings, and experiences is overwhelming
How can we help?
We use play, art, and games to help children express emotions, develop social and emotional skills, and work through challenges like anxiety, trauma, or behavioral difficulties. Our clinicians create a safe space for children and provide guidance to parents to support growth at home and school.
Meet Our Team
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Meet our team of psychologists and social workers offering in-person counselling and assessments in Calgary and online sessions across Alberta.
McAtee Psychology
How To Get Started
Whether you prefer virtual sessions that fit into your busy schedule or in-person counselling sessions in Calgary, we are here to support you.
Onboarding for all assessment services require you to contact our clinic. Our admin team will be in touch to explain our process and get you started. You can contact us via phone or by submitting an inquiry via the contact form.
