Play Therapy - Youth Creative Arts Counselling - Parent Support
A neuro-affirming safe haven
At Play & Creative Therapy Bundaberg, we support children, young people, and families through creative, neuro-affirming therapy that honours the whole person—not just the parts the world finds easiest to understand.
We don’t approach therapy with a focus on fixing. We focus on listening—closely, gently, and with curiosity. Through play, art, movement, and conversation, we help children, teens and families make sense of their inner world, connect safely, and feel at home in who they are.
Our work is informed by lived experience, relational neuroscience, trauma-sensitive approaches, and a deep respect for the nervous system, sensory differences, identity, and expression.
Whether you’re seeking Play Therapy in Bundaberg, Child & Youth Counselling, or Parent support that holds space for more than just symptoms or surface-level concerns—you’re in the right place.
We believe healing begins when we feel safe enough to show up fully.
So that’s what we offer:
A space where difference is not just accepted—it’s valued.
A space where curiosity replaces judgment.
A space where all parts of you are welcome.
This is where connection begins.
This is where we meet you.
.jpg)
Family Centered
We support more than just the child—we see and honour the whole family.
Our Child, Youth, and Family-Centred services walk alongside you with compassion, helping nurture deeper connection, emotional safety, and understanding within your unique family rhythm.
Child-Centered &
Interest-led
Counselling unfolds at each child or young person’s pace, shaped by their unique needs, interests, and ways of expressing.
We integrate evidence-based psychotherapies with creative, child-led approaches—like play, art, music, and storytelling—to support connection, expression, and emotional growth.
Whether through words or other forms of communication, therapy offers space to feel safe, take steps when ready, and be met exactly as they are.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
We provide the following services:
-
Child-Centered Play Therapy
-
AutPlay®️ Therapy
-
Filial Family Therapy
-
Creative Counselling
-
General and Holistic Counselling services
-
Perinatal Counselling
-
Parent/ Caregiver Counselling & Education
-
Neurologic Music Therapy Services
-
Neuro-affirmative Caregiver Coaching & Support
-
Training for Teams - Schools, Kindy, Early Learning Centers, Other Professionals
Rather than applying a one-size fits all approach, we can integrate a combination of modalities or approaches to suite the individual's unique needs, preferences, and interests.
We pride ourselves on the rapport we build with our clients through a lived experience lens and pay attention to both 'what' is done and 'how' it is done. Rapport relates to what Rogers (Rogers 1995) referred to as a 'way of being' alongside our clients and their families through the therapeutic journey to support effective therapeutic outcomes.
For more information on our individual therapy services click here.
-
When children and teens have exhausted their coping mechanisms, they may exhibit challenging or concerning behaviour. Adverse events and environmental factors can have a substantial impact on the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals, resulting in complex and overwhelming internal experiences.
Play and Creative therapies are a person-centered and age-appropriate therapeutic approach that distinguishes itself from ordinary play by recognising that children and adolescents often communicate, process and express their emotional energy through play and creative means. Through play, children and adolescents explore their inner world using age-appropriate mediums such as toys, props, art, music, sand tray, games, and various other creative-expressive tools within a safe, nurturing, therapeutic environment. These mediums serve as an age-appropriate language for the child to express their feelings, process their experiences, and acquire new coping strategies. Practitioners are highly trained and skilled in play therapy and counselling approaches, enabling them to create a supportive environment tailored to each child's unique needs and to guide therapeutic interventions effectively.
At Play & Creative Therapy Bundaberg, we believe healing and success are inevitable when we step into our creative power. We strongly believe that play is the most enriching form of expression experienced across all stages of life, from infancy to adulthood. The act of creating expressively and symbolically creating play scenarios that resemble one's own emotional experiences allows the client to express themselves authentically, unveiling emotions and thoughts that may have been buried deep within.
Why use Play & Creative therapies?
Because play and creative expression is a powerful age-appropriate process that has everything to do with the child’s deepest healing, growth, and personal transformation. When we create something, we move the internal, to the external. When we are expressed, we become more aware. When we are more aware, we discover who we truly are. When we are healed, we become happier and more authentic versions of ourselves.We can support children and young people from 3-17 years who:
-
May be experiencing emotional and/ or sensory-based dysregulation.
-
May feel overwhelmed or anxious regularly.
-
May be demonstrating concerning behaviours and seeks support in identifying the underlying cause of distress.
-
Has experienced trauma or significant stressful life events.
-
Has experienced medical trauma or is experiencing chronic illness.
-
Is experiencing grief and loss.
-
Is experiencing divorce or parent separation.
-
Has experienced abuse and neglect.
-
Is experiencing attachment concerns.
-
Is having personal challenges related to a range of disabilities or developmental delay.
-
Has non-speaking, language or communication differences and seeks support to express their emotions, thoughts, and feelings.
-
Is experiencing bullying or peer relationship challenges.
-
Is disengaging or experiencing school ‘can’t’.
-
May be unable to engage in other therapies for varied reasons.
-
Is seeking a safe place to explore their identity and sense of self.
We also support parents and caregivers to:
-
Navigate the emotional impact of parenting.
-
Understand your child's inner world, needs and 'way of being' through a nurturing lens.
-
Attuning to and strengthening your relationship with your child.
-
Be the driving force in your child's therapeutic journey.
-
Participate in Autistic-led & neuro-affirming parenting courses and supports.
-
We are located at Shop 4/ 56 Woongarra St, Bundaberg Central.
An appointment is necessary. You can book an appointment by emailing kara@playcreative.com.au.
As we offer a range of services, session durations, and therapeutic approaches, our standard session fees vary between $140 and $193.99.
We also offer a limited number of Reduced Fee Agreements to support access to therapy for individuals or families who:
-
Have a low income,
-
Do not have access to external funding such as the NDIS or other subsidies, and
-
Are seeking streamlined sessions with minimal after-session admin—ensuring a focused, efficient, and supportive experience.
As a privately run practice, we do not receive external funding. Our services are fully sustained through client fees only.
If you’d like more information about individual pricing or available support options, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
-
Step 1:
Simply fill out our client referral/ intake form here.
You can also request a call back if you would like the opportunity for a 15-minute free phone consultation to assess the need and suitability of our services by emailing kara@playcreative.com.au.
Step 2:
We will then book you into a 60–90-minute initial parent/ caregiver consultation to go through a thorough assessment of the clients needs and support requirements and explain in more depth to you the therapy process.
Step 3:
The initial phase of therapy involves weekly 45-50 minute sessions.
During the initial phase of therapy (generally 3-4 sessions), the child or adolescent becomes comfortable within the therapeutic environment, builds a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship with their therapist, and becomes familiar with the tools and techniques being utilised to help empower them to express themselves freely.
Once the child or adolescent is comfortable expressing themselves and has developed the trust and security necessary for therapeutic work, they progress to the working phase of therapy.
Step 4:
The therapist will then meet with the parent/ caregiver again to provide feedback and collaboratively revisit a more detailed child-centered or youth-centered therapy plan individualised to the client’s needs.
Step 5:
The client will then progress with their weekly sessions based on assessment and observations.
We also meet individually with parents every 4-5 sessions for a feedback session. This is a full hour solely for the caregiver to discuss and review the clients’ needs, experiences, and goals, both inside and outside of the therapy space, and adjust their therapy plan as required. Keeping in communication with your child’s therapist during this time is a vital part of the process as it provides feedback to the therapist who can help caregivers understand how to best support your child at home.
Step 6:
The client's therapy needs, and number of sessions are not set and can differ considerably from individual to individual. However, once the client begins to show progress with less support, they may begin transitioning out of therapy. This process begins with decreasing play therapy or counselling sessions from weekly to every other week.
Parents and caregivers can contact their child's therapist if any concerns arise during this time to discuss the best support options.
No. A formal referral is not required. We welcome self-referrals from both private clients and NDIS clients who are self-managed or plan-managed.
We take the time to meet with the participants caregiver for an initial intake and assessment meeting where we go through a thorough assessment of each individual's needs and support requirements. We then work closely with the individual, their family, and their support network, to develop personalised therapy plans, support plans and ongoing supports.
An individualised therapy plan is collaborated with all participants at the start of their journey or when goals change throughout their time with Play & Creative Therapy Bundaberg. We meet with the child’s caregivers and support network regularly.
Our Approach
A journey of healing and connection.
We recognise and respect each child's unique neurology, centering our approach on nurturing their internal sense of self. By emphasising inherent strengths over perceived deficits, we guide each child to explore and understand their inner world deeply. This process fosters authentic self-awareness, encouraging genuine confidence, true autonomy, and meaningful inclusion.
AFFIRMING & INCLUSIVE
We use play and relationship-based approaches to cultivate a nurturing, secure, and attuned space where children are invited to delve deeply into their emotional experiences, develop meaningful skills, and express their innermost selves with authenticity. Every interaction becomes a step toward understanding their personal identity, and relational depth.
ATTACHMENT-BASED
Partnering with families and professionals, we offer a collaborative approach that extends beyond the therapy room. Recognising each child's unique internal landscape, we co-create individualised, evidence-informed strategies that nurture one's inner world. By exploring the nuances of each child’s sense of self, we guide and equip support networks with tools for lasting change.