The Symbols Studio
Where every play tells a story
At The Symbols Studio, I believe that every child heals at their own pace. Through a blend of non-directive and directive play therapy, I create a window into your child’s world, providing the tools they need for a journey toward lasting growth and well-being.
My Story
My Qualifications & Professional Membership:
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Postgraduate Diploma in Play Therapy (PTUK Registered)
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Certified Therapeutic Play Practitioner
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BSc (Hons) in Psychology with Counselling
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Fully insured, holds an Enhanced DBS check, and adheres to the PTUK Ethical Framework.
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Who am I
The Symbols Studio is a dedicated therapeutic space committed to supporting children and families in our community through the power of play. I am Leanne, a PTUK-registered Play Therapist, and I provide a safe, integrative environment where children can express themselves at their own pace. My passion is to connect with every child in my care through both non-directive and guided play, fostering the emotional resilience and belonging they need to thrive.
As a Play Therapist registered with Play Therapy UK (PTUK), I practice using a child-centered, integrative holistic approach. What this means in practice is that your child is at the absolute heart of everything we do. Instead of using a "one-size-fits-all" model, I carefully select and combine different therapeutic methods—ranging from creative arts and storytelling to sandplay and movement—to match your child’s unique personality and emotional needs. Depending on what they need in the moment, our sessions will balance gentle, child-led play (non-directive) with more guided activities (directive). Every step we take is entirely at your child's own pace, ensuring they feel safe, deeply understood, and fully supported as they heal and grow.
In my therapy room, a bridge is never just an ornament. It represents the journey I take with every child—crossing from confusion to clarity, from big feelings to understanding. At The Symbols Studio, I provide the safe structure for that crossing to happen at the child's own pace.
The Story Behind the Name: Why "The Symbols Studio"
People often ask why I chose the name The Symbols Studio instead of calling it a clinic or a playroom. The answer lies at the very heart of how children heal.
A Space of Ultimate Freedom
A "studio" is a place of active creation. In our studio, your child is the artist, the builder, and the storyteller. I provide a vast, carefully curated range of resources—from sand trays and miniatures to art supplies and puppets. Your child is given the complete freedom to choose exactly which resources to use and how to use them, with no right or wrong answers.
Toys Are Words, Symbols Are Stories
Children rarely sit down and tell me what hurts in plain words. Instead, they choose symbols. A plastic lion might represent a scary feeling; a buried treasure might represent a hidden hope; a messy paint canvas might express a ball of tangled anxiety.
By playing creatively within the freedom of the studio, children safely externalize what is happening inside their minds. This self-directed freedom is exactly how they learn to process, master, and ultimately manage their unique needs for therapy. I don’t force them into a rigid box—I give them a studio to shape their own path to healing.
How Play Therapy Helps
At The Symbols Studio, I utilize play therapy to help children express themselves. Through mediums like sand trays, art, and puppetry, we create a safe space for exploration. Below are some examples recreated by me, displaying play therapy in action alongside its benefits to the child on their therapeutic journey.
Why We Use Sand Tray Therapy
The sand tray is a powerful, non-verbal tool in play therapy that helps children process what they cannot yet articulate. In this safe environment, children use sand and miniature figures to build scenes reflecting their inner world. >Expresses the Unspoken: Helps children communicate deep emotions without the pressure of "talking it out." >Builds Trust: Fosters a strong, secure therapeutic bond between the child and therapist. >Promotes Healing: Harnesses creative play to encourage emotional regulation and healthy development.
Why We Use Clay in Play Therapy
Clay is a powerful, tactile medium in play therapy that allows children to physically shape and process complex feelings. In this safe space, children use their hands to mold, change, and explore the clay, giving external form to their internal world. >Releases Big Emotions: Provides a safe, physical outlet for intense feelings like anger, anxiety, or frustration without the pressure of words. >Encourages Control & Growth: Allows children to transform, reshape, or even destroy and rebuild their creations, fostering a sense of personal mastery. >Promotes Healing: Uses sensory, hands-on play to support emotional regulation, ground the child, and encourage healthy development.
Why We Use the Dollhouse
The dollhouse is a powerful, familiar tool in play therapy that helps children explore real-life relationships and social dynamics. In this safe environment, children use figures and rooms to act out everyday scenarios, reflecting how they perceive their inner and outer world. >Explores Relationships: Helps children process family dynamics, friendships, and school life by safely projecting their experiences onto the characters. >Encourages Problem-Solving: Allows children to test out different solutions to conflicts and practice social boundaries without real-world consequences. >Promotes Healing: Harnesses familiar, imaginative play to build emotional understanding, create a sense of safety, and encourage healthy development.
Why We Use Art & Creative Media
Creative media—like paint, drawing, and crafting—provides a powerful, non-verbal outlet for children to explore feelings that are hard to put into words. In this safe environment, the artistic process becomes a physical voice for their inner world. >Externalizes Inner Feelings: Helps children project and look at complex emotions safely on paper or canvas without the pressure of direct talking. >Builds Trust & Autonomy: Fosters a secure therapeutic bond while giving the child complete control over their choices and creations. >Promotes Healing: Harnesses imaginative, hands-on expression to relieve tension, boost self-esteem, and encourage healthy emotional development.
Services
What I Offer
At The Symbols Studio, I offer either therapeutic play or play therapy, tailored to meet the needs of our community. I focus on delivering quality and creating meaningful connections among residents.
Consulting
~Parent or teacher guidence
My consulting services are parent-only, to discuss history and goals. The same would be done with a teacher/ referrer for holistic purposes. Throughout the course of play therapy with the child, there will also be review consultations with parents, and/or referrers to discuss potential techniques that could also be used externally from sessions.
Individual Play Therapy
~Indiviudal child sessions
I offer individual play therapy for a predetermined number of sessions tailored to your child's specific needs, through an integrative, holistic method. By blending child-centered (non-directive) and directive play therapy, I ensure your child has autonomy and control over their therapeutic journey. While I prioritize your child’s self-expression, I also provide the power of reflection and offer specific activities or suggestions when the opportunity arises to deepen their healing.
Group Play Therapy
~Group of up to 4 children
I also offer group play therapy sessions for children working toward similar social or emotional aims. In these groups, I act as a facilitator; I introduce a directive activity and then step back, allowing the children to work together to achieve a set goal. This allows peers to build on their own progress through shared experience. At the end of our block of sessions, we will have a final review of progress. If further support is needed beyond this focused block, I am happy to provide recommendations for ongoing care providers.