TheraPlay Institute by
Psych Consultants

Play therapy is a structured, evidence-based form of therapy designed specifically for children. Unlike traditional talk therapy, which relies on verbal communication, play therapy uses toys, games, art, storytelling and creative activities as the primary medium through which children express their feelings, process difficult experiences and develop healthier behaviours.

Children, especially those under the age of 12, often cannot articulate what they are feeling in words. An anxious child may not say, “I feel anxious.” Instead, they may act out, withdraw, have trouble sleeping, refuse to go to school or become aggressive. Play therapy provides a safe, age-appropriate space where a trained therapist can observe these behaviours, understand what the child is communicating through play, and guide them toward healing.

At TheraPlay Institute, our child psychologists use play therapy to help children in Lahore dealing with:

Emotional and behavioural difficulties: anger outbursts, emotional meltdowns, aggression, defiance, low self-esteem and difficulty managing frustration. Many parents notice these behaviours at home or receive complaints from school, but do not know what is driving them. Play therapy helps identify the root cause – whether it is anxiety, trauma, family stress or a developmental condition, and addresses it through therapeutic play.

ADHD and attention difficulties: children with ADHD struggle with focus, impulse control and hyperactivity. Play therapy, combined with behavioural strategies, helps these children develop better self-regulation, attention skills and organizational habits. Our team works alongside our consultant psychiatrists when medication assessment is also needed, providing an integrated approach to ADHD management.

Autism spectrum and developmental delays:  children on the autism spectrum or with developmental delays benefit from structured play-based interventions that target social skills, communication, sensory processing and adaptive behaviour. TheraPlay Institute uses ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) techniques alongside play therapy to support developmental progress.

Anxiety, fears and trauma: separation anxiety, school refusal, phobias, nightmares and the effects of traumatic experiences (parental conflict, loss, bullying, abuse) can all be addressed through play therapy. Children process trauma differently fr adults; play therapy allows them to work through difficult experiences at their own pace in a safe environment.

Speech and communication delays: children who are slow to develop speech, have difficulty expressing themselves, or show signs of selective mutism can benefit from our combined play therapy and speech therapy sessions. Our therapists use play-based speech activities to make language development engaging and natural.

Social difficulties and peer problems: children who struggle to make friends, have difficulty reading social cues, are frequently bullied, or withdraw from group settings can develop stronger social skills through structured group play activities and friendship-building sessions at TheraPlay.