Understanding Play Therapy Interventions with Children

This workshop will cover:
- Attachment and trauma theory
- Adverse Childhood Experiences
- How play therapy can help children promote recovery
- Play and creative interventions for emotional awareness and regulation
- Using directive and non-directive play therapy

Learning Objectives (introduction level):
- Describe how play therapy supports children’s healing and emotional wellbeing
- Recognise when play therapy is an appropriate intervention
- Explain the foundations of attachment and trauma theory relevant to play therapy
- Understand the core principles of non‑directive (child‑led) play therapy and the importance of the therapeutic relationship
- Describe the key elements of a safe and effective therapeutic play environment
- Reflect on the practitioner’s role and self‑awareness

Spaces are limited. Contact us today to make a pencil booking if you are seeking funding approval.

This is a beginners to intermediate level workshop suitable for educators, health care and mental health professionals (psychologists & psychiatrists), counsellors, social workers and other professionals wanting to gain increased knowledge and skills in helping children and youth.

It is for anyone who works with supporting families and young people who have experienced trauma or difficult life changes.

Poornima Ranchhod, Play Therapist
Poornima is a qualified and experienced Play Therapist. She is the Founder of Play Sense and is currently working in private practice. Poornima works with organisations such as Oranga Tamariki, and is a school-based play therapist. Over her career, she has spent many years working with children, young people with complex psychological issues (e.g. depression, anxiety, attachment disorders, family problems) and difficult life experiences (e.g. family stress, divorce, bereavement, family and sexual violence).

Poornima is trained in child development, attachment (the bonding process) and using and understanding play as a child’s natural form of expression and communication. Her specialties include working with children who are Neurodiverse. In the UK she has worked and offered therapy for various intellectual disability services, such as the NHS (National Health Service).

In addition, Poornima holds a BSC (Hons) in Psychology and Postgraduate Diploma in Play Therapy by the British Association of Play Therapy (BAPT). She is a graduate member of the British Psychological Society, full member of British Association of Play Therapy, an affiliate member of the New Zealand Association of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists and is in the process of applying for the Advanced Clinical Practice for the Association of Psychotherapists Aotearoa New Zealand.

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Manon van Esch, Play Therapist & NZ Registered Social Worker
Manon is a NZ‑trained and certified Play Therapist and a NZ Registered Social Worker. She has over 25 years of experience working with children across early childhood and primary education, NGOs, child mental health and disability services, and government agencies. Initially trained as an early childhood and primary school teacher, she later moved into social work and therapeutic practice with children and families. Manon has extensive experience supporting children and their whānau in home, community, and primary school settings, including children with high and complex needs, trauma and attachment difficulties, disability, and neurodiversity.

She works in part‑time private practice at KINDS in Wellington as a child‑centred play therapist, senior social worker, and supervisor.

Manon is passionate about play therapy and dedicated to growing understanding of this therapeutic approach that is developmentally appropriate and offers children a space where their voices are truly heard; she considers it a privilege to walk alongside children in this work.