top of page
Silhouettes of kid walking forward to rising sun in the mountains at summer, healthy famil

"I firmly believe every child should experience being seen, respected, known, loved and deeply connected with another human being."                 

                                                        - Hannah Elms 

Meet Hannah Elms

Child Play Therapist

Hannah is a passionate child play therapist who utilises the Child Centred Play Therapy (CCPT) approach in her work as a therapist. Play therapy allows children to express their experiences and emotions within a safe, secure and consistent environment and attuned, empathic and congruent therapeutic relationship. Play is a child's primary and most powerful means of communication, with the toys they choose acting as their words in the language of play.

 

Hannah works with children aged 3-12 for a minimum of 12 sessions while partnering with parents and carers in regular progress meetings to see effective, long lasting change for their child and family. She loves working alongside parents/carers throughout the therapy intervention to empower, equip and encourage them in their vital role.

 

Prior to working as a play therapist Hannah gained rich and formative experience as a primary school teacher working with multicultural, Out of Home Care (OHC), and low Socioeconomic Status students and families. She fostered children for two years, gaining deep insight into the immense joys and challenges of working with children experiencing family and housing instability and often, in addition, complex trauma. Hannah has also been involved in supporting refugees to integrate into life in Australia and is passionate about helping children from refugee background families to thrive, creating space to process these big transitions and difficult life experiences through play. 

 

Qualifications:

  • Master of Child Play Therapy 

  • Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play

  • Bachelor of Early Childhood Education

  • Certification in Sand Tray Therapy

  • Certified FirstPlay Practitioner

​

*Hannah is a registered Play Therapist with Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA)

Meet Hannah

What is Play Therapy?

Child Centred Play Therapy (CCPT) is where the therapeutic powers of play and the therapeutic relationship meet to to facilitate change. The highly trained play therapist utilises their therapeutic skills of congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathic listening to attune to the child and create a safe and predictable environment and relationship for the child.

 

Play is a child's natural means of communicating and a developmentally appropriate way for children to express their feelings, problems, desires and needs. Play therapy facilitates healing, growth and development within the safety of the therapeutic relationship by providing children the opportunity to rework traumatic situations, process grief and loss and express themselves and their experiences.

 

CCPT is founded on the belief that humans have an inner drive for self-actualization, the desire to understand, accept and know oneself and when provided with the right environment will naturally be self-driven to personal healing and growth. The therapist believes in the child's ability to solve problems and make choices that will facilitate growth and therefore is given the responsibility to lead the therapy at their pace.

Play Therapy

Grief & loss

Anxiety

Family separation

Attatchment

Attention deficit

Low self esteem & confidence

Regulation difficulties

Developmental delays

Trauma

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Studies have shown play therapy to be an effective way to facilitate healing and growth for children. Listed below are just some of the areas in which play therapy has been proved to have a significant impact:

Image by Ben White

Positive Outcomes

  • Self expression

  • Confidence

  • Empathy 

  • Positive social interactions

  • Emotional regulation

  • Increase in communication

  • Creative problem solving

  • Assertiveness

"Inside every child there is a story that needs to be told."

- Winnicott

Connect with Hannah

Thanks for submitting!

Contact Information

Phone

04 5990 3878

Email
Address

Dandenong North, Melbourne

Contact
bottom of page