What they struggle to say we help through play

Now more than ever, children impacted by trauma need your help. Be Centre receives 5 new enquiries every day and the wait list for our services continues to grow. Demand is at a high and early intervention is needed.

Donate now to help meet this demand

Life is short. Childhood is even shorter. To influence the outcome of a child’s life after experiencing trauma, there’s a very small window. But with the right approach, the impact is life changing.

“The Be Centre really helped us through a difficult time when our son had cancer. When we needed some extra support they were there with the right tools and support to help our children process their emotions and begin feeling less burdened and much happier.” Grateful mum

Ben’s story: Ben for most of his life was exposed to domestic violence. Play therapy helped Ben play out his anger, fear and worries. Slowly but surely Ben was able to move through his anxiety and fears. He started to develop a sense of self which had been missing before and he began to smile, have fun and be a kid again as the weight lifted off his shoulders.

What they struggle to say we help through play

• • 50% of children with mental illness continue to struggle in adulthood
  • 50% of adult mental illness begins before the age of 14
  • Mental illness is costing Australia between $43-$70 billion each year
  • 1 in 4 children are exposed to domestic violence which can cause ongoing mental health issues

Why Play Therapy is important

The problem is, kids don’t often respond to typical methods of trauma intervention that work with adults. They don’t process things the same way we do. They communicate differently.

Above all, kids understand the world through play. Play therapy isn’t just a fun intervention – it’s one of the most effective ways of helping a child heal after trauma.

Play Therapy was developed to give children another type of support; one that taps into their most natural means of learning and expression. Through play, kids can work through emotions and experiences from mild behavioral issues to serious trauma, in a safe space that’s centred on them – feeling a sense of acceptance, encouragement and freedom.

Well-established and evidence-based, Play Therapy is an approach founded on a number of psychological theories. It has been widely used in the UK and US and is fast gaining recognition in Australia as an effective intervention and therapy.