Helping little minds grow wild and strong
Supporting children with big feelings, anxiety, behaviour and life challenges.
Helping little minds grow wild and strong
Supporting children with big feelings, anxiety, behaviour and life challenges.
Wild & Wonder Play Therapy provides specialist therapeutic support for children through the language they know best — play. Children don’t always have the words to explain big feelings. When they are anxious, overwhelmed, or carrying difficult experiences, it can be hard for them to simply talk about what is wrong. Play therapy offers a safe, consistent, and confidential space where children can express themselves through toys, creative materials, storytelling, and sensory play.
At Wild & Wonder, sessions are child-led. This means your child chooses how they use the space, while being gently supported by a qualified play therapist. The therapeutic relationship is at the heart of the work — helping children feel understood, accepted, and emotionally safe.
Research shows that play is vital for healthy brain development. When children feel stressed or distressed, the thinking part of the brain can become less active. This makes it harder for them to regulate emotions or explain their experiences. Creative and sensory play helps calm the nervous system and allows the brain to reconnect and process safely.
Through repeated experiences of feeling heard and valued, children begin to build new neural pathways. Over time, this supports emotional regulation, resilience, confidence, and stronger relationships. Play gives children the opportunity to explore feelings symbolically, make sense of their experiences, and develop healthier ways of coping.
Play therapy is not about fixing a child. It is about understanding them. It recognises that behaviour is a form of communication and that, when provided with the right environment and relationship, children have a natural capacity to heal and grow.
At Wild & Wonder, the aim is to create a warm, nurturing space where children can explore their inner world at their own pace — building strong emotional foundations for the future.

Children don’t always have the words to explain how they feel, especially when they are facing challenges that can feel overwhelming. Play is their natural language, a way for them to communicate and process emotions that might otherwise be difficult to articulate. Through play, children can safely express, explore, and manage big emotions in a comfortable setting, which is why play therapy is so valuable. This therapy can support children who are navigating various issues, including:
- Anxiety and worries
- Big emotions or frequent meltdowns
- Separation difficulties
- Friendship or school challenges
- Low self-esteem or confidence
- Family changes such as divorce or a new sibling
- Bereavement or loss
- Trauma
- Social, emotional, or behavioral difficulties
- Neurodiversity (including ASD and ADHD)
If you’re unsure whether play therapy is right for your child, feel free to reach out.

Our child-led approach ensures that each session is tailored to meet the unique needs of the child. By allowing children to lead the way, we create a supportive environment for them to explore and heal.

Parents play a vital role in the therapy process, attending initial meetings and review sessions to stay informed about their child's progress. We prioritize open communication while respecting the child's privacy,

At Wild and Wonder Play Therapy, we prioritize confidentiality to create a safe and trusting environment for children. Our therapists maintain clear boundaries to ensure that children feel secure and respected.
Starting therapy can feel like a big step. Here’s how the process works:
We begin with a parent-only consultation to explore your child’s needs, history and what you’re hoping for. This is a space for you to ask questions and decide if I’m the right fit for your family. This can be done face to face or online via zoom or phonecall.
Your child will attend an introduction session. This will be a quick meet and play in the therapy room before the full sessions start. This helps me to initiate trust, explain what play therapy is and what we will be doing and answer any questions for the child’s.
3. Ongoing Weekly Sessions
Sessions take place weekly at the same time each week, providing consistency and safety. Each session lasts 40 minutes.
We meet periodically to reflect on progress and discuss how your child is doing.
Play therapy works best when children feel safe, respected and free to express themselves at their own pace.
If you’re wondering whether play therapy could help your child, I’d love to hear from you.
Reaching out doesn’t commit you to anything — it’s simply a conversation.

Hi, I’m Jess, founder of Wild & Wonder Play Therapy. I am a certified Therapeutic Play Practitioner with Play Therapy UK and hold a BSc in Psychology and Child Development from the University of Winchester. I have over 7 years’ experience working with children in school settings and supporting those with SEN, additional needs, and emotional or behavioural difficulties. I have also completed additional training in trauma-informed practice.
I am passionate about helping children feel safe, understood, and accepted. I believe play is a child’s natural way of communicating, and through creative, child-centred play therapy, children can explore feelings, build confidence, and develop resilience at their own pace. I love using imaginative and creative resources in sessions and am inspired by the importance of play, curiosity, and the outdoors in helping children thrive.
I work with children aged 4–11 and offer play therapy in schools as well as through private referrals from parents, carers, and schools. My aim is to provide a calm, nurturing space where children feel free to be themselves and supported to grow.
I believe every child deserves to feel heard, understood and valued. My aim is to create a calm, accepting space where children can explore their world safely and build resilience in their own time.
It’s a privilege to support children and families through their journey.
Wild & Wonder Play Therapy works in partnership with schools and professionals to support children’s emotional wellbeing. Play therapy can be delivered within school settings, allowing children to access specialist therapeutic support in a familiar environment during the school day.
Sessions typically take place weekly and last around 40 minutes.
Schools are asked to provide a quiet, private room where sessions can take place without interruption, as well as a small space to store therapy materials if possible. A key contact person, such as a SENCO or pastoral lead, helps coordinate referrals, communication and scheduling. This person will help to set therapeutic goals for the child.
Wild & Wonder Play Therapy follows recognised professional and safeguarding standards. I hold an enhanced DBS check, professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and I am registered with the Information Commissioner's Office for data protection. I am trained in line with the professional standards of Play Therapy UK and undertake regular clinical supervision and continuing professional development.
Working collaboratively with schools, families and other professionals helps ensure the best outcomes for children.
Over time, schools may notice positive changes in children who engage in play therapy, such as:
Get in touch if you would like to discuss a potential referral or to see if play therapy might be right.
Individual sessions and discounted day rates are available in and around Salisbury and Winchester.
Please reach us at wildandwonderplaytherapy@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Every child is different. Some children benefit from short-term work, while others may need longer-term support. We review progress regularly via check ins.
Play therapy is confidential to help children feel safe. I provide general updates in review meetings while protecting your child’s private space.
Sessions will take place in the child’s school. This will need to be communicated between the parents, the school and Jess to organise a time that suits all.
This is very common. We gently support children to feel safe and comfortable at their own pace.
If your child seems overwhelmed, withdrawn, anxious, angry, or struggling emotionally, play therapy can provide a safe space for them to process their feelings.
The cost of Play therapy will depend on the child’s needs, how long the block of sessions is and where the school is based. Please do get in contact to discuss this.
Located in Salisbury and Winchester, Wild and Wonder Play Therapy is here to support you.
Helping children feel heard, understood, and supported through play therapy.

