Symptoms Decoded: The Essential Play Therapy Diagnosis Guide [Free Download]

Parents Come In With Ideas… And Sometimes They’re Right (Or Not)

Parents sometimes come into the playroom with specific ideas of what could be going on with their child. Sometimes these ideas are spot on, and sometimes…. not so much.

Others come in completely lost, and just know that what is happening with their child is difficult, painful, and disruptive to their child’s life. They want their child to be back to their old self - a happy, creative, vibrant, athletic, (sometimes grumpy), typical kid.  

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Symptoms Aren’t Always What They Seem

Kids can also be referred by schools, doctors, or even lawyers for concerns that might only be part of the picture. And here’s the kicker: symptoms can look completely different depending on the environment.

Think about it:

• Post-restraint collapse after school
  
• Social anxiety at a friend’s house but not at school
  
• Clingy with one parent but independent with the other
  
• Meltdowns around homework at home, but “perfect student” at school

Sometimes, what parents describe as depression may actually be something very different – like a child who cries once a month for less than 10 minutes but is otherwise happy and engaged.

Our Job as Play Therapists: Make Sense of the Data

We get curious. We dive deep. We figure out the specifics of what’s happening, why it might be happening, and then develop tools and resources to guide the next steps.

💡 Want a shortcut? Check out this resource HERE for the top questions you should be asking in a diagnostic assessment session. Need help with the “what’s next” part?  Check out these top 8 resources to help you set better goals HERE! 

Kids with neurodivergent diagnoses like ADHD can thrive in play therapy – but that success often comes when parents adjust expectations and the environment supports the child’s needs.

And one thing I feel pretty darn strongly about in play therapy?  We have to know where the child is now to figure out where they are going.  

Real life terms?  An accurate diagnosis leads the way to fill in the answers of what is possible for that child (the goals) and the tools you need to get there (the therapy interventions). 

Kids with neurodivergent diagnoses like ADHD can have a lot of success in play therapy, however some of that success comes with parents shifting expectations and the environment rising to support the needs of the child. 

And yes, every child deserves accommodations and support from the environment, but the “what’s next” treatment might look different if a child’s difficulty with focus and concentration is actually because they are dissociating due to a trauma trigger OR they are focused and fixated and worries relating to their friend group and zoning out during class. 

To complicate things further, there are some common symptoms that are pretty universal across mental health diagnoses for kids. 

Ready to Get Crystal-Clear?

If you’re ready to finally understand what’s truly going on with the kids and teens you work with, I’ve got you. I created a guide that highlights the top 10 symptoms I see in my playroom every week, and it’s yours free.

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Download The Essential Guide to Differential Diagnosis For Kids and Teens  today and bring more ease and confidence into your sessions.