Consulting Services

Kids at Heart partners with schools to help educators feel more confident and supported in meeting children’s social emotional needs. Using play-based, relationship-centered strategies, we combine clinical insight with years of classroom experience to offer tools that feel practical and realistic. Our work is rooted in a relationship-based approach, recognizing that connection is the foundation for regulation, behavior, and learning. Using Play Therapy concepts, we help teachers understand behavior and respond in ways that support students, without adding more to their plate.

• We build on what teachers are already doing
• This is not another program; it’s a shift in how we understand behavior
• Relationship is the most powerful tool for change
• Play is how children communicate, regulate, and learn
• We empower educators to feel confident, not overwhelmed

• We build on what caregivers are already doing
• This is not about fixing behavior, it’s about understanding it
• Relationship is the foundation for growth and change
• Play is how children communicate and learn
• We help caregivers feel more confident, not overwhelmed

Kids at Heart provides professional development and consultation services focused on:

• Social-emotional development in early and middle childhood
• Play-based strategies for behavior and regulation
• Trauma-informed and relationship-centered practices
• Classroom consultation and observation
• Parent engagement and education

Our approach is grounded in child-centered Play Therapy principles and emphasizes strengthening the adult-child relationship as the foundation for behavior, learning, and emotional growth.

• We work collaboratively with schools to:
• Build staff confidence and practical skill sets
• Support real-time classroom challenges
• Align with existing school systems and priorities

Provide flexible, tailored support

At Kids at Heart, our work is grounded in a relationship-based approach that recognizes connection as the foundation for emotional regulation, behavior, and learning. Through Play Therapy informed, developmentally appropriate strategies, we support children, caregivers, and professionals in understanding what behavior is communicating and responding in ways that promote growth and resilience.

We offer a range of services that extend from our clinical work into collaborative partnerships with schools and communities.

We provide creative, evidence-based Play Therapy for children, helping them express emotions, process experiences, and build coping skills in a safe and supportive environment.

We work closely with caregivers to strengthen relationships, build confidence, and better understand their child’s emotional and behavioral needs.

We offer structured parenting groups that help caregivers:

• Understand behavior as communication
• Strengthen connection and attachment
• Support emotional regulation at home
• Build practical skills that parents can use in everyday interactions

These groups are designed to be supportive, practical, and grounded in real-life parenting challenges helping caregivers feel more confident and connected

We provide individualized assessment, care coordination, and tailored treatment planning to support each child’s unique needs.

We offer EMDR and other trauma-informed approaches to support children and families navigating anxiety, trauma, and emotional challenges

We provide supervision and consultation for clinicians seeking to deepen their skills in Play Therapy and child-centered approaches

We support clinicians pursuing EMDR certification or strengthening their trauma-informed work with children.

Building on our clinical expertise and years of classroom experience, we partner with schools to bring relationship-based, play-informed practices into educational settings.

Our school-based work is a natural extension of our clinical practice. We take what we know works in the therapy room, relationship, play, and attuned response, and translate it into tools and strategies that educators and caregivers can use every day.

• Understanding behavior as communication
• Play-based strategies for regulation and engagement
• Relationship-centered and trauma-informed classroom practices
• Practical tools that integrate into existing routines

• Observation and feedback
• Support for classroom challenges
• Collaborative problem-solving with school teams
• Ongoing consultation to support implementation

Across all settings, our work is guided by a few core principles:

• Relationship comes first
  • Connection is the foundation for growth, regulation, and learning
• Play is the child’s language
  • We work with how children naturally communicate and process experiences
• Behavior is communication
  • We focus on understanding, not just managing behavior
• Support should feel practical and sustainable
  • We build on what is already working, rather than adding more programs or complexity

Play therapy is an evidence-based approach that aligns directly with educational priorities around behavior, engagement, and learning readiness.

Key Points for Administrators:

• Play is the natural language of children, especially in early and elementary settings
• Emotional regulation is a prerequisite for learning
• Relationship-based approaches improve:
  • Classroom behavior
  • Student engagement
  • Teacher efficacy
• Play therapy interventions show moderate to large positive effects on child outcomes (Effect Size ≈ .66–.80 *Not necessary to add this but here if you want the numbers*) (LeBlanc & Ritchie, 2001; Bratton et al., 2005)

In school settings, play-based approaches help:

• Reduce behavioral disruptions
• Increase emotional regulation
• Strengthen student-teacher relationships
• Support long-term adjustment and resilience

• Practicing clinicians working with children today
  • We bring current, real-world clinical insight into every partnership
• Strong understanding of child development, anxiety, trauma, and behavior
  • Our work is grounded in both theory and day-to-day experience with children and families
• Years of classroom experience in early childhood settings
  • We understand the realities of the classroom, including group dynamics, teacher demands, and what is actually feasible to implement during the school day
• Specialized in play-based, relationship-centered approaches
  • We focus on strengthening connection as the foundation for behavior, regulation, and learning
• Small, local, and highly collaborative
  • We offer flexible, personalized support tailored to each school’s needs

A: Our work is interactive, practical, and grounded in real classroom application, not just theory.

Q: Is this therapy for students?
A: No. This is professional development and consultation for staff, not direct clinical services.

Q: How does this fit into existing school frameworks?
A: We align with current practices and enhance what is already in place. No need to adopt a new program.

Q: What outcomes can we expect?
A:

• Improved classroom management
• Increased teacher confidence
• Better student regulation and engagement

Q: Why Play Therapy?
A: Play is how children naturally process emotions, build relationships, and develop regulation skills.

We offer a structured, play-based parenting group designed to support caregivers in responding to children’s emotional and behavioral needs with confidence.

• 6-week virtual group
• Designed for parents and caregivers of children ages 2–12

This group focuses on building both skills and confidence in navigating everyday challenges. Caregivers will:

• Learn and practice simple, practical strategies for responding to big feelings
• Better understand behavior as communication
• Strengthen connection with their child

Feel more confident and effective in their responses

We support caregivers in navigating real-life situations, including:

• Meltdowns and emotional outbursts
• Anxiety and worry
• Aggression and challenging behaviors
• Uncertainty around what to say or do in the moment

This group is designed for caregivers who are wondering:

• What do I say? What do I do?
• How can I be both supportive and effective?
• What will actually work for my child and my family?

Grounded in a relationship-based, play-centered approach, this group helps caregivers move beyond quick fixes and instead:

• Build stronger, more connected relationships with their child
• Understand the “why” behind behavior
• Respond in ways that support long-term emotional development

Caregivers leave with tools that feel realistic, usable, and sustainable, along with a clearer understanding of how to support their child through big feelings with confidence.

Play therapy offers a developmentally appropriate, research-informed approach that aligns closely with educational goals around behavior, engagement, and whole-child development.

Children must be emotionally regulated to access higher-order thinking and learning. Play-based approaches:

• Support co-regulation and self-regulation skills
• Help children process stress, anxiety, and transitions
• Increase time spent in a learning-ready state

This directly impacts attention, participation, and academic engagement.

Rather than focusing only on behavior management, play therapy:

• Helps educators understand behavior as communication
• Addresses underlying emotional needs
• Reduces reactive cycles (e.g., escalation, power struggles)

This leads to:

• Fewer disruptions
• More proactive responses
• More sustainable behavior change

Research consistently shows that relationship is the primary driver of change in child development and mental health.

Play-based strategies help educators:

• Build trust and connection
• Respond with empathy while maintaining boundaries
• Create emotionally safe classroom environments

Stronger relationships lead to:

• Increased student engagement
• Greater cooperation

Improved classroom climate

One of the most immediate impacts is on educators themselves.

Play therapy-informed training:

• Gives teachers practical, usable tools
• Reduces burnout by shifting perspective on behavior
• Reinforces what teachers are already doing well

Instead of adding “one more thing,” it:

• Integrates into existing classroom practices
• Builds confidence in responding to complex needs

Play therapy meets children where they are:

• Especially effective for early childhood and elementary settings
• Accessible across developmental levels and learning styles

Effective regardless of presenting issue, age, or background

Play therapy has been widely studied and shows:

• Moderate to large positive effects on child outcomes (Effect Size ≈ .66–.80) (LeBlanc & Ritchie, 2001; Bratton et al., 2005)
• Stronger outcomes when relationships and caregivers are involved

In school-based models, children demonstrate:

• Improved adjustment
• Better emotional functioning
• Long-term positive outcomes

Play-based, relationship-centered approaches:

• Fit naturally within Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports
• Strengthen SEL initiatives
• Align with trauma-informed practices

This makes integration seamless. Not disruptive.

Play therapy focuses on:

• Emotional processing
• Relationship patterns
• Internal skill-building

This leads to:

• Lasting change (not just short-term compliance)
• Improved resilience
• Stronger social-emotional development over time