Mara Play Therapy

06/04/2026

Worried about your child?
Play therapy can help.

Is your child feeling anxious or withdrawn, finding school hard, or struggling to express what’s going on?
Are you noticing overwhelm, shutdown, or big emotional reactions, where things feel like too much day to day?
Have there been changes at home, such as separation, divorce, or loss?

It can be hard to know where to turn.

Play is a child’s natural way of communicating. In a safe, supportive space, children can explore their feelings, build resilience, and make sense of their experiences at their own pace.

Mara Play Therapy offers child-led, therapeutic support for children aged 3–15.

Spaces available in:
Edinburgh
East Linton
Cockenzie

Arrange a free 20-minute initial call
www.forresterplaytherapy.uk

03/04/2026

Declarative Language helps with the clash between different communication styles. Here are some useful examples

"I noticed the front door is open..." vs. "Close the door!" 🧠✨
As an Educational Psychologist, I see parents exhausted by the "Battle of Wills." But what if I told you it’s not a battle of wills, but a clash of communication styles?
Most of us were raised on Imperative Language. It’s the language of commands:
"Pick up your coat."
"Do your homework."
"Brush your teeth."
The Problem: To a neurodivergent brain—especially one wired for PDA—a command is a "threat" to autonomy. It triggers the Amygdala (the brain's fear center) before the child even hears the instruction.
The Solution: Declarative Language
Declarative language is simply sharing your internal monitor. You aren't telling them what to do; you are sharing a piece of information and leaving "space" for them to process it.

25/03/2026

Some demands that PDA (pathological Demands Avoidance)children can find very difficult

25/03/2026

Children do not always have the words to tell us how safe they feel, but their nervous system is always communicating.

Neuroception is the term used by Dr Stephen Porges within Polyvagal Theory to describe how the nervous system detects safety, danger or threat without conscious awareness.

It is not something children choose.
It happens automatically, beneath thinking, beneath language.

A child’s neuroception is constantly asking:
Am I safe?
Am I in danger?
Do I need to protect myself?

For many of the children we work with, especially those who are neurodivergent or have experienced trauma, neuroception can become biased towards danger.

This can look like:
• Hypervigilance, anxiety or controlling behaviours.
• Quick shifts into fight or flight responses.
• Withdrawal, shutdown or disconnection.
• Difficulty trusting adults or relationships.

From a play therapy perspective, this is not misbehaviour.

It is the nervous system doing its job to keep the child safe.
✨ The role of play therapy is not to correct behaviour first.
It is to support the child’s neuroception to begin to detect safety.

We do this through:

• A consistent, predictable environment.
• A regulated and attuned therapist.
• Relational safety and acceptance without judgement.
• Repetition, rhythm and sensory experiences.
• Following the child’s lead in play.

Over time, the child’s nervous system can begin to shift; from protection, towards connection.

Because when a child’s neuroception starts to register safety, everything else becomes possible.

19/03/2026

Neurodiversity recognises that there’s no single ‘right’ way for a brain to think, learn or experience the world 🌈🧠

Explore support, services and practical guidance available across Lothian and the wider community on our newly launched website: https://services.nhslothian.scot/neurodiversity/

16/03/2026

15/03/2026

Some helpful thoughts on small (although they feel big) transitions….

I don’t think we talk enough about how tiny transitions can completely derail a day, especially if you’re neurodivergent.

We understand the ‘big’ transitions: moving house, starting a new job, changing schools. But it’s the little ones, the ones nobody else notices, that can knock us sideways.

Coming home after a long day and needing time to arrive before we can do anything else.

Standing in the hallway thinking, ‘I know I’m home… but my body hasn’t caught up yet.’ (One of my lovely family members cannot have a conversation with anyone until they’ve gone to the loo. Every time.)

Showering, even though it’s familiar and routine, feeling like a mountain you’re not quite sure how to climb.

Cooking dinner, but not knowing where to begin. The ingredients are there, the pans are there, but the starting point isn’t.

Tidying, knowing exactly what needs to be done, but the thought of initiating it feels like trying to launch a rocket. Number 2 has asked me often, ‘But how do you *know* how to start?’

These are transitions too.

And they can be just as overwhelming as the big stuff, sometimes more so, because we’re expected to glide through them without a second thought.

For many neurodivergent people, the difficulty isn’t the task itself.
It’s the shift into the task. The moment between not doing and doing. The internal gear change that everyone else seems able to make effortlessly.

But if your brain needs time to settle, to buffer, to orientate, that’s not laziness, or avoidance, or lack of motivation.

It’s regulation.

It’s your nervous system saying, ‘I need a moment before we do the next thing.’

So if you find yourself pacing, or sitting on the sofa unable to stand up yet, or staring at the shower thinking ‘not yet,’ or wanting to tidy but not being able to start, you’re not failing.

You’re transitioning.

And transitions take energy.

You’re allowed to need time.

You’re allowed to break the task into tiny, tiny steps.

You’re allowed to soften the shift between where you are and where you’re going next.

And you’re allowed to see those small transitions as the real, meaningful work they are.

Be gentle with yourself.

Your brain isn’t wrong, it’s just doing what it needs to do to get you through the day.

Emma
The Autistic SENCo
♾️

Photo: Woolly hat time is a fab time of the year. Love woolly hat time.

06/03/2026

✨Fitting In vs. Belonging — Why It Matters for Our Children ✨

There’s a powerful difference between fitting in and belonging

👉 Fitting in is changing yourself to be accepted.
👉 Belonging is being accepted for who you truly are.

When children feel they have to fit in, they may:
• Hide parts of themselves
• Copy others to feel included
• ⁠Silence their real thoughts or feelings
• ⁠Try hard to “get it right” to avoid rejection

But when children feel they belong, they:
• Feel safe to express themselves
• ⁠Trust that they are valued
• ⁠Develop confidence in who they are and more positive self esteem
• ⁠Build authentic friendships and connection.

🌱 How can we support children to feel they belong (instead of feeling they must “mask” who they are)?

Here are some simple ways adults can help:

• Celebrate individuality – Let children know their differences, interests, and personalities are valuable.
• Model authenticity – Show that it’s okay to make mistakes, feel emotions, and be yourself.
• ⁠Focus on connection over behaviour – Children feel belonging when they feel seen and understood, not only corrected.
• ⁠Name and validate feelings – “That sounds really hard” can help children feel accepted.
• ⁠Create safe spaces to express themselves (Through play, art, storytelling, or conversation).
• ⁠Avoid comparisons – Comparing children to siblings or peers can increase pressure to “fit in” and a sense of not being good enough.

In play therapy, we create spaces where children don’t have to perform, impress, or adapt to be accepted. They are welcomed exactly as they are — with their big feelings, quirks, strengths, and sensitivities.

Because every child deserves more than fitting in.They deserve to belong. 💛

If you’d like to learn more about how play therapy supports emotional safety and self-confidence, feel free to get in touch.

Mara Play Therapy
https://www.forresterplaytherapy.uk

05/03/2026

Today we’re celebrating a very special birthday at Mara play Therapy — Fresa! 🐾🎂

Fresa brings calm, curiosity, playfulness and connection in the play therapy room.

Animals have a unique way of helping children feel safe, seen, and accepted. This is one of the beautiful ideas behind Animal Assisted Play Therapy®. When a child connects with a therapy animal, the relationship can lower anxiety, invite playfulness, and create a sense of emotional safety that allows deeper expression and healing through play.

Sometimes children will feel safer connecting with a dog before they are ready to do so with an adult. Often they show their feelings through attuned play, nurturing, or simply sitting quietly together. Those moments of connection can be incredibly meaningful.

So today we celebrate Fresa — for the comfort she brings, the smiles she creates, and the gentle reminder that healing often begins with connection. 💛

Happy Birthday sweet girl! 🐶

https://www.forresterplaytherapy.uk/services

27/02/2026

3 simple questions to deepen interoceptive awareness in the playroom ✨ If you’ve been in the world of play and/or trauma therapy for a while, you’ve likely noticed how certain topics gain traction over time. A decade ago, discussions about nervous system activation were rare in training—now, you can’t attend a workshop without hearing about the brain or regulation.

The latest conversation making its way into the field? Interoception.

Coming from the world of occupational therapy, interoception is our ability to recognize and interpret the signals our body gives us—how we know what we’re feeling and what we might need at any given moment. It’s the foundation of self-awareness and self-regulation, yet many children (and adults) struggle to connect with their inner experience.

As we support children in developing this awareness, there are three simple questions we can ask in the playroom:

✨ How are you feeling?
✨ How do you know?
✨ What do you need?

While all three are valuable, today, I want to focus on just one:

✨ "How do you know?" ✨

This simple yet profound question can transform a child’s ability to connect with their inner world. Here’s how it might sound in a session:

🧸 A child points to a “sad” face on a feelings chart—ask, “How do you know you’re sad? What does sadness feel like inside?”
📖 You’re reading a book together—ask, “How do you think this character knows they’re scared?”
🎭 A puppet is “feeling angry”—ask, “How do you think the puppet knows it’s mad?”

By incorporating this question, we invite children to listen to their bodies, helping them recognize and name internal experiences. This is key for building self-regulation skills and strengthening their ability to process emotions.

Much love on the journey 💜

♡ Lisa

26/02/2026

Often children need a ‘landing zone’ with no demands after school. A good explanation as to why below…

When it all comes out after school

You might notice your child holding it together all day… then everything unravels the moment they get home. This isn’t bad behaviour — it’s what we call after-school restraint collapse. And it makes sense when you understand what their nervous system has been carrying.

They’ve been coping all day

At school, children are managing noise, expectations, social pressure, transitions, and constant demands. Many are masking, suppressing emotions, and pushing through overwhelm just to get by. By the end of the day, their system is full.

Home feels safe enough to release

When your child walks through the door, their body recognises safety. And that’s when the lid comes off. What looks like shouting, tears, or refusal is often a nervous system releasing everything it couldn’t express earlier.

It follows a predictable pattern

This visual shows the timeline — from escalation, to crisis, to the slow return to regulation. Understanding these phases helps you respond with calm and confidence, rather than confusion or frustration.

Support looks different in each phase

There’s no “one-size-fits-all” response. Sometimes your child needs quiet presence. Sometimes space. Sometimes co-regulation. Knowing when to talk, and when not to, can make all the difference.

You don’t have to figure this out alone

We’ve been sharing more on this topic, so take a look through our recent posts for deeper support. If you want practical, step-by-step guidance, our After School Restraint Collapse Toolkit is designed to help you feel more prepared and less overwhelmed.
For the full toolkit, link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

24/02/2026

I haven’t tried this, but it looks good. I will report back once I have had a go!

They look like crystal gems… but they’re made from FLOUR. ✨

I made these sparkling worry stones with kids and they couldn’t stop rubbing them so calming and magical to hold.

Mix flour + salt.
Add water & knead.
Shape, bake, add glitter shine.

Such a simple little craft that turns into something surprisingly beautiful — perfect for a calm afternoon activity.