Begin Within Play Therapy & Parenting Support

04/03/2026

Join me in welcoming Alyson!

Hi, I’m Alyson 👋

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who loves supporting children and their families through life’s ups and downs. I believe that when kids feel safe, understood, and connected, they’re better able to work through big feelings and challenges.

In my work, I support children navigating anxiety, low mood, trauma, and life transitions. I take a warm, collaborative, and strengths-based approach, and I deeply value the relationship we build together.

Using child-centered and play-based approaches, I create a space where children can express themselves, feel supported, and grow—while also partnering with parents along the way.

I’m so glad you’re here 🤍

03/25/2026

Divorce and coparenting requires clarity, care, and strong boundaries.

In my role, I can hold the role of the child’s therapist. That means my focus stays on the child’s emotional world, helping them feel safe, understood, and supported during a time of change.

I also integrate parent sessions—not as a mediator—but to support each parent-child attachment relationship. This work centers on helping each parent better understand their child’s needs, reduce conflict exposure, and show up in ways that strengthen connection.

Even in the midst of separation, children benefit most when their relationships with each parent are supported with intention and care.

03/14/2026

In sandtray therapy, young children use miniature figures and sand to show what they can’t always say with words.

A child might build a family scene, create a story, or place figures in ways that reflect how they’re experiencing their world. These small scenes often give us powerful insight into a child’s feelings, relationships, and inner experiences.

When children are navigating big changes—like divorce, family stress, or transitions—sandtray provides a safe way to process those experiences through play.

03/06/2026

Children don’t always have the words to explain what they’re feeling, but they can show us through play.

In the playroom, play becomes their language. It’s where thoughts, feelings, and experiences come together and begin to make sense.

When we enter into children’s play, we’re stepping into the place where their minds, hearts, and souls meet.

03/02/2026

When you walk into a play therapy room, you will see a play kitchen, dress-up, art supplies, a dollhouse, a sand tray, and many other toys.

But nothing in the room is random.

Each item is selected on purpose. There are materials for expression (art, sand, sensory), for storytelling (dolls, figures, dollhouse), for control and mastery (building, games), and for releasing big feelings safely (aggressive play options). Even how the room is arranged matters — kids need both predictability and choice to feel secure enough to open up.

The goal isn’t to entertain or distract kids.
Play is how children communicate and process experiences when they don’t yet have the words to explain what they’re feeling.

So when you see a child “just playing,” they’re often working through worries, relationships, fears, and problem-solving in the way their brain is designed to do it.

A thoughtfully designed playroom helps therapy happen without requiring a child to sit and talk like an adult.

02/01/2026

Happy start of International Play Therapy Week!

I am honored to serve as President of the New England Association for Play Therapy and celebrate International Play Therapy Week with you all! I truly love supporting the growth of our play therapy community and helping professionals feel connected, inspired, and empowered in their work. And if I’m being honest… I also love that it’s a very legitimate excuse to collect toys! Happy International Play Therapy week everyone! -Dana

01/31/2026

Parents—this one is powerful.
🗣️ Name it to tame it.

“It looks like you’re feeling frustrated right now.”

When we name emotions, we help kids feel understood—and that’s when calm becomes possible.

01/25/2026

Therapy isn’t only for moments when things feel “out of control.” It can be incredibly helpful when you start noticing behavioral changes, shifts in mood, increased irritability, withdrawal, anxiety, sleep changes, or big emotions that feel harder for your child to manage.

It’s also okay to seek support when there are changes in the family dynamic—a new sibling, separation or divorce, blending families, a move, illness, or even positive changes that still require adjustment. Kids often feel these shifts deeply, even when they can’t fully explain what’s going on.

Early support can help children build emotional awareness, coping skills, and language for their feelings before stress turns into a crisis. It sends the message: your feelings matter, and you don’t have to handle them alone.

Therapy can be preventative, supportive, and empowering—for children and for families. Reaching out early isn’t overreacting. It’s being attentive, proactive, and caring.

Begin Within in Southbury, CT is a counseling center specializing in play therapy, EMDR, and parenting support, offering a safe, nurturing space to support the emotional and behavioral needs of children and families navigating trauma, loss, and life transitions.

12/09/2025

Big news from Begin Within!

Our Southbury play therapy practice is growing — and that means more opportunities to support your child and your family.

We’re opening up additional weeknight spots and Friday sessions in our beautiful Southbury office… complete with a fully stocked play therapy playroom that kids instantly feel at home in.

Led by a Registered Play Therapist–Supervisor, Begin Within is expanding with additional seasoned therapists who bring deep experience with early childhood and compassionate parenting support.

If your child needs a safe space to process big feelings…

If your family could use guidance, connection, or a hopeful next step…

We’re here. And we would love to support you.

With playful connection—let’s Begin Within.

www.beginwithinct.com

11/29/2025

The faces of my many office mates at 😍

11/27/2025

Parenting is easier when your nervous system isn’t in survival mode. When you feel overwhelmed, overstimulated, or constantly “on alert,” it’s harder to stay present with your child, no matter how much you love them.

EMDR can help reset your system by processing the stress, triggers, and past experiences that keep your body stuck in fight-or-flight. As your nervous system settles, you create more room for patience, connection, attunement, and joy in your daily parenting moments.

A regulated parent creates a more regulated home. You deserve that calm, too.

09/24/2025

🎨 Making Meaning Through Symbols
Young children begin using objects to represent something else—a block becomes a phone, a stick becomes a magic wand.

This symbolic play shows that their imagination is blossoming and their thinking is moving beyond the here-and-now.

Try this: Go along with their idea! If a banana is a phone, pretend to take a call. You’re supporting creativity and flexible thinking.