Mel Horsfall
Play Therapy
Affirm and heal through play
We are incredibly grateful for the exceptional support and care provided by Mel. Her warm, empathetic, and compassionate approach has made a profound difference in the lives of our children and in their ability to navigate some very complex situations and periods in their lives.
What is Play Therapy and how does it work?
Play Therapy provides a safe space for children to explore thoughts and feelings within a trusting therapeutic relationship. Children work creatively using a toolkit promoting play and a creative arts including drawing/painting, clay, and puppets. role-play and storytelling. Children are able to use play as their natural language to communicate and process their experiences both unconsciously and consciously. In this protected space, the child gains insight into their own world, at their own pace, in a safe way.
I work with compassion to build a supportive therapeutic relationship based on trust and understanding, where the child is free to express themselves and make choices. I use a holistic approach to understanding the child, taking into account their developmental stage, relationships, environment, and emotions, while working closely with parents and teachers to meet the child's mental health needs and strengthen outcomes. I follow an integrated theoretical approach, which offers child-centred, 1:1 or group clinical interventions, tailored to meet the developmental needs and family context of the child.
Creative Arts & Play Therapy for children aged 4-13
Using play to support child wellbeing, Mel draws on over 20 years' experience working with young people, their families, and wider professionals across Worthing and the Sussex area.
Services
About Me
My name is Mel, and I am a certified Play Therapist with post-graduate level training and professional registration. My therapeutic practice developed after working for over twenty years in education, with over ten years as a specialist SEND teacher and SEND Coordinator within alternative provision.
I have a specialist interest in neurodiversity and draw on vast experience working with children who are Autistic, ADHD and sensory processing difficulties. Play Therapy is inherently neuro-affirming, working holistically with the child at the centre. I have a deep understanding of child development and am both attachment & trauma informed. I work with children aged 4-13, although please get in touch if your young person is older with SEND. I offer sessions in Worthing and the surrounding areas of West Sussex (South).
Certified Professional with Post-graduate Diploma- Chichester University (Distinction)
I am a registered member of Play Therapy UK (PTUK). This manages the register of Play and Creative Arts Therapists and is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. It is the largest, most progressive Play Therapy professional organisation both in the UK and internationally.
Get in touchSusie Tunney
Primary School Teacher
Rob Fitzwarine
Primary School Teacher
Parent
Worthing
Just Jeffrey
Head Teacher, Downsbrook Primary