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Offered in-person & online

Play therapy in Charlotte, NC

Get in-person or online care, and cover the majority of the costs with your insurance.

All Charlotte services

Connect with a therapist, psychiatrist or counselor near you
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686,000 people sought help with Thriveworks in the last year

Discover how starting play therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS

Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS Medicare Advantage, +22 more
Coping Skills, Stress, Anxiety, Depression

As an African-American woman, with her own personal life experiences and mental health challenges, I am intentional about creating safe spaces for peo... As an African-American woman, with her own personal life experiences and mental health challenges, I am intentional about creating safe spaces for people of color at all stages of life to access quality and culturally relevant mental health care. Read more

110 more therapist available in North Carolina

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Starting Play therapy

What is Play therapy?

Play therapy is a therapeutic technique used for children and young teens. It involves the use of toys, art, and games to help young individuals process mental health challenges they encounter throughout their childhood like trauma, behavioral problems, divorce, or bullying.

How does Play therapy work?

Thriveworks play therapists in Charlotte work with young individuals to help them express themselves, release stress and other emotions, learn about their emotions, and heal from difficult experiences by using toys, games, and art to work through these issues in more digestible and accessible formats.

Is Play therapy conducted in person or online?

Thriveworks therapists in Charlotte conduct play therapy both in person and virtually through online therapy. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you and your child.

How long does Play therapy last?

Play therapy, on average, can take around 20 sessions to effectively address a young individual's mental health concerns. However, therapy is a very individualized process, meaning that more or fewer sessions might be required depending on the client's condition and symptoms.

Need more help deciding?

As a parent, it’s sometimes hard to know how to help, or who to trust when our children need more than we can provide ourselves. At Thriveworks, you will find experienced licensed professionals to provide not only play therapy but support for you as well as you navigate a path to healing for your child.

Children bring unique strengths and needs into the therapeutic relationship. While most modes of therapy for adolescents and adults center around talk, healing for children is often most effectively achieved using the language of childhood: play. Play is a child’s means of learning, of expressing thoughts and feelings, and of processing experience in order to make sense of that experience and to integrate it into their understanding of life. Play therapy is the use of therapeutic play techniques to actively explore and address the needs and concerns of a child client in a developmentally meaningful way. In play therapy, the therapist and child may use a playhouse and family of dolls to explore family relationships, a sand tray and toy figurines to create a representation of something the child is afraid of, or a game to learn impulse control and social skills. Through these and other play therapy tools, the therapist assists the child to learn, to process, to heal, and to grow.

Play therapy is often the most appropriate mode of therapy for children between the ages of 3 and 12, and can be employed to address a broad range of issues. If your child is dealing with issues such as anxiety, depression, grief, sleep problems, difficulty with social skills, poor impulse control or behavioral issues, fears or phobias, separation or divorce, trauma, or issues related to experiencing abuse, or a host of other concerns, play therapy may help. Play therapists also can give you coaching and guidance on how to deal with your child’s difficulties. At Thriveworks, helping kids to thrive is a team effort.

By: Heather Fangman, MS Ed., NCC, LPCA
Heather is a licensed professional counselor associate and nationally certified counselor. She graduated from Miami University with a BA in psychology and completed her masters degree in community counseling at Youngstown State University. Heather began her work in play therapy specializing in the treatment of abuse and neglect. While she has experience providing individual and group counseling services across a broad range of issues with children through adults, Heather has a special interest in play therapy, perinatal mood disorders, perinatal trauma, and high conflict divorce and reunification therapy.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Charlotte therapists and counselors accept 26 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS Medicare Advantage

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Carelon

  • Caresource

  • Carolina Behavioral Health Alliance (CBHA)

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • First Health Network

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Self-pay costs at Charlotte
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

4.7 Learn about verified reviews
★★★★★
I have been seeing Terryn Maher for a couple of months now and she is awesome!! Very knowledgeable, attentive, thorough, thoughtful, caring, etc. I could go on for awhile. I’ve been in counseling with another therapist for about 14 years but I already feel like I’m getting so much more from working with Terryn. Thriveworks on a whole has been great to work with as well. They are easy to work with and schedule appointments with. I was nervous about working with a company over directly with just the therapist but it has actually worked out well. I highly recommend them!
Read more I have been seeing Terryn Maher for a couple of months now and she is awesome!! Very knowledgeable, attentive, thorough, thoughtful, caring, etc. I could go on for awhile. I’ve been in counseling with another therapist for about 14 years but I already feel like I’m getting so much more from working with Terryn. Thriveworks on a whole has been great to work with as well. They are easy to work with and schedule appointments with. I was nervous about working with a company over directly with just the therapist but it has actually worked out well. I highly recommend them!
Jennifer Feb 2024
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
Clarissa is a true professional and I love working with her!
Charlotte Aug 2022
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Dr Patricia shows her professionalism by having a positive attitude, using time effectively, and providing excellent service. Dr. Patricia's communication is wonderful when showing her active listening skills. Dr. Patricia shows compassion because she is passionate about what she brings to this field.
Read more Dr Patricia shows her professionalism by having a positive attitude, using time effectively, and providing excellent service. Dr. Patricia's communication is wonderful when showing her active listening skills. Dr. Patricia shows compassion because she is passionate about what she brings to this field.
Charlotte Aug 2022
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Gabrielle is an amazing therapist. She is very empathetic to her clients and their needs. She can help you through what ever you are going through. Schedule with her! You will not be disappointed.
Read more Gabrielle is an amazing therapist. She is very empathetic to her clients and their needs. She can help you through what ever you are going through. Schedule with her! You will not be disappointed.
Charlotte Feb 2022
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I have had the pleasure of working with Clair Crow professionally and can attest to what an incredible therapist she is! She has a calm demeanor and creates safety with her clients. She balances that safety and care with clear boundaries. I highly recommend her and have often referred clients to her for her expertise.
Read more I have had the pleasure of working with Clair Crow professionally and can attest to what an incredible therapist she is! She has a calm demeanor and creates safety with her clients. She balances that safety and care with clear boundaries. I highly recommend her and have often referred clients to her for her expertise.
Charlotte Oct 2021
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I've worked with Mrs. Matson for close to a year now and I can say with certainty that she's a great counselor to go to for help with emotional regulation and understanding, grief management, and processing trauma in healthy and beneficial ways. Her use of meditation techniques to get to the root of my emotions and habits have helped me understand so much about myself and why I operate the way I do. I'd definitely recommend her to anyone just starting out looking for a good counselor, or anyone looking for a friendly empathetic professional who listens well and draws from a wealth of information to provide really quality services.
Read more I've worked with Mrs. Matson for close to a year now and I can say with certainty that she's a great counselor to go to for help with emotional regulation and understanding, grief management, and processing trauma in healthy and beneficial ways. Her use of meditation techniques to get to the root of my emotions and habits have helped me understand so much about myself and why I operate the way I do. I'd definitely recommend her to anyone just starting out looking for a good counselor, or anyone looking for a friendly empathetic professional who listens well and draws from a wealth of information to provide really quality services.
Charlotte Feb 2021
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I have seen Dr. Daniel Stillwell for a year for individual and couples counseling and I trust him immensely. He is a skilled, authentic, and highly competent professional. I’ve also referred him to others and they described the same. Thriveworks staff have been very helpful with insurance and appointments.
Read more I have seen Dr. Daniel Stillwell for a year for individual and couples counseling and I trust him immensely. He is a skilled, authentic, and highly competent professional. I’ve also referred him to others and they described the same. Thriveworks staff have been very helpful with insurance and appointments.
Charlotte Jan 2021
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Adriana Blanco is wonderful. I never felt any judgement from her during our sessions. She is compassionate, firm and extremely knowledgeable. I could not see myself opening up as much with another counselor, thank you for putting her in my path.
Read more Adriana Blanco is wonderful. I never felt any judgement from her during our sessions. She is compassionate, firm and extremely knowledgeable. I could not see myself opening up as much with another counselor, thank you for putting her in my path.
Charlotte Apr 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Child Therapy Charlotte is near the corner of Park Road and Woodlawn Road. We are across the street from Starbucks and Exxon. Sharonview Federal Credit Union is the building next to our office.

Phone number

(980) 217-6901

Languages spoken by NC providers

  • English
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in ET

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