Meet the Team

Principle Social Worker and Play Therapist

EVONNE JONES

I am a qualified Mental health Social Worker and Registered Play Therapist, with 20 years experience supporting children and families in the government sector, both in WA and the UK, and through my Perth-based private practice. My roles have included working directly with families, and training other professionals in this work.

I’m passionate about supporting children and families to live their best lives, and I’m here to support your child’s path to emotional wellbeing through Child-Centred Play Therapy, advocacy and providing a caring space for healing and growth.

As a Social Worker, I am guided by professional standards and ethics, and I am able to provide advocacy support for families within school settings. This ensures the highest quality and consistency of care and support for your child.

I am a member of the AASW (Australian Association of Social Workers) and APTA (Australian Play Therapy Association) PTPA registered supervisor. I am also an AutPlay Certified Therapist.

AutPlay is a neurodiversity affirming framework for play therapy, designed to help each child and play therapist to appropriately support the mental health needs of neurodivergent children between the ages of 3-18 (including autistic children, those with ADHD, social anxiety, sensory differences, learning differences, and developmental and physical disabilities).

I work with a variety of social, emotional and behavioural challenges including:

Anxiety
Adoption
Trauma
ADHD and Autism
Selective mutism
Behavioural and emotional issues
Family separation
Social difficulties
Difficulties with self regulation
Difficulty engaging in other therapies

My approach is all about putting your child at the centre of care, focusing on their individual needs and wellbeing. Working closely with you, we’ll draw on the resources of Play Therapy to support your child’s growth and flourishing.

You do not need a referral to access our services, however if you are interested in Medicare rebates, please speak with your GP. For more information about fees and rebates, please contact us.

Additionally, I offer Professional Supervision and Social Work Consults for Social Workers and Play Therapists looking to enhance their practice.

Our Core Values

Empathy

We approach every individual with empathy, providing space and understanding for healing and growth.

Holistic and Person-Centred

Our commitment to holistic care means we provide comprehensive support that addresses the emotional, psychological, and environmental wellbeing of each individual.

Neuro-Affirming

Our practice embraces neurodiversity, promoting inclusivity and positive environments for all children and young people. We work to reshape environments to suit the child, working with their neurodiversity.

Advocacy

Advocacy is at the heart of our practice, supporting parents and caregivers to advocate for their children’s wellbeing within school settings and beyond.

Collaboration

We believe in collaborative partnerships with parents and caregivers, educators and healthcare professionals, working together to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people.

Continuous Learning

We continuously work to develop our skills and knowledge to deliver the highest quality of care in Play Therapy, Creative Arts Therapy and Professional Supervision. Our commitment to lifelong learning ensures we are up-to-date with the latest research and best practices.

Play Therapy

A Bit about Play Therapy

Child-Centred Play Therapy is an evidence-based, age-appropriate approach to child therapy that builds on the normal communication style of children.

Therapists intentionally use Play Therapy to help children express what is troubling them when they don't have the verbal language to express their thoughts and feelings. In Play Therapy, toys are like the child's words and play is the child's language.

Children who have engaged in Play Therapy develop many skills to take into adulthood, including:

Becoming more responsible for behaviours and actions
Developing new and creative solutions to problems
Developing respect and acceptance of self and others
Learning to experience and express emotions
Learning new social skills and relational skills with their family
Developing empathy and respect for self and others.

What is Arts Therapy?

Creative Arts Therapy is a mental health treatment combining Psychotherapy Counselling with the arts.

It is based on the understanding that creativity enhances the wellbeing of all people and is a natural aspect to all cultures and human experiences.

Creative Arts Therapy sessions can include exploration through:

Talking
Drawing
Painting
Movement
Music
Drama
Sandplay
Writing
Poetry, and
The use of images and objects

Anyone can take part in Art Therapies, and you don’t need previous experience with art. This therapeutic approach can be particularly helpful for people who have experienced trauma or have difficulty communicating verbally. Creative processes can be a way for clients to explore and express feelings that may be hard to put into words, and to find new pathways to healing. In this way, a Creative Arts Therapy session is quite different to an art class or lesson.

Arts Therapy can be effective in:

Reducing stress
Improving emotional regulation
Improving communication skills
Improving problem solving skills
Reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms
Developing insight and self-awareness
Improving self-esteem
Resolving psychological conflicts
Processing trauma
Promoting resilience
Strengthening play and imagination.

Can my child benefit from seeing a play therapist?

Research supports the effectiveness of play therapy with children experiencing a wide variety of social, emotional, behavioural and learning problems including:

Anxiety
Family Separation
Trauma
ADHD
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Death/grief and loss
Chronic illness
Physical and/or sexual abuse
Domestic violence
Natural disasters
Social/relationship issues.

Book an Appointment

Book an initial consultation in person or online to see how we can best support your family

Book Now

Please contact me for more information