Interview with Sean Gittins, Linden Play Therapist
If you’ve ever been curious about the power of therapeutic play, this blog post will give you all the answers. We had the chance to interview the Linden play therapist, Sean Gittins.
In this interview, Sean shares how play therapy works, why it’s so important, and how tools like sand, art, and puppets can help children express themselves and support emotional growth. Whether you’re curious about the field or looking for ways to support a child in your life, this blog post offers an insightful look into the transformative power of play. Let’s get started!
Interviewer: Adele Rollmann - Linden Intern
Interviewee: Sean Gittins - Play Therapist

What is play therapy and why is it such an effective tool for helping children?
Sean: Play therapy is a form of counseling that uses play as a medium for children to communicate their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. It’s effective because it meets children at their developmental level, using the power of metaphor and providing a non-threatening, creative way to express what they might not be able to verbalize.
Play therapists help children express feelings, process experiences, and develop coping skills in a safe and supportive environment. It’s impactful because it taps into a child’s natural way of learning and healing, making therapy engaging and meaningful.
What drew you to the field of play therapy, and what keeps you passionate about it?
Sean: We live in a society where play is increasingly seen as a luxury, but as Kay Redfield Jamison said, "It's not a luxury but a necessity." It’s an honor to hold space for children—not to immediately offer solutions, but to allow them to explore and discover solutions for themselves through play and metaphor.
Often as adults, we feel we have to tell children what to do, but actually, if we hold the space with loving acceptance for them, they will tell us what they need and find a way to heal themselves. As Virginia Axline said,
Enter into children's play, and you will find the place where their minds, hearts, and souls meet."
Can you share a memorable success story that showcases the power of play therapy?
Sean: There was a boy, and everyone thought of him as this quiet little kid. He had a hard time expressing his feelings. But during our sessions, his anger started to come out in different ways in the playroom, and that was actually a really good thing. It meant he was finally starting to express himself. The challenge was that once the anger came out, he had a hard time letting go of it. He would get stuck in those feelings for a while. But over time, he began to work through it himself. Through finding different mediums and using the ones that worked for him, he began to start to express more emotions.
Slowly, his anger started to shift, and he began connecting with other emotions.I’ll never forget the moment, toward the end, when he created a triptych of paintings. They were so full of emotion and so beautiful. Watching him release everything he’d been holding inside through those paintings was incredible.
It felt like he went from being the quiet little boy everyone thought he was to someone who could express so much. Being able to hold that space for him, letting him feel and process at his own pace, was so important to come to this transition.
How does play act as a form of communication for children who may struggle to express themselves verbally?
Sean: Play provides children with a symbolic and metaphorical language to express their inner world. Through sand, clay, storytelling, drama, toys and other activities, they can reveal feelings, experiences, and work through their difficulties. Clay, for example, is excellent for working with anger because it can be squished, shaped, and molded, allowing children to release anger in various ways..
How do the toys or activities in play therapy serve as tools for healing and growth?
Sean: Toys and activities act as metaphors and mediums for expression, allowing children to project their feelings and experiences onto tangible objects. This process helps them explore emotions, develop problem-solving skills, and practice healthy coping strategies.
A play room uses special mediums such as, for example, sand trays and figures, clay, art materials, stories, drama, toys and musical instruments that are specifically chosen to help children express themselves in whatever way they need to. In Gary Landreth´s words,
"In play therapy, toys are like the child's words and play is the child's language."
How do you collaborate with parents or caregivers to support the child’s progress outside of therapy sessions?
Sean: I work closely with parents to encourage open communication by providing insights into their child’s therapeutic experience as well as holding a space for parents to be a part of their child's journey and discuss their role in that. Likewise, it is important that the school and teachers feel supported and are made part of the child's journey whenever possible. I see it as my role to help facilitate this and hold this therapeutic triangle of child, parents and school.
By tapping into the natural language of play, play therapists create a safe space where children can explore their emotions, develop coping skills, and discover their inner resilience. By meeting children exactly where they are, this approach helps them navigate their emotions. It highlights the powerful role of play in fostering growth, offering children the chance to unlock their full potential.
If you are interested in finding our more about play therapy or counseling at Linden, do get in touch: https://www.linden-education.com/
Sean Gittins, originally from Wales, UK, moved to Berlin in 2022 after living in London. He is a Child Counsellor specializing in Play Therapy, as well as an Academic and Teen Coach.
With a background in philosophy (BA, University of Bristol; MA, Birkbeck College London), Sean later trained in drama, arts-based healing, and therapeutic modalities at L’École Philippe Gaulier in Paris and Helikos in Italy. He holds a certificate and diploma in Play Therapy from PTUK.
Sean is passionate about using creative methods like sand, clay, drawing, and storytelling to help children and adults overcome behavioral, social, and educational challenges. Since beginning his career in 2012, he has supported students from over 20 countries and collaborated with leading schools and organizations across the UK, France, Nigeria, and Hong Kong.
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