Play therapy helping children process bushfires

On Thursday, Charles Sturt University speech pathologist Jessie Anderson joined a team of children's health specialists including psychologist Cassie Neville and social worker Hayden Paynter, for a play-based session with children at the Wangaratta relief centre.

"Play-based intervention is very much about meeting children on their level," she said.

"They might already be feeling anxious and unsure so when we match them at their level and play it's a way of discussing events and talking in a safe zone. It's really important that children... feel they are being heard and can express any feelings they might have."

Ms Anderson said the play therapy was also about providing parents with the skills to talk to their children about trauma.

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"It's also about upskilling families on when to seek help and what is typical," she said. "It's typical for children to set out play scenes of fires and evacuation.

"We help by informing parents what trauma can look like at different ages and at what point they might need to seek assistance in the future to manage their child's feelings."

Ms Anderson said it was yet to be determined whether more of the same type of sessions would be held at relief centres.