Penelope Moore

Hello, my name is Penny — thank you for finding me. I am an accredited BAPT Play Therapist based in Sevenoaks, Kent. I somehow (!) have over 15 years of experience working with children and families, often during the most vulnerable times in their lives.

Before training as a Play Therapist, I worked as a Social Worker — a job I adored. However, I often wished I had more opportunities to truly sit alongside the children I supported and be part of their healing journeys. That’s exactly what I believe play therapy offers.

Play therapy isn’t something you do — it’s a way of being. I wholeheartedly believe in its power and the positive impact it can have on all children.

I work in a child-centred way, which means children are in charge of their sessions: they choose how to play and what to explore. My role isn’t to “fix” children, but to create a safe, contained space where they can express how they feel without judgement and begin to make sense of their world and experiences. Through my clinical work, I’ve seen how relationships don’t depend on words, but on connection — on creating a space where children are accepted exactly as they are.

Children don’t always have the words to say how they feel. Play therapy gives them another way to express themselves — through toys, stories and creativity. Through play, children can show what’s going on inside and begin to make sense of their world, in their own time and in their own way.

In the playroom, children are in charge of their play. They lead, and the therapist follows alongside — offering understanding, safety and support.

The most important part of play therapy is the relationship between the child and the therapist. It’s a space where children can be completely themselves — accepted, seen, and valued without pressure or judgement. Through this experience, they can start to believe they are “good enough” just as they are, and begin to uncover their own strengths. For some children, it’s the first time they’ve truly felt what a safe and secure relationship feels like.

My practice is neuroaffirming, recognising and respecting different ways of thinking, communicating, playing and experiencing the world. I aim to meet each child where they are, without expecting them to communicate, engage or regulate in a particular way.

Play therapy can support children experiencing:

• Anxiety or low mood

• Trauma

• Grief and loss

• Anger and bug feelings

• Family changes or conflict

• Attachment and relationship difficulties

• Difficulties with confidence and self esteem

• Overwhelm, emotional regulation or difficulties navigating their world.