Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is a form of therapy which assists clients in exploring present and past issues and concerns which may be causing continued stress in every day life. Psychotherapy helps clients to identify the root cause of a problem and learn to increase confidence, awareness, insight and understanding. This helps clients to function better in their daily lives and reach a greater sense of wholeness and healing. 

Our therapists offers Gestalt Therapy, Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Systems Theory in an integrated and meaningful way. Your therapist will intentionally create a treatment plan for you and your specific mental health needs.

Play Therapy is a full and comprehensive treatment approach, evidence-based for ages 3-12. However, research continues to show how play is effective at any age and transcends expectations you have to "talk" to heal. In Play Therapy, "play is the language and toys are the words". This quote is so fitting as I tell students and supervisees Play Therapy is not just a "tool in your toolbox", it is an entire way of being. It is a model in which one views and interacts with the world differently. Play Therapy has significantly influenced all interactions in my life, not just the ones which involve being in the Play Therapy room. To learn more about Play Therapy, click here.

EMDR Therapy is an evidence-based 8-phase protocol psychotherapy used for the treatment of a wide variety of issues, concerns, and problems  which may bring a client, children or adults, to therapy.

All providers at The Heart of Play are trained in EMDR Therapy.

Click Here to learn more about EMDR Therapy from the EMDR International Association. 

Nolan provides an array of services to caregivers and children to help meet families' therapeutic goals. This includes Theraplay, Marschak Interaction Interaction Method (MIM), Filial Therapy, and Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT).

Nolan is trained in Theraplay Level One and the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM) through the Theraplay Institute in 2019. A MIM is a structured parent/caregiver and child evaluation examining the relationship using a set of activities using the four dimensions of attachment through the Theraplay Model: structure, engagement, nurture, challenge. A treatment plan is then determined based on this assessment through Theraplay. This is a highly interactive, engaging therapeutic model which is evidence-based and ideal for all ages from infancy through late adolescence.

Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) is a 10-week program in both a group and individual format. Developed by Garry Landreth, this program teaches foundational play therapy skills to caregivers in a supportive environment they then use at home to increase the quality of the parent-child relationship. This program is ideal for caregivers of children ages 3-8 years of age. Nolan is trained in CPRT from Dr. Brenna Hicks during Nolan’s education at the University of Wyoming.

Katie Royster is trained in Child-Parent Psychotherapy, an evidence-based trauma-informed treatment for children and caregivers ages 0-5. This therapeutic modality helps children and families feel connected and heal after a traumatic or significant event.

Our team offers several groups throughout the year including:

Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT), a 10-week group for parents learning foundational play therapy skills.

Chicks Aren't Chicken, a 10 week group for Adolescent females ages 10-13 who need group support and guidance in managing anxiety.

Look at The Heart of Play's Facebook page for upcoming groups.

The Heart of Play provides school-based therapy services to the following schools and districts:

• Humboldt Community School District (Mease and Taft Elementary Schools)

• Gilmore-City Bradgate Elementary School

To be eligible for school-based therapy services, you will need to establish your child as a client with an initial evaluation to determine appropriateness and goodness-of-fit for school-based therapy. Once your therapist has determined your child is appropriate for school-based therapy, additional consent forms and releases are signed. If your therapist does not feel school-based therapy is appropriate, they will address this with you and offer recommendations for in-office services.

The emWave® system by HeartMath is a scientifically based biofeedback tool that helps you build emotional balance, resilience, and stress regulation in real time. By measuring heart rate variability (HRV), emWave provides immediate feedback on your body’s stress response and guides you into a state of “coherence”—where your heart, mind, and emotions are working in sync.

Through simple breathing and focus techniques, clients learn to shift out of stress and into a calmer, more centered state. Over time, this practice can improve emotional regulation, mental clarity, and overall well-being.

emWave is used in sessions to teach practical, evidence-based skills you can apply anytime—whether you’re managing anxiety, improving performance, or strengthening your overall mental health.

This treatment modality can be integrated into other therapies including EMDR Therapy and Play Therapy.