More Room for Play: River Grove Therapy Now Offering Limited Saturday Play Therapy Hours

Making space for your child’s emotional well-being—even when your family’s schedule is full.

Between school, work, extracurricular activities, homework, and the many demands of family life, finding time for your child’s mental health can feel like one more challenge on an already busy calendar. At River Grove Therapy, we understand that getting the right support for your child should feel accessible, not overwhelming.

That’s why we’re excited to share that Lucas Watling will be offering limited Saturday hours for play therapy clients at River Grove Therapy!

This new opportunity gives families greater flexibility to prioritize their child’s emotional well-being while balancing the realities of a busy weekday schedule.

A Little More Flexibility for Your Family

For many families, weekday appointments can mean leaving school early, rearranging work schedules, rushing from one activity to another, or trying to fit therapy into an already demanding day. Saturday appointments offer another option.

With limited Saturday availability, families may find it easier to:

• Minimize disruptions to the school day. Children can attend therapy without missing valuable classroom time or feeling rushed to leave school.

• Reduce weekday stress. Parents and caregivers may have more flexibility to coordinate appointments without juggling work commitments and after-school activities.

• Create a calmer transition into therapy. Without the pressure of rushing from school to an appointment, children may have more time to settle in and engage in the therapeutic process.

• Make consistent care more manageable. Finding an appointment time that works for the whole family can help support regular attendance and continuity of care.

We know that every family’s circumstances are different. Our goal is to make accessing compassionate, high-quality mental health care a little easier for the families we serve.

Meet Lucas Watling: A Compassionate Guide for Children and Families

At the heart of effective play therapy is a therapist who understands that every child has a unique story, individual needs, and their own way of experiencing the world.

Lucas Watling brings a compassionate, patient, knowledgeable, and gifted approach to his work with children. He recognizes that children do not always have the words to explain what they are feeling or what they need. Sometimes, their emotions emerge through behavior, imaginative stories, play, or the ways they connect with others.

Lucas creates a supportive therapeutic environment where children can feel safe, understood, and accepted. His patient and thoughtful approach allows children to move at their own pace, building trust and developing the confidence to explore difficult feelings and experiences.

Through his clinical experience working with children and families, Lucas understands the importance of meeting children where they are developmentally and emotionally. Rather than expecting children to communicate like adults, he uses developmentally appropriate therapeutic approaches that help them express themselves in ways that feel natural to them.

At River Grove Therapy, we believe that a strong therapeutic relationship is foundational to meaningful change. Lucas embodies this belief through his compassionate presence, his understanding of children's emotional worlds, and his commitment to helping young clients develop the skills they need to thrive.

Why Play Therapy? Because Play Is a Child’s Language

When adults experience difficult emotions, we often turn to conversation to make sense of what is happening. Children, however, may not yet have the vocabulary, emotional awareness, or developmental capacity to explain their experiences in words.

Play is one of the primary ways children communicate, explore their world, and make sense of their experiences.

Play therapy uses this natural language of childhood within a purposeful, supportive therapeutic relationship. Through toys, art, imaginative play, storytelling, games, and other developmentally appropriate activities, children can explore feelings, work through challenges, and practice new ways of responding to the world around them.

Play therapy is much more than simply playing with a child. A trained play therapist uses play therapeutically to help children communicate experiences, develop emotional awareness, build coping skills, and strengthen relationships.

Depending on a child's individual needs, play therapy may help with:

• Emotional expression: Giving children a safe way to explore feelings such as sadness, anger, worry, frustration, and fear.

• Anxiety and stress: Helping children develop coping strategies and feel more confident navigating challenging situations.

• Behavioral challenges: Exploring the feelings and unmet needs that may contribute to difficult behaviors while developing healthier ways to respond.

• Life transitions: Supporting children through changes such as a move, family transitions, school challenges, or other significant experiences.

• Social skills and relationships: Practicing communication, problem-solving, boundaries, and understanding others.

• Self-esteem and resilience: Helping children recognize their strengths, build confidence, and develop a greater sense of competence.

• Processing difficult experiences: Providing developmentally appropriate support as children work through upsetting or overwhelming events.

Play therapy honors the whole child. It recognizes that behavior often communicates something important and that children benefit from having a safe space where they can express themselves without fear of judgment.

Over time, the therapeutic process can help children better understand their emotions, strengthen their coping skills, and develop healthier ways to navigate relationships and everyday challenges.

Supporting the Whole Family

When a child is struggling, the effects are often felt throughout the family. Parents and caregivers may feel worried, uncertain about how to help, or frustrated when strategies that once worked no longer seem effective.

Play therapy can support children while also helping caregivers better understand their child's emotional needs. When appropriate, collaboration with parents and caregivers can reinforce therapeutic progress and help families apply new skills at home.

At River Grove Therapy, we recognize that parents and caregivers are essential partners in a child's growth. Our approach centers on compassion, collaboration, and an understanding that meaningful progress happens through relationships—not just during an appointment.

We also recognize that seeking therapy is a strength. Reaching out for support can be an important step toward helping your child feel understood, develop resilience, and navigate life's challenges with greater confidence.

Making Space for What Matters

Children deserve the opportunity to feel heard, supported, and understood. Families deserve care that considers the realities of their daily lives.

By offering limited Saturday play therapy hours with Lucas Watling, River Grove Therapy hopes to make that support more accessible to families who need additional scheduling flexibility.

If you have been considering play therapy for your child but have struggled to find an appointment time that works with your family’s weekday commitments, Saturday availability may offer a welcome opportunity.

Interested in Saturday play therapy with Lucas?

Contact River Grove Therapy to learn more about Lucas's availability, discuss your child's needs, and determine whether play therapy may be a good fit for your family. Saturday appointments are limited, so we encourage interested families to reach out.

At River Grove Therapy, we believe every child deserves a space to grow, explore, heal, and discover their strengths. Sometimes, making that space begins with something as simple—and as powerful—as play.

River Grove Therapy: Compassionate care for children and families, one connection at a time.