ABOUT ME/BIO
Lily Peterson has been clinically trained in child, adolescent and family psychotherapy. She offers a compassionate, developmentally attuned approach to emotional and relational healing through a psychodynamic, play-based framework. This is a specialty training that integrates talk, play, art and sandplay therapy. These classic and creative therapy approaches are tailored thoughtfully to each client based on age, concerns, and contextual appropriateness. She works with children, adolescents and adults.
HOW I CAN HELP YOU
If you or your child are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or struggling to make sense of emotions, relationships, or life changes, I offer a calm and supportive space where these experiences can be gently explored.
I work with children, adolescents, and adults to help you better understand your inner world; your thoughts, feelings, relationships, and how past experiences may be shaping how things feel today. Together, we make sense of what might feel confusing, stuck, or difficult.
My approach is psychodynamic, which means I pay close attention to emotional patterns and relationships over time. Depending on your needs, sessions may include talk, play, art/creative expression, or sandplay therapy. For younger clients, this allows feelings to be expressed in ways that don’t rely only on words.
I also integrate mentalization-based approaches, helping you (or your child) develop a deeper awareness of thoughts and feelings, both your own and others’, to support emotional regulation and healthier relationships.
Each session is thoughtfully tailored to you or your child’s developmental stage, emotional needs, and readiness. I aim to go at a pace that feels safe and manageable.
Alongside this, (if appropriate) I incorporate gentle mind–body practices such as breathwork, relaxation, and grounding techniques to support calm, co-regulation, and a greater sense of safety in the body.
WHY I AM SPECIALIZED IN THIS FIELD
I have always felt a strong connection to working with children, adolescents, and families. Through my early work in education and child development, I became increasingly aware that many young people struggle to express complex emotional experiences in words alone. This drew me toward psychodynamic psychotherapy, and in particular, the specialised play-based approach.
What resonated deeply for me is the understanding that children communicate through play, behavior, and relationships. Play therapy creates a space where feelings that may be confusing, overwhelming, or not yet fully formed can be expressed safely and meaningfully.
Over time, my clinical training and experience in child development, mental health services, and hospital-based settings have further strengthened this approach. I have seen how early relational experiences shape emotional development, and how providing a consistent, attuned therapeutic space can support lasting change.
I am especially drawn to this work because it allows me to support young people at crucial stages in their development, helping them feel understood, build emotional awareness, and develop healthier ways of relating to themselves and others.
WHAT I SAY TO PEOPLE WHO FEEL NERVOUS OR HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THERAPY/ASSESSMENT
It’s completely normal to feel unsure, anxious, or even a little uncomfortable about starting therapy. For many people, it can feel unfamiliar or vulnerable to speak about personal thoughts and emotions—especially with someone new.
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin. We can take things at your pace, and there is no pressure to share more than you feel ready to.
I aim to offer a safe and supportive therapeutic space where you can feel seen, heard, and understood. Together, we can gently reflect on your experiences, make sense of what you’re going through, and support growth and healing over time.
You are not alone.
WHAT MEASURES I USE IN ASSESSMENTS
In a play-based assessment with children and adolescents, I observe how a child expresses themselves through play, relationships, and behavior to understand their emotional world, rather than relying only on direct questions.
