theraplaywithjess

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Jessica Tizzard MBACP CYP

Psychotherapist / Yoga Teacher

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Riding the Seasonal Waves With Children (Ten ways to support children who struggle with Christmas)

Why my therapy room stays undecorated at Christmas. "In my therapy room, Santa and Rudolph stay all year round". Every December, I find myself feeling just a little overwhelmed. At the risk of sounding like a festive grinch… why do we cram so many extra events, gatherings, and expectations into one month? It’s already a season full of pressure, and for many people—children and adults—Christmas isn’t a joyful swell of celebration. It can feel more like a storm surge. As someone who works with children, I’m very aware of how this season affects their nervous systems. And this is one of the big reasons I don’t decorate my therapy room for Christmas. Not because I don’t value the magic of the season—but because I want my space to feel like a calm, steady shoreline, especially when the wider school environment becomes a sensory tidal wave. Christmas Feelings Arrive Like Waves Living by the sea, I often think about emotions like the ocean. Some days the waves are gentle and ...

Helping Children Process the Loss of a Pet - The Day the River Went Out and Never Came Back

The Day the River Went Out and Never Came Back – Helping Children Process the Loss of a Pet In loving memory of our cat, River and our dog, Kuja. Today is remembrance day and yesterday, our family cat, River, was hit by a car and died. The house feels different now — quieter, emptier. River was woven into the rhythm of our days: morning greetings, evening cuddles, the soft weight at the end of a bed. As I sit with grief, I’ve been reflecting on how we help children process the loss of a pet — something teachers, parents, and therapists often encounter but sometimes brush past too quickly. Many children I work with want to talk about pets they lost long ago — what they meant to them, how they miss them, where they think they’ve gone. It’s a powerful reminder that grief in children is real and lasting, even when adults assume they’ve “moved on.” What Is Grief? “Grief is the normal and natural emotional reaction to loss or change of any kind. Of itself...

Healing from the Hut

Healing from the Hut - and Why I identify as Neurodivergent. It all started with a dual process. At the time, I was supporting a teacher in supervision who was navigating his recent diagnosis of neurodivergence. Through our work together, he felt empowered to share his diagnosis with senior leaders and adjust his working hours in a way that supported his challenges rather than masked them. Watching him take that step gave me pause. If he could make changes to better honour his needs, then why couldn’t I? That moment became a mirror. It encouraged me to accept my own challenges and adapt my working week in ways that truly support me. And so, I submitted a statutory request for flexible working. On paper, it was simple: permission to reduce my working hours, so I could leave early and complete my notes/PPA away from a busy school setting. In practice, it was an act of self-acceptance. The beach hut has since become a special space for me. With no WiFi, no constant interruptio...

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