ADHD and Big Emotions: How Play Therapy in Katy, TX Supports Emotional Growth
Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often experience more than just trouble with focus or hyperactivity. One of the most misunderstood aspects of ADHD is the intensity of emotions that can come with it. These “big emotions” — frustration, anger, sadness, excitement, or anxiety — can feel overwhelming for children and challenging for parents or caregivers. Fortunately, play therapy offers a developmentally appropriate, effective way to help children with ADHD understand and manage their emotions, fostering long-term emotional growth and resilience.
Understanding ADHD and Emotional Dysregulation
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects executive functioning, which includes impulse control, emotional regulation, attention, and decision-making. Because of these challenges, children with ADHD may:
React impulsively to situations
Struggle to calm down after becoming upset
Become overwhelmed by seemingly small problems
Have difficulty expressing their feelings in words
Experience rapid mood shifts or meltdowns
These emotional responses aren’t about bad behavior or a lack of discipline — they’re often a result of a child’s brain being wired differently. Helping children learn to regulate emotions takes time, support, and the right tools, which is where play therapy comes in.
What Is Play Therapy?
Play therapy is a therapeutic approach that uses play, a child’s natural language, to help them express thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a safe, supportive environment. While adults often process emotions through conversation, children work through their feelings more naturally through play. Additionally, storytelling, role-playing, and creative expression.
A trained play therapist observes and engages with the child through play to better understand their emotional world, build trust, and gently guide them toward healthier coping skills and behaviors.
Why Play Therapy Works for Kids with ADHD
Children with ADHD often struggle with traditional talk therapy because sitting still, maintaining focus, and verbally articulating emotions can be difficult. Play therapy, on the other hand, meets children where they are developmentally and neurologically. Here's how it helps:
1. Builds Emotional Vocabulary
Many children with ADHD have difficulty identifying and naming their emotions. Through play, such as drawing faces on characters, acting out stories, or using puppets, therapists can help children label and understand what they’re feeling. This emotional awareness is the first step in learning to regulate those big feelings.
2. Increases Self-Regulation Skills
Play therapy introduces calming strategies and mindfulness tools in age-appropriate ways. A child might learn breathing exercises by helping a stuffed animal "breathe" deeply, or practice patience by taking turns in a cooperative game. Over time, these playful experiences build a child’s ability to pause, reflect, and choose how to respond, rather than react impulsively.
3. Provides a Safe Space to Process Big Feelings
Children with ADHD may feel embarrassed, ashamed, or misunderstood after emotional outbursts. In the playroom, they are free to express whatever they’re feeling without judgment. This safe, empathetic space allows children to explore the roots of their emotions and gain confidence in handling them differently next time.
4. Strengthens Relationships
Play therapy often includes parent-child sessions that help improve communication and connection. Therapists at AP Counseling Group can coach caregivers on how to support emotional regulation at home and reinforce strategies in everyday situations. This consistency across settings leads to more secure relationships, which are key to emotional development.
5. Supports Social Skills
Children with ADHD may struggle with peer relationships due to impulsivity or emotional reactivity. Play therapy gives them a chance to practice turn-taking, empathy, frustration tolerance, and cooperation through shared play activities, all essential skills for friendship and group settings.
A Real-World Example *not a real client*
Take 7-year-old Mateo, who has ADHD and often becomes easily frustrated during transitions or when things don’t go as expected. In play therapy, he reenacts these stressful moments using toy figures and a dollhouse. His therapist helps him recognize the “angry volcano” feeling that builds up and guides him in finding tools. For example, deep breathing, counting to 10, or using a calm-down jar to cool down the volcano. Over time, Mateo learns not only how to recognize his emotional build-up but also how to respond in healthier ways. His parents report fewer meltdowns at home and a happier, more confident child.
Supporting Emotional Growth Over Time
Play therapy is not a quick fix, but with consistency and support, it lays a strong foundation for emotional regulation and self-awareness. For children with ADHD, this can be life-changing. When kids feel understood, empowered, and equipped to handle big emotions, they begin to experience more success at school, home, and in relationships.
It’s important for parents to remember that emotional growth is a process. There will be ups and downs, but progress often happens in small, meaningful steps — like the first time your child takes a breath instead of yelling, or tells you how they feel instead of storming off. These moments are signs that healing and growth are taking root.
Final Thoughts from a Child Therapist
If your child with ADHD seems to be drowning in big emotions, you’re not alone, and neither are they. Play therapy offers a compassionate, proven approach to help children understand their feelings, build resilience, and develop tools to navigate the world more confidently and calmly.
By supporting emotional growth through play, we give children the chance to thrive not just in the therapy room but in life.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
When your child is overwhelmed by big emotions, it can feel isolating and exhausting. But there’s hope. Play therapy meets your child where they are, with patience, playfulness, and understanding, helping them build the skills they need to feel more in control. If your child is struggling with emotional outbursts, anxiety, or frustration, AP Counseling Group is here to help.
Reach out today to let us know more about your child’s story.
Explore our blog posts for more insights into child and play therapy.
Discover how a certified play therapist can support your child’s journey toward emotional well-being.
Other Services We Offer in Katy & Surrounding Areas
We know that healing happens best when the whole family is supported. That’s why we offer several services at AP Counseling Group. Our trauma counseling helps clients heal from painful experiences, while teen counseling helps adolescents navigate challenges and strengthen their relationships. Additionally, adult counseling and Christian counseling are tailored to support adults manage life pressures, relationship challenges, and more.
About the Author: Amy Oxener (LCSW-S, RPT)
Amy Oxener (LCSW-S, RPT) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist, and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP). Additionally, advanced training in Adlerian Play Therapy, Theraplay (Level One), and Trauma-Focused CBT. Amy specializes in working with children facing ADHD, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and behavior concerns.
Amy’s approach is holistic and attachment-based, blending cognitive-behavioral and narrative therapies while attending to the emotional, mental, spiritual, and relational needs of each child. Whether your child is overwhelmed by big emotions or struggling with transitions, Amy is here to help them—and you—find clarity, confidence, and healing.