In this ongoing project I have been photographing the offices of child psychotherapists, where I am drawn to the toys, settings, and playthings used to diagnose and treat young children.

I am fascinated by the indirect communication that takes place between therapist and child during a session, much of it while playing. By using board games, dolls, toys, and the imagination, complex issues are identified, addressed, and resolved, often times with little specific verbal discussion. What to the layperson may seem like playing, is, for the skilled therapist, a glimpse into the inner workings of the child-client.

It is in this context that I wish to present this work: as a rich and nuanced view into the environment and working relationship between child and therapist. As in the therapy itself, on the surface these photographs portray toys, games, and dollhouses, for play is a child's most familiar language and form of expression. The role of the therapist is that of translator and interpreter. It is in the subtleties of this working environment that the metaphors of play are more easily expressed and understood.