Meet your play therapist
Hi, I’m Amanda – Therapeutic Play Practitioner, Former Teacher and Fellow Parent.
I’m here to bring a little more clarity, calm and confidence to your parenting journey.
After years in the classroom and several supervised play therapy hours in schools across Cape Town, one truth has stuck with me: children don’t need to be “fixed” – they need to feel heard, seen and understood. I created Anchor & Bloom to offer just that – a calm, creative space where children can work through complex emotions, navigate challenging experiences and develop the tools they need to grow with confidence.
A Personal Path to Play Therapy
My background is in early childhood education, with extensive teaching experience in schools across Durban and Cape Town.
I’ve always been fascinated by how movement and creativity impact a child’s development, a curiosity that shaped my career as a teacher, certified dance and Pilates instructor, and founder of a children’s events agency focused on interactive, play-based experiences.
But it wasn’t until I became a parent that things really started to shift.
As a mom to two busy boys, I’ve been caught in the all-too-familiar spiral of second-guessing: wondering if I was overreacting or not doing enough. Comparing. Worrying. Googling “is it normal if my child…” at 10pm. Trying to “fix” what I couldn’t yet understand.
Those experiences, particularly in the early days of parenting when you’re surviving on toast crusts and cold coffee, sparked a need to go deeper.
I wanted to make sense of what I was seeing in my own children and to help other parents who were caught in that same cycle of self-doubt, comparison, and uncertainty.
Realising there’s never a ‘perfect’ time to start something new, I leaned into my long-time interest in play therapy.
I went on to train as a therapeutic play practitioner and have since completed many clinical hours supporting children in Cape Town schools.
Anchor & Bloom soon followed, growing from my belief that professional guidance shouldn’t feel intimidating or out of reach. It should feel human, simple, accessible and safe. By offering a space grounded in patience, trust, respect, and creativity, my goal is to equip your child with the tools needed to grow with confidence and to support you in feeling more empowered along the way.
