Maybe it’s the “I’m okay” mask we keep on when we’re overwhelmed. Or the “always calm and collected” mask that hides your own emotions in session. These masks might protect you in the short term, but they can also isolate you, from our peers, from ourselves, and sometimes even from the work we love.

At PlaySpace, one of our goals is to make it easier for both therapists and clients to safely take off the mask, even just a little.

Play as a Path to Expression

Children and youth don’t always have the words for what they’re feeling. That’s where PlaySpace becomes a bridge. Tools like the Sand Tray or Digital Dollhouse let clients explore big feelings through story and symbolism, without needing to name them right away. A volcano in the Sand Tray might be easier to talk about than saying, “I’m angry.” A doll hiding in a closet can open the door to a conversation about fear or shame.

These moments of expression are powerful — and they start with safety.

Modeling Vulnerability, Safely

Therapists often worry about how much of yourselves to share. I’m not talking about self-disclosure in a clinical sense, I mean the little ways one can model humanity. Things like:

Naming when something a client shares is hard to hear and staying with them in it.

Admitting when we don’t have all the answers, but we’re willing to figure it out together.

Letting go of the need to appear “perfect” in order to be trustworthy.

These small choices show clients that vulnerability isn’t something to be feared, it’s something that builds connection. And they allow us to model what it looks like to unmask in a way that still feels safe and grounded.

Supporting Ourselves Behind the Scenes

Unmasking doesn’t have to happen in front of clients. Sometimes, it’s about checking in with yourself after a tough session. Or reaching out to a colleague to say, “That one stayed with me.” It can be as simple as journaling for five minutes between appointments or pausing to ask, What do I need today?

If you’re a supervisor or part of a clinical team, create space for these check-ins. Ask your colleagues how they’re doing, not just how their caseloads are going. We need more spaces where therapists can be real people, too.

Unmasking Doesn’t Mean Doing It Alone

There’s courage in being honest about how hard this work can be. But even more powerful is knowing you don’t have to hold it all by yourself.

This Mental Health Week, I encourage you to reflect:

• What masks do you wear in your sessions?
  
  
• Where do you go when you need to feel seen?
  
  
• What helps you come back to yourself when the emotional labor feels too heavy?
  
  

If nothing else, I hope you know this: you deserve care too.

A Small Gift for the People Who Show Up Every Day

To support our therapist community this week, we’ve created a free Therapist Care Kit—a small resource filled with activities and creative ideas using PlaySpace tools. It’s our way of saying thank you and reminding you that your work matters.
[👉 Download the Care Kit here]

As we unmask the work of therapy, let’s start with the simple truth: you are more than your role. You’re a person too and your well-being is worth protecting.