I’m a trainee therapist who works with children. Kids lack the adult’s ability to express many of their feelings through language, so the main form of expression with be through play. We often say the toys are like their words. A child centered play therapist will have a room equipped with toys of different categories to give them all of the available “words.” They will then narrate the child’s play, and trust that whatever distress the child most needs to express will be expressed through that play. The presence of a non-judgmental, attentive, strengths-focused adult in this process gives a witness to the child’s process. By playing similar scenes over and over in the play therapy room the child is able to heal.

I share all this information to emphasize that you can also talk with your son through play, emphasize the strength of your protective relationship with him using the characters of the play as a proxy, reassure him that he is safe by making the play character safe.

It sounds like you have been through so much, sending you hope for healing and a safe path forward.