Matt Cohen, CEO and founder of PlaySpace, is leading the charge to transform therapy for children, adolescents, and neurodivergent adults with an innovative all-in-one digital platform. Inspired by his own experiences in therapy and the challenges brought by the pandemic, Cohen created PlaySpace to make therapy sessions more engaging and effective.
What is your business called and what does it do?
PlaySpace is an all-in-one digital platform for mental health practitioners, designed to make client interactions fun and impactful for children, adolescents, and neurodivergent adults. Simply put, PlaySpace empowers practitioners to have therapy sessions that are engaging, effective, and fun for young clients. Our virtual playrooms are filled with therapeutically-validated and interactive activities including sand trays, dollhouses and customizable storybooks that make therapy more impactful. It arms therapists with a variety of activities at their disposal that can be customized to their client’s needs, whether online or in person, cutting down on prep work and maximizing practitioner’s time.
What made you want to do this work?
When I was diagnosed with various mental health disorders as a child, I found tools like games and books helped me immensely in therapy. However, in 2020, the pandemic led to a surge in demand for virtual therapy options. This abrupt shift towards online care during the pandemic created a problem for children. Some folks assume virtual therapy tools used for talk therapy with adults will work the same for children. Yet video conferencing tools were built for business meetings, not for engaging with young and neurodivergent adults. Unlike traditional talk therapy, sessions with young people require a different approach that’s rooted in activities and play. After speaking with hundreds of therapists and using my experience working for various digital mental health organizations, I was inspired to create a solution that will actually help children and young people get the support they desperately need.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
Each year, 1.25 million young Canadians require mental health support, yet a staggering 720,000 don’t receive the care they deserve. The heart of this crisis lies in the fact that many withdraw from therapy before they can truly experience its benefits. This isn’t a failure on the practitioner or client’s part; it’s due to the fact that practitioners lack the right support to be successful in their roles, and there are a few reasons behind that.
Current video interactions aren’t catered to young and neurodivergent adults. Not only do these limitations cause therapists to struggle with keeping their clients engaged in sessions, but they also affect their ability to build therapeutic rapport; a key measure of therapeutic effectiveness. Beyond virtual care, today’s generation of children embrace technology, and so we quickly saw the importance of bringing practitioners a digital solution that they could use in their physical sessions in addition to online.
Without a one-stop solution, mental health practitioners are often left to their own research and preparation. From searching for ideas for activities to communicating with parents alongside a packed schedule of sessions, their workload can be overwhelming due to the heightened administrative work that comes with working with children and neurodivergent adults. PlaySpace provides them with a one-stop solution with a variety of customizable activities that streamline workflows, eliminating time spent on research and administrative tasks.
Additionally, therapists aren’t often given a seat at the table to voice their concerns and help provide solutions. A part of the goal of PlaySpace is to give therapists the space and opportunity to help craft meaningful solutions.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
PlaySpace is currently focused on engaging directly with practitioners who specialize in providing mental health care for children, adolescents, and neurodivergent adults, but the platform has the capabilities to extend to all clinicians who work and engage with these groups.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
PlaySpace is a subscription-based service available to both solo providers and organizations that represent a network of providers. Those interested can access more information here.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
Our office is located at 34 Minowan Miikan Ln, Toronto, ON M6J 0G3 but the best way to reach us is through the website.
Whether it’s the virtual playroom that can be accessed on any computer or the hardware we distribute, our product is used by both solo practitioners and in private clinics.
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
What sets you apart from other organizations claiming they offer the same resources?
PlaySpace is a one-of-a-kind platform that takes real experience and advice from therapists in the field to develop the solutions and tools therapists desperately need. PlaySpace also works directly with many therapists and clinics and they have all already shared testimonials about the benefits of using the tools offered by PlaySpace.
We look at the full end-to-end needs of the practitioners to make them successful in their practice. We provide tools that they can use within their sessions but also tools that help them work more efficiently and reduce prep time outside of their sessions
Another common question often comes up around privacy. PlaySpace does not store any personal client information – practitioners share a unique link to the virtual playroom so the client can enter directly without having to create an account. We are 100% HIPAA, GDPR, and PIPEDA compliant.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
I love getting to see the real-life results of the work we do; seeing practitioners feel supported and equipped with the proper tools to do their job and young clients feeling engaged and committed to therapy. As the world of therapy continues to see shifts, I feel encouraged by the good work we’re doing to help navigate these shifts and set therapists and clients up for success.
The most difficult part of the work is also the most rewarding. Given we are a first-of-its-kind solution and that there is a lack of data on children’s mental health, we have to accept that others won’t always accept our view. That’s why it’s key to surround yourself with those who believe in your mission and stand strong in our mission.
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
