Yukia Sandara

Child‑Led Play Therapist & Family Support Guide

Supporting gifted and sensitive children through compassionate, child‑led connection

I am a child‑led play therapist, family support guide, and creator of Sacred Worlds. For over 35 years, I have worked with children and families, helping them navigate emotion, connection, and nervous system support without force or coercion. This work is deeply personal to me—it was born through my beloved grandchild Rafael, whose bright and sensitive nature showed me what is possible when we meet children exactly where they are, with love and without pressure to perform or conform.

— Yukia

Why I Am Passionate About This Work

This work is deeply personal to me. It began with my beloved grandchild Rafael—a bright, imaginative, deeply sensitive being whose way of experiencing the world was so expansive, so full of wonder, and yet misunderstood by so many of the adults around them.

Rafael did not need to be fixed or managed. Rafael needed to be seen, honoured, and met with curiosity rather than control. Watching them navigate a world that did not always understand their depth changed the way I see everything.

I saw firsthand how traditional approaches—the rewards, the consequences, the pressure to conform—only created more disconnection and pain. And I knew there had to be another way. A way rooted in respect. A way that followed the child's lead. A way that built connection, not compliance.

Rafael's creativity and expanded perception inspired the creation of Sacred Worlds, a game designed to honour the imagination and inner lives of sensitive, neurodivergent, and gifted children. Through Rafael, I learned what it means to truly listen—not just to words, but to the language of play, emotion, body, and soul.

This is not just professional work for me. This is sacred. And if you are here because you love a child like Rafael, I understand. I see you. And I would be honoured to walk alongside you.

Professional Background and Training

I bring over 35 years of professional experience across Human Resources, organisational change, and conscious leadership. I was a partner in two leading consulting firms—Change Lda and Nova Change—where I guided organisations through transformation at human and systemic levels.

I hold a degree in Sociology and international certifications in NLP & Business and Life Coaching, and have trained extensively and have experience with:

• Play therapy and child‑led therapeutic approaches • Trauma‑informed and nervous system‑based support • Gifted sensitive children affirming practices • Family systems and attachment • Mindfulness, expressive arts, sound therapy, and somatic regulation

I have worked as an organisational change and transformation consultant, mentor, and family support practitioner. This blend of academic grounding, organisational insight, and lived experience allows me to support families with compassion, depth, and practical skill.

I understand systems—how families function as interconnected units, how patterns are passed down, and how small shifts in one area can create ripple effects throughout the whole. I bring this understanding into every session, always with respect for the child's pace and the family's unique context.

I Know What It Feels Like

If you are reading this, you might be feeling uncertain, overwhelmed, or even alone in trying to support your child. Maybe you have been told your child is "too much" or "too sensitive." Maybe you have tried conventional approaches and they have not worked. Maybe you are exhausted from trying to help your child navigate a world that does not always understand them.

I understand because I have lived it.

I have seen the confusion in a parent's eyes when their child does not fit the mould. I have witnessed the heartbreak when well‑meaning advice makes things worse. And I have learned, through Rafael and through decades of this work, that the problem is not the child—it is the approach.

Gifted and sensitive children do not need to be changed. They need to be understood. They need adults who can hold space for their big feelings, their unique perspectives, and their incredible depth. They need parents and caregivers who trust that there is wisdom in how they move through the world, even when it looks different from what we expect.

You do not have to do this alone. And you do not have to pretend you have all the answers. What matters is your willingness to listen, to learn, and to show up with care.

The Heart of This Work

Everything I do is guided by a few core beliefs:

Children are whole and wise exactly as they are. There is nothing to fix, only beauty to honour and potential to nurture.

Connection comes before correction. When a child feels safe, seen, and truly met, everything else becomes possible.

Parents do not need to be perfect—they need to be present. You do not have to have all the answers. What matters is your willingness to listen, to learn, and to show up with love.

The child leads. Whether in play, conversation, or everyday life, I trust the child's natural rhythms and interests to guide the way forward. This is not permissiveness—it is deep respect.

This approach is non‑coercive, nervous system‑informed, and rooted in compassion. There are no rewards, punishments, or strategies designed to make children comply. Instead, we focus on regulation, safety, joy, and authentic relationship.

If this resonates with you—if you are seeking support that honours your child's spirit rather than trying to change it—I am here. You do not have to navigate this alone.

You don't have to do this alone

If what you've read here resonates, that feeling matters. Trust it. You don't need certainty—only the courage to take the next step.