Welcome to Little Banyan
At Little Banyan, I offer a nurturing space for children aged 3 to 16 to explore, express, and heal. Using a child-centered approach that includes play therapy, art therapy, and age-appropriate talk therapy, I support emotional growth, resilience, and self-understanding. Whether your child communicates through play, creativity, or conversations, I meet them where they are, helping them grow strong roots in a safe, supportive environment.
My name is Deepti Bhogle and I am a certified Child Counsellor. I have trained at the Institute of Arts in Therapy and Education (IATE). I work with children in schools, private practice and with a charity. My aim is to provide the child with a safe and contained space where they can explore their feelings. Using a non-directive approach and a non-judgemental stance, I help the child to access that which feels unbearable and safely process it. Through use of Arts and tools like sand tray, puppets and games, the child is able to metaphorically gain insight into their inner world. I believe that in the company of an attuned adult who is curious, empathetic and patient, the child can develop the capacity to self-regulate and develop emotional intelligence.
Collaborating with parents is key to providing comprehensive support for the child.
My personal journey.
My path into this work began long before I trained as a counsellor. When my son was four, we were living in India. One day, I received a call from his nursery. His teacher told me he was showing behavioural challenges, not engaging with staff or peers, and often “in his own world.” At the time, I was working as a Creative Director in a busy advertising agency, with no understanding of what these signs might mean.
The school suggested we see a psychiatrist. That evening, I searched his symptoms online and came across the word Autism. Everything shifted in that moment. I left my career and began reading every book, article, and research paper I could find. Alongside my learning, I began speech and language therapy for my son.
When he was five, my husband’s job took us to London. The move was overwhelming I didn’t understand the UK school system, and I felt adrift. But with the guidance of a brilliant school SENCo, my son received an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan and the specialist support he needed to grow and learn.
That was sixteen years ago. Since then, I have learned more than I could have imagined about autism, about the sensory world, about the courage and complexity of children who experience life differently. Parenting a child with autism has been both deeply challenging and profoundly rewarding.
This lived experience shapes my work every day. I understand, on a personal level, the mixture of hope, fear, and exhaustion that parents can feel. And I know that, with the right understanding and support, children, all children can flourish in their own unique way.
"Whenever children say "Let's pretend", a new landscape of possibilities for learning is revealed. When children pretend, they try on new feelings, roles and ideas. They stretch their minds along with their imaginations."
Curtis & Carter