Play Therapy
What is Play Therapy
“Simply put, play therapy is a relationship in which a trained therapist creates a safe space for clients to explore and express themselves through telling stories, having adventures, dancing, hearing stories, making up songs, messing around in the sand, doing art and playing.” (Kottman & Meany-Walen 2018) Using play, the child or teen’s natural language, the therapist can help the client explore their worries and concerns. Many children and teens don’t know how to tell us what is bothering them in the same way we as adults do. They are more likely to show us what’s going on through their interactions and play. The job of a play therapist is to listen, watch, and interact to try and get a better understanding of how the child is thinking and feeling.
Play therapy can be used to help children develop emotional regulation skills, process trauma, improve sibling and family relationships, handle strong emotions such as anxiety or depression, and improve self-esteem. It’s a research and evidence based form of therapy. Play therapy is beneficial for clients of all ages, not just children. Play therapy techniques can either be directive or non-directive. In directive play therapy , the therapist guides and directs the activity. With non-directive play therapy, the therapist allows the child to guide the direction of the activity. Both approaches have value and benefits. Many play therapists use a combination of both.
How Can It Help My Child?
Research shows that Play Therapy can be effective with children experiencing a wide range of social, emotional, behavioral, and learning problems. Play Therapy helps children:
- Become more responsible for behaviors and develop more successful strategies.
- Develop new and creative solutions to problems.
- Develop respect and acceptance of self and others.
- Learn to experience and express emotion.
- Cultivate empathy and respect for thoughts and feelings of others.
- Learn new social skills and relational skills with family.
- Develop self-efficacy and thus a better assuredness about their abilities.
