Play therapy is a form of expressive therapy perfectly suited to engage young children in their process of self discovery. Many young kids don’t want to just sit in a chair and talk about their feelings for 45 minutes. Children learn and express themselves naturally through play. So, Play Therapists provide kids a developmentally appropriate and safe outlet to explore the issues bringing them into counseling. By meaningfully attending to their play, Play Therapists validate feelings, and honor the child’s choice and desire for control in the therapy process. Some parents may worry that their child is “just playing” but, rest assured, their play is their therapy “work”. They are communicating deeply meaningful feelings and concerns in a way that makes them feel safe to do so.
For example, a child who is grieving the loss of a family member may not directly talk about the death in therapy for some time. However, other ways they may express themselves in a session could be:
- use animal figurines to play out a scene where the tiger cub loses their mom in the wilderness
- engage in games of hide and seek
- draw or paint pictures about feelings of sadness and loss
The rich, nonverbal world of play provides the child ways to visually show what they may not be able to express in words. Even without direct conversation about the death the child is actively working through the issue, and making sense of the loss.
Play Therapists offer and utilize a variety of toys and expressive art materials the child can use to promote expression and healing, including:
- arts and crafts
- sand trays and miniatures
- puppets
- doll houses
Kids work hard to make sense of their lives, including challenges and strengths, in their play sessions.
If you are interested in learning more about Play Therapy please check out
the Association for Play Therapy website.
If you’d like to set-up an appointment, please give us a call.
