What is Play Therapy?
Children naturally gravitate and learn through play, which helps to support all developmental domains (cognitive, physical, social, and emotional).
The implementation of play therapy is an appropriate therapeutic modality when treating children in counselling and psychotherapy.
What is Play Therapy?
When children are unable to articulate their feelings or express their emotions, play therapy can help them express their feelings with non-verbal play by using toys. It is encouraging for the children to freely express themselves in a safe space and manipulate the toys to make sense of events occurring in their lives. Play therapy consists of two approaches: directive and non-directive. The directive approach is therapist led and will specify which toys will be used within the session. It is the therapist’s role to have structure and guide the session, keeping in mind the specific goals they aspire to work on with the child. The indirective approach does not have a structure and consists of allowing the child to lead the session with choosing which toys to play with and the therapist observing or joining in play.
“Toys are children’s words and play is their language” - Garry Landreth
How is it different from ordinary play?
Play therapy differs from regular play in the sense that it is a method of psychotherapy that is child led, allowing the therapist to observe the child’s choices and actions interacting with the toys. There is meaning behind every action and toy that the child chooses, allowing the therapist to observe the child’s problems from the child’s perspective. It is the Play therapist’s role to observe the child’s interactions and interpret the potential problems or issues impacting the child’s life. Play therapy provides support for various delays within the developmental domains, but can also help children with suppressed feelings of trauma, behavioral disorders, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and grief. Play therapy can also help children with neurological disability such as Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This approach is effective and developmentally appropriate to support children’s mental health journey.
Play Therapy techniques include:
- Role play
- Sand tray
- Water play
- Creative visualization
- Storytelling
- Imaginative play with dolls, animals, puppets, etc.
- Arts and crafts
- Construction toys
- Creative movement (dance)
- Music
Who can benefit from Play Therapy?
Play therapy can be used with children from as early as 2 years old and there is not upper limit. This modality can be used with adults, especially adults with brain injuries, cognitive disabilities, Post- traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anger management issues, trauma or sexual abuse. Play therapy with adults commonly incorporates other therapeutic techniques such as sand tray or art therapy. Play therapy used with adults can aid in conversation on difficult topics with unresolved feelings.
There are many therapeutic modalities that can be used within psychotherapy sessions, but if you are interested in learning more about this modality, please feel free to contact us for more information!