Play Therapy

What is it and how can it help?

What is play therapy?

Adults tend to process their experiences by talking about them with someone. However, children typically do not have the abstract thinking skills necessary to verbally process their perceptions of themselves, others, or the world around them.

Children more naturally use play to process their thoughts and feelings about their experiences, to practice new skills, and problem-solve different situations. Play therapy is the most developmentally appropriate approach for children ages 3-10 that utilizes their natural mode of expression - play. Play therapy also involves the parents through regularly-scheduled parent consultations to discuss your child’s progress and to learn new strategies to use with your child at home and school.

Play therapy is an evidenced-based approach with plenty of research backing its effectiveness with children. Click here to learn more and for some helpful videos explaining play therapy to both adults and children.

Check out this video to learn more.

 

Play therapy can help with…

  • Anxious behaviors (separation anxiety, social anxiety, generalized anxiety)

  • Academic difficulties

  • Aggressive behaviors

  • Anger outbursts/meltdowns/tantrums

  • Difficulty with transitions

  • Excessive worrying

  • Defiant behaviors

  • Adjusting to change

  • Bedwetting/toileting issues

  • Grief/loss

  • Divorce/separation

  • Low frustration tolerance/easily giving up

  • Difficulty focusing/staying on task

  • Physical complaints with seemingly no medical reason (headaches/stomachaches/etc.)

  • Frequent negative thinking/negative remarks about self

  • Low self-esteem

  • Perfectionism

  • Regression

  • School refusal

  • Sensory processing difficulties

  • Sexualized behaviors

Benefits of play therapy

  • Learn to identify and express feelings appropriately

  • Increase emotional regulation

  • Increase awareness of consequences of actions

  • Encourage problem-solving and creative thinking

  • Develop appropriate social skills

  • Learn self-acceptance and self-compassion

  • Develop appropriate coping skills

  • Encourage appropriate communication with others

  • Improve relationships between child and caregiver(s)

Additional Questions?

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