Successfully used to help troubled children since the ‘40s, Play therapy in clinical practice is beautifully responsive to a child’s developmental and psychosocial needs. Play can alleviate emotional difficulties, help with behavioral and/or social skill challenges, as well as help to address various family problems. Simply put, toys are used like words and speak the child’s natural language, expressing the inner feelings through what they choose and how they play.
Typically, the therapy occurs in the therapy office which is outfitted with a range of selected toys and materials. It can also be used in outdoor settings or in the child’s own play space at home, depending on what seems clinically appropriate for the child and family. The Play therapy is often Child Centered, where the child selects the toys and activities s/he is interested in. The therapist sets limits as needed, and does so in a way that helps children learn to increase self-responsibility and strongly supports the child’s innate capacity for growth and development.
Research has shown Play Therapy to be effective helping children: Adjusting to family changes such as separation and divorce; Making friends; Excessive anger, fear, sadness, worry & shyness; Aggression & acting out; School difficulties; ADD & ADHD; Abuse & neglect; Social adjustment issues; Sleeping and eating difficulties; Self-concept & self-worth; Trauma; Bereavement; Autism (in cases other than severe autism); Chronic illness / hospitalization; Physical symptoms without medical cause; Bonding & Attachment issues; Foster, adoption & identity issues; Prenatal & Birth Trauma; and Selective Mutism.
By using Play therapy, children can find success in:
· Understanding their own feelings better
· Expressing their feelings and needs more appropriately
· Becoming more confident and skilled in self-help and healthy coping
· Solving problems and asking for help when needed
· Reducing their difficult behaviors
· Feeling more secure
· Increasing self-esteem and self-worth
· Cultivating empathy and respect for self and others
Play is the natural way that children understand their world, express thoughts and feelings, develop social skills and learn self mastery. Play therapy is fun; it is something a child can look forward to, bringing him/her natural joy and pleasure. The child’s positive experience in therapy can then be generalized to their world outside of therapy.
Play Therapy can benefit everyone-infants/toddlers, children, adolescents, and yes… even adults! Sessions for younger children tend to 30 minutes, while older children/youth may have up to 50 minute sessions. Family sessions (also known as Filial or Parent-Child Therapy—where the parent learns how to play with their child) tend to be longer, up to 90 minutes. Research suggests that resolving typical child/family issues in treatment can take an average of 20 sessions. However, the more involved and supportive the caregivers/family is in the therapeutic process, the earlier problem(s) can be worked though. Based on my experience, I have also found adding the “outdoor” elements to the therapy (Ecotherapy), the process can be quickened and have even more healing benefits for the entire family system; happier-healthier families = happier-healthier children = a happier-healthier planet!