What is play therapy?
Play therapy is a specialised therapeutic approach that uses play to help children express their feelings, explore their thoughts and resolve issues in a safe and nurturing environment. It is based on the understanding that play is a child's natural form of communication and is crucial for their cognitive, social, and emotional development. The aim of play therapy is to help children resolve psychological difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development.
Benefits of play therapy:
Emotional expression- Play allows children to express feelings they might not be able to articulate verbally.
Problem solving- Children can experiment with different solutions to problems in a safe environment.
Behavioural insights- Through play, therapists can gain insights into a child's behaviour and underlying issues.
Coping skills- Children learn and practice new ways of coping with difficult emotions and situation.
Play therapy could benefit children who have:
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Emotional/behavioural difficulties- anxiety, depression
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History of trauma
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Developmental disorders- ASD, ADHD, Sensory processing disorder, Selective mutism.
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Social or peer challenges
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Families in conflict or parental separation
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Those who have experienced bereavement or loss
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Low self/esteem, or confidence.
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Has attachment difficulties
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Difficulties with emotional regulation
The Toolkit
Play therapists use a toolkit to facilitate the therapeutic process. A well equipped toolkit provides multiple avenues for children to project their thoughts, feelings and experiences. Each medium provides a therapeutic value within the child's play, this allows a child full exploration of their thoughts and feelings in the playroom.
The toolkit consists of-
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Sand tray and symbols
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Puppets
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Musical instruments
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Arts and Crafts
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Doll house/ small world toys
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Dress up
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Lego
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Clay
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Therapeutic stories
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Creative visualisation
