Play Therapy
When children struggle with difficult emotions or behaviors, they often lack the ability to express themselves in the same way adults do. They may lack the detailed language needed to convey complex emotional states, and are unable to elicit help from caregivers. Parents may notice signs of emotional distress such as irritability, “acting out”, worry, or becoming socially withdrawn. These may be indicators that something is wrong, and the child may not be able to communicate their distress adequately.Play therapy is a treatment approach specifically designed for young children ages 3-12 who have a hard time with verbal self-expression. Play itself is a form of child language and way of looking at, sharing and modifying a child’s experience through means they are comfortable with. Play takes the struggle out of the child and places it into the toys where it can safely be manipulated and changed over time. Play Therapy is a specific type of psychotherapy that incorporates the natural language of play into the therapy room to help children express themselves more accurately. A child therapist that engages in Play Therapy may use toys, art projects or sandboxes as a way to help the child tell stories, discuss family worries or to ask questions they may otherwise avoid. Play Therapy is a very useful tool for child therapists who are trained to implement it alongside scientifically validates interventions for emotional and behavior disorders in children.
Play Therapy is often applied to the following problems:
- Attachment
- ADD/ADHD
- Behavioral Concerns
- Anxiety
- Social Skills Deficits
- Self-Esteem Concerns
- Emotional Expression
- Problem Solving
- Anger or Authority Issues
- Grief Therapy and Bereavement Therapy
- Divorce Issues
- Autism / Asperger's Spectrum Problems
