What Is Play Therapy

Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy and can be effective in helping children through emotional and mental issues.

Children often use play to express themselves and navigate the world and play therapy takes advantage of this. Play therapy is primarily used with children. Although, it can also be used with adults. It is typically used with children who are aged between 3 and 12.

 play therapist will guide a person through play therapy in a free and safe environment where they feel most comfortable expressing themselves. Play therapists use play activities a child might enjoy from painting to dancing to board games. At times play therapist will ask other family members or parents and guardians to also get involved in the playtime activities.

Types

There are two main forms of play therapy used by play therapists: 

 
  • Directive Play Therapy: With directive play therapy, the therapist takes a hands-on approach and leads the child through guided play activities to help them express themselves. They’ll typically give specific instructions and supervise the child as they go through it. 

 

  • Non-directive Play Therapy: Non-directive play therapy makes use of a less controlled environment. The therapist leaves the child to engage in whatever play activities they might enjoy and express themselves with limited interference. 

Techniques

Many different techniques can be applied during play therapy. The technique used during a therapy session largely depends on your child’s needs and what play mediums they feel most comfortable using.

A typical play therapy session usually lasts between 30 and 45 minutes. During a play therapy session, the therapist will create a comfortable and safe environment for the child to play. The therapist will then observe the child’s interactions with the toys that are provided.

As the child grows more comfortable in the therapist’s playroom, more specific play activities that target the issues the child is dealing with will be introduced. Some of the most common techniques used by play therapists across the world include: 

 
  • Using building blocks
  • Using art
  • Sand play 
  • Board games 
  • Play with dolls 
  • Puppet play
  • Tea party play 
  • Card games 
  • Strategy games like chess or checkers 
  • Hide-and-seek 
  • LEGO play

Benefits

Here are some of the benefits of play therapy:

 
  • Play therapy gives children who are having a hard time communicating verbally to express themselves through play activities. For instance, a child who refuses to speak might instead draw or paint out their thoughts or needs.
  • It creates a space where a child will feel comfortable being themselves instead of other more traditional forms of psychotherapy.
  • It allows the child to take charge of their therapy process. Effective play therapy allows the child to use toys and mediums they are most comfortable with and go at their own pace.
  • It helps children understand their emotions, especially if they had struggled with doing this before.
  • It helps children build up their communication and social skills with time. After several sessions, a child who wasn’t speaking might start to utter several phrases.

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