Play Therapy is a developmentally sensitive and evidence-based approach to counseling children that recognizes play as a child’s natural language and primary way of understanding the world. Instead of relying solely on verbal communication, the therapist uses play as the core means to connect with the child’s unique context and cognitive, behavioral, and emotional needs.
What is Play for a Child?
For children, play is not simply for fun; it is their natural language. Children experience the world and begin to understand and integrate it through their play.
“In play a child says things without uttering a word. You can see how he solves his problems, what’s wrong. Young children have enormous creativity, and whatever is in them rises to the surface in play.” -Erik Erikson
How Play Therapy Works
For therapy with children to be effective, two foundational elements are essential: the therapeutic relationship and the modality of play. The counselor focuses on establishing a secure, responsive therapeutic relationship, which is a trusted bond crucial for fostering a sense of safety and future emotional expression. While play is the primary modality for assessment and intervention. The counseling room is intentionally curated with specific toys to facilitate a child’s ability to express themselves and explore the connections between their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, promoting insight and growth toward therapeutic goals.
The play therapist’s role is to be a guide along the way, helping the child to understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interrelated. A play therapist uses their understanding of neuroscience and child development to work with children through play to meet therapeutic goals. In working with children, I employ two main approaches to achieve this: child-led play therapy, which follows the child’s internal direction, focusing on emotional processing and insight as well as finding new ways of behaving; and directive or prescriptive play therapy, where I encourage the child to meet goals through specific prescribed activities like therapeutic games, expressive arts, age-appropriate stories, and role play to build understanding and develop and practice coping skills.
Who is Play Therapy appropriate for?
Play therapy is best suited for children 10 years and younger. Presenting problems that include internalizing issues like depression or anxiety as well as externalizing behaviors such as anger, aggression, and difficulty focusing can all be treated with play therapy. Additionally, trauma, family changes, or family stressors can be addressed with play therapy.
Play Therapy supports growth both individually and for the family overall:
Children can work on personal therapeutic goals such as decreasing anxious symptoms, increasing focus and attention, or processing family stressors or changes.
Families can work together with the counselor as a facilitator in play sessions to help families create new patterns of behavior, improve communication, and strengthen their family relationships.
The role of caregivers is critical to the success of therapy. When therapists and parents partner together, children are able to incorporate progress more thoroughly into their everyday lives. Parents are actively involved in the therapeutic process, learning how to support their child and integrate the new insights and skills gained in the playroom into their everyday family life.
