Play Therapy
What is Play Therapy and How does it Work
The Association for Play Therapy (APT) defines play therapy as "the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development."
Play therapy is a structured, evidence based approach to expressive therapy that builds on the normal communicative and learning processes of children and has been shown to help them to:
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Learn how to regulate their emotions
Become more responsible for their behaviors
Develop new and creative solutions to problems
Develop respect and acceptance of self and others
Learn to express their feelings
Learn healthy boundaries
Learn social and relational skills with family and friends
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Play therapy works well with TEENAGERS because it gives them an non-direct way to express feelings and experiences that are often too hard to put into words.
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Art, sand tray, and games help lower the defensiveness that straight talk therapy can trigger at this age.
This approach helps therapist to build rapport more naturally with their teenager-client while allowing them exercise their autonomy, by giving them real choice in the therapeutic process.
Play therapy engages the body and the mind helping teenagers process the vast way of emotions and body changes they are feeling during this challenging developmental phase.
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Benefits of Play Therapy
Play therapists are professionals who specialize in treating children's mental health utilizing PLAY as a gentle and effective way to understand children's emotional needs.
Play Therapy allows children to communicate their thoughts and feelings without releying solely in words - as in traditional talk therapy.
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In Play therapy toys are the child’s words and play is the child’s language.
Through play interactions the therapist provides a safe and comfortable way for children to express their own experiences and work to change maladaptive behaviors.
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This approach helps children share what is troubling them and to understand how their actions are affecting their lives and relationships.
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Play therapy uses a variety of play and Creative Arts techniques such as drawing, coloring, drama/role play, puppets, music, movement and therapeutic storytelling as means of communication.
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In a nutshell: Play therapy helps kids to:
earn how to communicate their internal world, express feelings, modify problematic behaviors, learn problem-solving, develop coping skills, increase self-awareness and learn how to control their emotions or self-regulate.
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Play therapy techniques give children and teenagers a safe way to process and heal from Traumatic Experiences, as those experiences are too overwhelming (for anyone) to put into words.
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