Did you know that play is the most basic way that children can express themselves? Allow us to introduce you to Play Therapy!
People have unique experiences that are also processed uniquely. Just as adults sometimes struggle to work through their emotions and put them into words, children may struggle in a similar way. It can be said that it is more complicated for children to process issues due to their stage of development. For example, three-year-old children struggle with self-control and emotional regulation in stressful situations or when they are exposed to sudden changes to their routine, which might lead them to tantrums (Ray, 2016).
Children may not be able to vocalize trauma, sadness, anger, fear, and other feelings in the same way an adult might.
Play therapy is meant to give children the space to express themselves with actions instead of words.
By now you may be wondering: what is Play Therapy? Play therapy is defined by the Association for Play Therapy (1997) 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 to achieve optimal growth and development”.
What does all of this really mean? To the adult eye, this process might seem like a child just playing for an hour, but in reality, there is a lot of work being done by the child during this time. A trained play therapist uses techniques that will facilitate the child’s healing journey; however, play in itself is the work.
An example of this is the development of the sense of self in children. By actively engaging in play and being free from reality’s limitations, children begin to imagine and determine how they wish to see themselves and who they want to become (O’Connor et al., 2016). The role of the therapist is just to provide a safe space in which the child has the therapist’s undivided attention and care.
Play therapy begins by meeting with the parent to discuss the concerns their children present with. Parental involvement during play therapy is essential in obtaining optimal results from the therapeutic process. Many times, the child’s distress creates parental stress, which can lead to marital issues. All of these factors create a cycle in which parental distress and marital issues increase the child’s distress and undesired behavior.
Parents are typically involved to verify progress and check in with the parents on how the situation is at the child’s different settings like school, day care, family reunions, etc. One of the major goals of play therapy is for children to acquire or reinforce internal strengths so that they can transfer and use them in their daily lives.
Play therapy is a long process, depending on the child’s progress. Children tend to progress at a different pace than adults and might need more time before changes are apparent to parents and the adults in the child’s life. Later on, when the child seems ready to transition out of counseling, the introduction of termination is presented multiple times before the actual termination of counseling services. A long therapeutic relationship should not be abruptly terminated to avoid emotional harm to the child.
Lastly, it must be mentioned that play therapy is not exclusively for children. Play therapy techniques can be integrated into any counseling session, including those for teenagers, young adults, adults, and the elderly. Through play therapy, adults receive the opportunity to develop better insight, lower levels of stress, improve communication, facilitate self-efficacy, and encourage mastery (Kottman & Meany-Walen, 2016).
Everyone was once a child, and reconnecting with that side of a person can bring helpful insight that can better help a client reach their goals in counseling. Many of the things people do for entertainment in their daily lives can be considered play. Some of these things include reading a book, drawing, painting, taking photographs, journaling, etc.
It is known that there are topics and times in people’s lives that are too difficult to talk about, but with the help of play and the empathy of a sincere therapeutic relationship, a client can draw, sing, write, or even dance out a difficult topic that can alleviate symptoms of anxiety, sadness, and stress, among others.
Have more questions about play therapy? Don’t hesitate to contact us. Feel free to use our self-scheduling tool as well! We are here to help.
By Karianys Clemente, BS
References:
Association for Play Therapy (1997) Association for play therapy: Mental health professionals applying the therapeutic power of play! https://www.a4pt.org
Kottman, T., & Meany-Walen, K. (2016). Partners in play: An Adlerian approach to play therapy (3rd ed.). American Counseling Association.
O’Connor, K.J., Schaefer, C.E., & Braverman, L.D. (eds.) (2016). Handbook of Play
Ray, D.C. (Ed.). (2016). A therapist’s guide to child development: The extraordinarily normal years. Routledge.
