Understanding the Play Therapy Process

What is Play Therapy?

Play therapy is a healing process that allows children to express emotion and work through psychologically stressful and hurtful experiences.  Developmentally young children are unable to express and understand their feelings the same way adults do. Play therapy is a form of counseling that allows children to express themselves through the use of play and toys. Play therapy provides children with the opportunity to give expression to their experiences and emotions.  Children can recreate in play the experiences that are part of their anger, frustrations, sadness, and fears currently influencing their behavior.  During play therapy children are encouraged to play as they wish with a trained play therapist who provides an understanding, supportive and safe environment.  The relationship with the therapist allows children a sense of security when recreating emotionally stressful experiences.

How can Play Therapy help my child?

The Play Therapy process provides children with the opportunity to change their personal view of events in the world and to begin to better enjoy their interactions with others.  By recreating frustrations or disappointments and having the opportunity to change the experience of that situation in their play, children can begin to enjoy more of their play experiences and more of life's interactions.  Play therapy builds greater self-esteem and allows children to build deeper relationships that are more enjoyable with family, friends, and peers.