Wholeness Healing Center

Child-Centered Play Therapy

Parents who have kids in therapy often wonder why their kids come home after session talking about playing with toys and playing games with the therapist. Therapists use many tools and strategies to help build a relationship with clients, and they often use toys, crafts and games to connect with children. Many times, children are nervous when they come in for therapy and playing a game or interacting with toys in session helps children feel more comfortable and engaged. Play is natural for children. It’s what they know. Fish swim. Birds fly. And children play.

Play is the language of children. Play bridges the gap from abstract to concrete concepts that children can understand. While adults are able to use words for expression, children use play. The play therapist tracks the child’s play, providing language to help children explain their emotional responses to play.
Like any other therapy model, play therapy has several different modalities. Child-Centered Play Therapy meets developmental needs of a child and is directed at children with a developmental age of 3–11. This child centered approach helps children build safety and trust in the therapeutic relationship and sets the stage for learning about self and others. Additionally, play therapy provides support for children to gain independence and problem-solving, as well as regulating emotion which promotes a positive self-esteem.

In this modality, children enter a playroom with the therapist where they get to choose what and how they play. The therapist carefully selects toys that promote developmental needs and addresses many different components of a child’s life. Examples of toys in a play therapy room include a dollhouse, art supplies, kitchen set with pretend food, a sand tray, animal figurines, handcuffs, and nerf guns to name a few. As the child plays, the therapist tracks the child, providing language to support the actions and emotions the child expresses, providing boundaries as needed. The therapist looks for patterns and themes in the play and communicates needs with parents. As the session comes to an end, children feel content due to having the opportunity to process their experiences in a way that leaves them feeling good. For more information, please visit the Association for Play Therapy at www.a4pt.org. Look for more articles about the various modalities of play therapy in the coming months.

 

Tags: children and therapy, developmental needs of children for therapy, play therapy, play therapy works