How can Play Therapy help?

Play therapists meet with a child alone for the sessions, while maintaining communication and feedback with the parents. In order to provide both child and parents with stability and consistency, sessions are scheduled for the same time each week and are held in a welcoming environment that becomes familiar. Many children may at first be unable or unwilling to acknowledge what their problem is.

The goal of play therapy is to allow them the opportunity to work through, heal and move past the difficult times in their lives by using dolls, puppets, paints or other toys to say how they think and feel. As the child plays, the therapist may recognize patterns and underlying themes or ways of using the toys that are important to the child.

Over time the therapist can help the child to make meaning from the play. The theory is that the symbolic play that the child creates reflects which issues are important to the child and are relevant to the difficulties. The therapist helps them to learn about themselves and their surroundings and to learn new skills, how to handle anger and frustration, work through difficult times and increase their self esteem and ability to communicate. When a child shows improved functioning at home, at school and with friends, the focus of the final sessions shifts away from examining problems and towards the process of ending treatment.

When is play therapy used?

Studies have shown that play therapy is effective for a wide variety of social, emotional, behavioural and educational problems, including:

• ADHD
• Depression
• Temper tantrums
• Aggressive behaviour
• Sleep disturbances
• Post traumatic stress disorder
• Sexual or physical abuse issues
• Neglect
• Bereavement
• Learning difficulties
• Anxiety
• Phobias
• Conduct disorders
• Low self esteem
• Poor social skills
• Impulsivity
• Divorce issues
• Coping skills issues
• Special needs