Why Play Therapy?
A child’s first and most natural language is play. A therapist can enter a child’s world through their play which establishes relationship and builds trust. Play therapy encourages free expression and allows the child to work through difficult emotions or behaviors while finding healthier ways to express themselves. The goal is not necessarily for a child to verbalize their difficulties, but for the experience and self-discovery to translate into their daily world and environment through their development of self-awareness and healthy expression of emotion.
We work with parents outside of the play therapy sessions to coordinate care and provide feedback in ways you can support your child. The collaboration and working together allows the child to feel heard and understood which facilitates more effective communication and trust between child and parent.
There are two predominant styles of play therapy, directive and non-directive. Non-directive play therapy allows the child to lead and the freedom to work toward their own solutions at their own pace and Directive play therapy incorporates more structure and direction during the play sessions.
Depending on the age, time constraints and circumstances involved, we find benefit and balance in utilizing both approaches. Our therapists customize an individual treatment plan for each child.
To learn more about Play Therapy visit https://www.a4pt.org/default.aspx