A child's natural form of expression is play; for children, play is their language, and the toys are their words (Landreth, 2012).
Play therapy provides a safe environment in which children can use the toys and materials of their choice to express their inner feelings. These toys enable children to communicate what they may be unable to say verbally, to show the child's experience, reactions to what they experienced, and how they perceive themselves, as well as what they need, want and wish. Through play therapy children can regress and repair developmental milestones that may have been missed.
Play therapists use a variety of tools such as sand, figures, clay, art and craft, puppets, games, and therapeutic stories to enable children to overcome their difficulties.
Play therapy can help children to:
Receive emotional support as they learn to understand and trust their feelings and build trust in themselves to share their inner world with the play therapist.
Increase their confidence to express their emotions in a more effective way.
Increase their self esteem as they learn how to manage difficult emotions.
What are the behaviours that play therapy can address
Lack of concentration
Anger/aggressive behaviour
Hyperactivity
poor learning
bullying
controlling behaviour
ADHD/Autistic behaviour
OCD behaviour
Eating disorder
Anxiety
Attachment difficulties
school refusal
Reasons children may attend play therapy
Bereavement
Trauma
Parental separation
Bullying
Abuse-physical, sexual, emotional, neglect, domestic.
Fostered/adopted
Child carer
Illness/hospitalisation of child or family member/friend.
ADHD/Autism/ODD.
Social skills.
Difficult life transitions
Soiling or wetting
Learning disabilities
separation anxiety
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