The Basics of Play Therapy

The most critical development a person ever experiences is normally during their youth. It can be uncomfortable and difficult, but that pain increases when you’re a child dealing with social or emotional deficits.
This is where parents begin seeing Play Therapy as a helpful resource. Before the therapist begins sessions with the child, they may ask parents to partake in a pre-treatment assessment to gain some insight into the child’s situation, but from there the child’s relationship with the therapist becomes essential.  
The therapist creates an environment with very few rules where the child feels free to express themselves, and it’s at this point that they can begin to assess the child’s play.
This assessment is important because play is the ‘language of the child.’ Playing is already an important part of mental, physical, and social development for children. Free play allows children to use their creativity to form better understandings of the world while also interacting with other children.
The best way to understand a child, then, is by observing their reactions to the things around them. Using either Nondirective or Directive approaches, or a mixture of both, child and therapist work together to communicate through the use of creative activities. The number of sessions for play therapy to be effective varies but can be up to 20 sessions. After this time frame, the hope is that the parent and the child have both received enough tools to continue improving without regular sessions.

While this blog has focused on children, adults can benefit equally from Play Therapy. It is a great outlet for anyone struggling to verbally express their difficulties.

For more information on Play Therapy, check out the links below or give Scott Turner a call today @ (810) 216-5610. 

http://www.a4pt.org/page/ParentsStagesofThera
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/play-therapy
http://www.a4pt.org/page/WhyPlayTherapy

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Author: Lyndsie Hosang

Guest blogger for Turner Therapy, LLC