What is Play Therapy?

Play therapy is a type of counseling where children use play to communicate and express their feelings. Often times in a play therapy session, children play out a traumatic or difficult experience that they may not be able to express verbally. Young children have not fully developed the abstract thinking and verbal skills needed to clearly articulate their thoughts and emotions. Play therapy uses play, a child's natural form of language and expression, to help them communicate their feelings using toys instead of words. Play therapists are trained to use a child's natural play to focus on emotional healing, allowing children to safely confront their problems in a protected environment. While some children may need to see a play therapist at an earlier age, we provide play therapy to children ages 5 and older.

Can play therapy help my child?

Play therapy is an effective treatment model that can be used to address a variety of social, emotional, and behavioral challenges:

• aggression and anger

• life transitions (like divorce, moving, changing schools)

• tantrums

• trauma and abuse

• peer-related issues (such as bullying, social skills development)

• anxiety disorders

• depressive disorders

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Play therapy can help children:

• communicate more effectively

• explore repressed thoughts and emotions

• address unresolved trauma

• replace inappropriate behaviors with positive behaviors

• improve social skills

• take responsibility for their behavior

Check out this brief video to learn what the Association for Play Therapy says about play therapy!