How does Play Therapy Work?

Play is how children learn and develop, we see the emphasis placed on play in preschool and primary school. Play is also how children communicate.

As adults if we are having difficulties we are encouraged to talk them through either with family/friends or a professional. Many children are not at that developmental stage where they can verbalise emotional difficulties or a traumatic experience. When children have no outlet for these difficult emotions they become bottled up and when released can cause negative or worrying behaviour.

Play Therapy allows children to process and work through their emotions in a safe and supported way. Children have access to a play room with various materials and can choose whatever interests them. The therapist will follow the child’s lead and aim to build a trusting and supportive relationship with them.

The aim is that when the child feels comfortable they will begin to express the negative or difficult emotions through their play, the therapist is able to track and observe what is happening and gently guide the child when necessary.

For older children and young teens we use a blended approach of play therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy, where the young person can still communicate their difficulties in a safe and developmentally appropriate way while also learning how to change negative or unhelpful thinking patterns through a series of creative activities and discussions.

Materials Used

The play room has a wide variety of materials they include:

• Sand
• Art
• Clay
• Instruments
• Dollhouse
• Toy Figures
• Books
• Games
• Puppets