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Play Therapy

Play therapy allows children to work through and process their struggles at their own pace and so use PLAY to communicate at their own level. Where adults in counselling would use talk therapy to work through their difficulties, play therapy allows children to work through their struggles through play. 

Playing with Wooden Toys

What is Play Therapy?

Play therapy is a form of therapy that uses PLAY to communicate with and help children to work through various difficulties they may be facing in a non-threatening manner.

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Play therapy is helpful for children facing a variety of challenges, such as:

  • Challenges at school (e.g. bullying, separation issues etc.)

  • Depression symptoms

  • Anxiety symptoms (incl. separation anxiety)

  • Parental conflict (Divorce/Separation)

  • Stress & Trauma

  • Life adjustments & transitions

  • Grief/Loss

  • Personal/Family illness

  • Impulse control & ADHD

  • Autism spectrum disorder, Social struggles, social anxiety or withdrawal

  • Selective mutism

  • Nightmares or sleep problems

  • Anger management

 

Play therapy aims to develop a RELATIONSHIP between the child and the therapist. This relationship is crucial to the play therapy process. The therapist enters the child’s world; follows the child’s lead and aims to create a safe space and build a relationship of trust. The role of the therapist is to assist the child through this process.

 

Play therapy is generally employed with children aged 3 through 12 and provides a way for them to express their experiences and feelings through a natural, self-guided, self-healing process. As children's experiences and knowledge are often communicated through play, it becomes an important means for them to know and accept themselves and others.

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Benefits of Play Therapy

Play therapy offers many benefits including:

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  • Allows a child to use their “natural language”, which is PLAY, to work through the challenges they are facing

  • Uses a non-threatening approach to allow children to work through issues

  • Helps a child to identify, communicate and manage their emotions

  • Give children the skills to express strong feelings (e.g. anger & anxiety) in more healthy and positive ways

  • Promotes self-esteem, self-control, self-respect and self-acceptance

  • Helps improve relational skills by promoting trust and encouraging communication

  • Reduces stress & anxiety levels

  • Promotes problem solving & helps child develop a sense of mastery

  • Helps a child to assume greater self-responsibility & promotes self-reliance/independence

  • Helps a child to gain a clearer sense of self, to feel better about him/her self and to feel stronger inside

  • Helps child to feel happier and more peaceful in life

  • To give parents a sense of hope in their role as a parent and to give them guidance and tools they can implement at home to assist their child.

Playing with Toy Vehicles
Plastic Farm Animals

Play Therapy Approach

My approach is tailored according to the age and needs of the child and challenges faced. I use a combination of a child-centred, non-directive approach as well as a more directive approach, tailored according to the needs of the child. However, I primarily aim to establish trust with the child, so my approach is generally very non-threatening and allows the child freedom to explore and “lead” the play therapy process at their own pace.

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My therapeutic approach is based on both Virginia Axline and Carl Roger’s principals. Axline was a psychologist and one of the pioneers in the use of play therapy. In 1964, she published “Dibs: In Search of Self” which chronicled her therapeutic relationship with a five-year old boy, Dibs. He appeared to be withdrawn and uncommunicative and his parents suspected he had severe mental retardation or autism. Through several months of play therapy, he was able to heal himself.

 

Axline based her work on Carl Rogers’ person-centred approach. His approach is founded on 3 basic principles:

  1. The therapist is congruent with the client.

  2. The therapist provides the client with unconditional positive regard.

  3. The therapist shows empathic understanding to the client.

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My work is aligned with Carl-Roger’s person-centred approach as well as Axline’s eight core principles, namely:

  • The therapist should build a trusting relationship and good rapport with the client as soon as possible by being warm and friendly.

  • The therapist should accept the child “for what they are, just as they are”. (This is based on a principle that Rogers’ termed “unconditional positive regard”).

  • The therapist should establish a feeling of permission in the relationship so that the child feels free to express his or her feelings completely.   

  • The therapist is sensitive towards the client’s feelings and reflects those back to the client in such a way that the client is better able to make sense of their own behaviour.

  • Recognises that it is the child’s responsibility to make their own choices and harness change.  The child has the ability to solve his/her own problems and allows the child the opportunity to do so and thus maintaining a deep respect for the child.

  • Allows the client to lead the therapy, without directing the child.

  • Allows the therapy to happen gradually and does not hurry the process in any way.

  • Anchors the therapy to real life by putting in place only those limitations that are necessary to make the child aware of his responsibility in the relationship

Play Therapy Process

  • Step 1: An intake form will be emailed to you.

    • Complete the form as thoroughly as possible.

    • Return the form prior to the initial parent meeting.

    • The form provides background on your child’s development and difficulties.

    • Any uncertainties or questions will be addressed during the initial meeting.

  • Step 2: An initial meeting with the parent(s)/caregiver(s) will be scheduled.

    • Purpose: To gain a deeper understanding of your child's challenges.

    • You will also receive more information about the play therapy process.

    • Duration: Approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.

  • Step 3: Play therapy sessions with your child will begin.

    • Number of sessions: Typically 6–12 (or more if needed).

    • Factors influencing number of sessions:

      • Child’s age

      • Response to therapy

      • Difficulties faced

      • Developmental stage

    • Duration of each session: 30–45 minutes (depending on age).

  • Step 4: Interim and final review feedback sessions with parent(s)/caregiver(s) will be arranged.

    • Purpose: To provide feedback and address any questions or concerns.

    • Final feedback session occurs after therapy is completed.

    • Duration: Approximately 1 hour.

Note on Consistency:

  • Regular attendance is essential.

  • Missing sessions can disrupt the momentum and progress of the play therapy process.

Dinosaur Fight
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