Play Therapy

Play is the child’s natural way of communicating their needs and is vital to their social, emotional, cognitive, physical, creative and language development.

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Introducing Andrew

“It is in playing and perhaps only in playing, that the child is free to be creative”

Donald Woods Winnicott

Play Therapy is supported in the literature as an effective form of counselling and psychotherapy which is underpinned by the developmental and healing properties of play.

In play therapy, children can “play out” their feelings, thoughts and experiences using a range of toys, each of which have therapeutic value. In the safety of the therapeutic relationship and through the child’s language of play they learn emotional regulation skills, build new social skills and develop healthy coping strategies.

Play provides a safe psychological distance from their problems and allows expression of thoughts and feelings appropriate to their development.

“Play Therapy is founded on a number of theoretical models whereby the trained play therapist utilises the power of play, within a therapeutic relationship, to relieve suffering, prevent or resolve emotional and behavioural difficulties and to achieve optimal growth and development of children (or older individuals).”

Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association

Benefits of Play Therapy

Play therapy helps children:

  • Become more responsible for behaviours and develop more successful strategies.
  • Develop new and creative solutions to problems.
  • Develop respect and acceptance of self and others.
  • Learn to experience and express emotion.
  • Cultivate empathy and respect for thoughts and feelings of others.
  • Learn new social skills and relational skills with family.
  • Develop self-efficacy and thus a better assuredness about their abilities.

Who can benefit from Play Therapy?

Play Therapy can help children and adolescents with the following difficulties:

  • ASD
  • Developmental Delay
  • Disability
  • Living with a chronic illness or have a sibling with an illness or disability
  • Suffered trauma including a single event trauma (e.g. car accident) or developmental trauma (abuse/neglect)
  • Emotional and social difficulties (anxiety, depression, school refusal, bullying, low self-esteem)
  • Parental separation
  • Grief and loss
  • Witnessed parental substance misuse
  • Separation anxiety
  • Anxiety/depression from COVID-19 restrictions/lockdowns

The Play Therapist may draw from a range of play therapy approaches from non-directive to more directive and therapist-led depending on the child’s presenting issue.

Humanistic Play Therapy

In this approach the play is child led and spontaneous and the child selects their medium of play from a range of toys/play materials. The toys are carefully selected and structured in the playroom to facilitate play communication between the child and the Play Therapist. The child is given the opportunity to use the space as they chose within the safety and limits established by the Play Therapist. Children often find this type of method to be non-intrusive and it can allow them to gain a sense of control. The Play Therapist uses a range of therapeutic skills including tracking (commentating) the child’s play, reflecting back the child’s feelings and content of the play, returning responsibility to the child, and setting limits.

Over time the child and play therapist learn to communicate through the child’s play within a safe and trusting play therapy relationship. In this form of play therapy the therapeutic relationship is the primary healing power.

Directive Play Therapy

Directive play therapy is therapist-led, goal-oriented and the Therapist sets the pace and direction of the play to achieve a particular goal. The Therapist selects the toys and materials for the session and they create the structure.  Sometimes Play Therapists may integrate non-directive play therapy with more directive methods to support the child’s needs.

Learn to Play Therapy

The Learn to Play Therapy program was developed by Karen Stagnitti, Occupational Therapist and Emeritus Professor at Deakin University. Learn to Play is a directive form of play therapy that is used to support and extend a child’s play skills. Learn to Play Therapy is for children aged 18 months to 10 years who find playing with toys difficult or they need help to be able to play with friends. The aim of Learn to Play Therapy is to build the spontaneous pretend play ability of children. Pretend play is the most complex form of play and can support a child’s language, social and emotional development.

An initial assessment will be completed at the start to determine what play therapy approach will be most helpful for supporting the child and family.

To enquire about Play Therapy or book a session with one of the Therapists, feel free to give us a call on (03) 7031 6623