What’s the Purpose of Play Therapy?
This is a common question, along with “Psychologist, Counselor, Therapist, or Social Worker: Who does what?” The term “play therapy” can mean many different things. It can refer to Child Centered Play Therapy, which is a specific set of responses a therapist gives to a child who is engaged in free play. It can also refer to the use of play materials (art supplies, games, puppets, dolls, and stories) to support a child’s learning in therapy. You may even see the term Family Play Therapy used to refer to family therapy that engages the whole family in collaborative play. At Better Together Family Therapy, play is central to every child’s therapy (whether individual or family). These are the reasons why.
Engagement. Can you imagine having an hour long conversation with your child about his behavior? No? Your parenting instincts are already telling you something about how to best engage your child, and you’re already listening. Play engages the areas of a child’s brain that are the most developed, and is a child’s natural tool for processing his/her experience.
Multisensory Learning. By doing/touching/walking through something, we commit it to memory much more efficiently than we do when we just talk about it. This is especially true for children, whose brains haven’t fully developed the capacity to think about their experiences in the abstract. In play, we can help a child rehearse behaviors that can be used in other contexts.
Emotional Regulation. When children genuinely process their emotions in the presence of calm, supportive adults, they learn that they can have feelings and still be ok. This is the foundation of self esteem and will help your child to have healthier relationships to parents, siblings, peers, and an eventual spouse.
We’re here to engage your child in learning and growing and to help you play too. Ask us a question or schedule your appointment today!
