This information was authored by:

Grace Hubbard, MSN, RN, CS
4020 Westchase Blvd. Suite 100
Raleigh, NC  27607
(919) 828-4214 

Play Therapy

What Is It

Play therapy is a main part of the therapy experience for children.  In play therapy, toys, games, puppets, puzzles and crafts are used to assist children in resolving their conflicts.  Conflicts may stem from difficulties with behavior or discipline, themselves because of adjustments to life changes such as geographical relocation, change in school, divorce, illness, or death of a family member.  Medical diagnoses such as attention deficit disorder, learning disorders, diabetes, or cancer can create adjustment difficulties that impact self esteem, social skills or coping skills.

The Approach

Therapists incorporate play therapy principles and techniques in a variety of ways.  Play therapy is a specialized technique based on specific theories of types of play, the use of toys as symbols, and the influence of the developmental stage for a given child.

It is important that the therapists have specific training in play therapy as well as significant experience working with children using play therapy techniques.  Children do not typically have the skills or development to “talk through” a situation the way adults may.  They need “props” to help them recognize and express what they are thinking and feeling.

Children are similar to adults in that they want to be liked and they want to please.  If the only means available to deal with a conflict is talking, they often will respond with “I don’t know.”  The use of this phrase can represent different things – the child truly does not understand his feelings or behavior, or they know the answer but are afraid to say it because they are embarrassed, afraid of getting into trouble, or hurting someone’s feelings.

The use of play therapy builds rapport, establishes trust, and builds a foundation that assists the child in becoming more adept in talking about difficult things.

Whom Does It Help

Play therapy is predominantly used with children ages 2-12, although aspects of play therapy techniques may be used with adolescents.  The frequency and degree of play therapy techniques depends on the child’s age, the presenting issues, and the child’s capacity for verbalizing thoughts and feelings about the conflict.

The Program

The course of play therapy is determined by the individual needs of each child and family.  Typically a parent would want an initial session with the therapist for information exchange and to present the history of the problem.  At this time the parent would ask questions about the structure of the therapy process.  An assessment of the child is the next step and this is when the first play therapy techniques would be employed during the individual time for the therapist and child.  After the initial meeting and the assessment (which is usually 2-4 sessions) the parent would expect another meeting with the therapist to discuss recommendations and plan the course of further treatment.  At that point a variety of options may be considered – continued individual play therapy with the child, a combination of child and parent sessions, parent sessions the child does not attend, or family sessions in which several different family members attend together.  Who attends each session is determined by the treatment goals agreed upon by the parents and the therapist.  Depending on the child’s age, he or she would also be included in the discussion of the type of sessions.

Contact

Parents may locate therapists skilled with play therapy from several different resources:
guidance counselors, pediatricians, insurance company referrals, or teachers.  The national organization is called the Association of Play Therapists; however, there are many qualified play therapists that may not participate with that organization.  Upon receiving a referral the parent would contact that therapist and inquire about their training and experience with play therapy.