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CHILD DEVELOPMENTAND EDUCATION CENTRE |
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PLAY THERAPY |
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Play is a natural
and spontaneous part of any person’s life.
During play a child learns about his/her physical
surroundings, capabilities and limitations, social rules and most
important, the difference between fantasy and reality.
In play, children interact with toys and other people as
they enter new experiences and get the opportunity to rehearse new
skills. Through play
children learn to communicate and express themselves especially
when things are too complicated to say.
By the time a child arrives for therapy,
he/she has used up all their own options for solving their
problems. They express
their despondency by acting out at home, school and with friends. What is play therapy and how does it work? Play Therapy refers to a large number of
treatment methods (child-centered play therapy, narrative therapy,
EMDR, sandplay therapy and family play therapy) all of which make
use of one or more of the natural benefits of play.
Play Therapy differs from regular play in that the
therapist helps the child systematically address and resolve their
own problems. Since
play is fun, it makes it easier for children in a Play Therapy
Session, to confront what is bothering them.
By playing it gives the child the opportunity to safely
distance him/herself from the problem/s and to have the freedom to
express his/her real thoughts and feelings in ways best suited for
the child’s developmental level.
Once children have expressed and addressed their problems
through play, they are ready to find solutions (with the guidance
of the therapist) to their problems in life. Play Therapy creates an opportunity for
trained play therapists to assess and understand children’s play
and at the same time to use it in assisting the child in coping
with difficult emotions and in finding solutions to their
problems. During this
special time a child is allowed to change the way he/she thinks
about, feels toward and resolves the problem/s.
Even the most troubling problems can be confronted in Play
Therapy and lasting resolutions can be discovered, rehearsed and
adapted into the child’s life.
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Why play therapy and how can my child benefit from it? Therapists use play
in therapy for many reasons.
Play promotes healthy development. It
helps to build a positive relationship between the therapist and the
child.
Play is fun and helps the child to
engage in the therapy session.
This is a time for children to often
communicate their difficulties more effectively through play rather
than through language. Your child can
benefit from Play Therapy in many ways.
Research supports the effectiveness
of Play Therapy with children experiencing a wide variety of social,
emotional, behavioural and learning difficulties, including
post-traumatic stress, conduct disorder, aggression,
anxiety/fearfulness, depression, ADD/ADHD, impulsivity, low self
esteem, reading difficulties and social withdrawal.
A report about the importance of play
for children published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (Ginsburg
2007) states: “Play allows children to use their creativity while
developing their imagination, dexterity and physical, cognitive and
emotional strength.
Neuroscience now suggests that play
helps build and strengthens neural pathways in the brain. Marinda
Grimbeek |
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Nurturing Your Child's Fullest Potential |
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