A Brief Introduction To Play Therapy - Katie Smith, MS, LPC, RPT-S

What is play therapy?

Play therapy is a research-supported approach that helps children struggling with social, psychological, or emotional difficulties. A therapist utilizing play therapy integrates playful and creative techniques to help children grow, heal, and increase resilience. Due to their young age, children may not be able to verbally articulate their thoughts and emotions like adults can. But play therapy meets a child where they are at in their development. Through playful engagement with a trained counselor, children can work through or even prevent various difficulties. “Toys are children’s words and play is their language,” according to Garry Landreth, founder of the largest play therapy training center in the world.

How does it work?

We know from both experience and research that play is inherently therapeutic – it is stress-relieving and stress preventing! Children (and people of all ages!) are intrinsically motivated to play. Play develops imagination and creativity, increases emotional strength, builds social skills, and strengthens social bonds. It also increases children’s motivation to learn and provides practice for problem solving skills (child.tcu.edu).

A play therapist harnesses the therapeutic powers of play when establishing a therapeutic relationship with a child. It is from the foundation of this relationship that a child can grow. A play therapist conveys acceptance of the child’s God-given uniqueness and confidence in his or her strengths. Within this playful therapeutic relationship, a child can be empowered with courage to explore their inner world using the specially selected toys in the playroom. During “special playtime” with the play therapist, a child is given the opportunity to make choices within set limits. This allows the child to enjoy a level of control not typically afforded to them in other contexts of their lives, and to increase self-responsibility. A play therapist also develops specific activities designed to help a child develop a new skill, process an experience from the past, or begin imagining new paths forward.

Do parents or caregivers participate in the process?

Play therapy almost always involves parents or caregivers in periodic check-ins so that progress can be tracked and the therapist can pass along any helpful tools to use at home. I have particular experience with an approach that empowers parents to utilize basic play therapy techniques with their children in their own “special playtime.” Not only have I seen the parent/child relationship change for the better through applying this model, but I’ve also seen parents recapture their sense of enjoyment and fulfillment in their role as a parent.

To learn more about play therapy, visit www.a4pt.org/page/WhyPlayTherapy or visit Dr. Nick Cornett’s channel on YouTube.