What is play therapy?
Play therapy is a specialised therapeutic approach that uses play to help children express their feelings, explore their thoughts and resolve issues in a safe and nurturing environment. It is based on the understanding that play is a child's natural form of communication and is crucial for their cognitive, social, and emotional development. ​The aim of play therapy is to help children resolve psychological difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development.
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Benefits of play therapy:
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Emotional expression- Play allows children to express feelings
​they might not be able to articulate verbally.
Problem solving- Children can experiment with different solutions to problems in a safe environment.
Behavioural insights- Through play, therapists can gain insights into a child's behaviour and underlying issues.
Coping skills- Children learn and practice new ways of coping with difficult emotions and situation.
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Play therapy could benefit children who have:
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Emotional/behavioural difficulties- anxiety, depression
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History of trauma
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Developmental disorders- ASD, ADHD, Sensory processing disorder, Selective mutism.
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Social or peer challenges
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Families in conflict or parental separation
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Those who have experienced bereavement or loss
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Low self/esteem, or confidence.​
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Has attachment difficulties
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Aggressive or anger
The Toolkit
Play therapists use a toolkit to facilitate the therapeutic process. A well equipped toolkit provides multiple avenues for children to project their thoughts, feelings and experiences. Each medium provides a therapeutic value within the child's play, this allows a child full exploration of their thoughts and feelings in the playroom.
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The toolkit consists of-
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Sand tray and symbols
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Puppets
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Musical instruments
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Arts and Crafts ​
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Doll house/ small world toys
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Dress up
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Lego
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Clay
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Therapeutic stories
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Creative visualisation
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