What is Play Therapy?

Play Therapy is a therapeutic intervention based on play and is able to support children, young people and families. Play Therapy uses play to understand what is occurring in a child’s internal world; their thoughts, feelings, experiences and perceptions (Ray, 2011; Schaefer & Drewes, 2014; Ray, 2016). Play Therapy offers an opportunity for children and young people to express their thoughts, experiences, perceptions and ideas, using play as the conduit of communication (Ray, 2011; Schaefer & Drewes, 2014; Ray, 2016). Little talking and explaining is required to tell their story, which is why we think Play Therapy is a highly effective therapeutic intervention.

How can Play Therapy support my child?

Play is a natural and innate way for children to develop soothe their nervous system, form new neural pathways and cognitive abilities, understand and practice emotional regulation and experiment with cause and effect thinking (Schaefer, 2011). Physical development also has a great opportunity to form naturally in play as both gross and fine motor are well practiced while the children are having fun! Creative play, physical play, symbolic play and make-believe play also have the ability to support  the development of imagination, language, higher thinking and psycho-social development in children (Schaefer, 2011).