What is Play Therapy?

When we think of counseling, we often think of talk therapy. But kids are different. They need to process their emotions in a way that makes sense. If you’ve ever tried talking with your child and asking them why they did something, you may have received answers like “I don’t know.” So, trying to “talk it out” with your child usually ends in frustration for both of you. Young children have difficult emotions, just like adults. But unlike adults, children cannot talk out their feelings. They don’t develop the cognitive skills to talk through their problems until around age 13.

Understanding Play Therapy for Children

Play therapy is specialized counseling for children ages 3-12. In the playroom, children learn to process their emotions through play. The playroom offers kids the time, tools, and opportunity to work through their emotions in a safe, accepting environment. In play therapy, children use play as their language and the toys as their words to express themselves. Through this process, children can process and make sense of their world and the things that bother them. Play is the way that children naturally communicate and therefore it is the way that they naturally improve.

Promoting Emotional Well-being with Play Therapy

Children do not want to stay “stuck” with their uncomfortable feelings. They want to work through what is bothering them. Through play therapy your child will gain a greater sense of self, improved self-esteem, an emotional vocabulary to identify how they feel and a better understanding that they can trust themselves to work through hard things. As a result, children can process and make sense of concerns such as anxiety, anger, dysregulation, sleep regression, and life transitions. Play therapy is appropriate for almost every social, emotional, and behavioral concern that kids experience. A play therapist is highly trained to help children work through these emotions.

Parental Empowerment Through Play Therapy

Through the play therapy process, you as a parent will also be given the tools to help support your child in a new way. You’ll gain fresh insight into your child’s behavior and ways to help them. As a result, you will start to notice a shift in your family as you feel more confident and connected to your child.

Play therapy is an evidenced based therapy for children because it works. If you would like to schedule a free initial parent consultation to see if play therapy is right for your child, please reach out to us today. You can reach our office at 832-521-8809 our through our website at www.collectivehopecounseling.com We look forward to meeting you.