What is play therapy?

Play therapy is a process in which we build on the natural way children learn about themselves and their relationships, their play, to help them process through the issues and struggles in their lives. Children are encouraged to play as they wish while we create a safe and understanding environment to help guide them through the process.

Who does play therapy benefit?

Play therapy can be helpful for children who are having problems such as:

• Academic Underachievement • Anger Management • Anxiety • Adoption/ Attachment Issues • Defiance and Oppositional

Behavior • Separation Anxiety • Depression and Sadness • Isolation or Social Withdrawal • Relationship Conflicts • Physical, Sexual, or Emotional

Abuse • Divorce • Death, Loss, and Grief • Medical Traumas

Why play therapy? First, children enjoy play; it is their natural mode of expression. Using play creates an environment that is most often enjoyable and low pressure. Second, children are unable to understand and talk about their feelings the way that adults do. For children, toys are their words and play is their language. We utilize play therapy to help children express what is troubling them when verbal language fails.

In addition, while a child may be able to articulate what they are feeling (i.e. “I’m sad”), they are unable to use words to change their beliefs and begin to feel different. It is through their experiences in play that their feelings begin to change.

What happens in play therapy?

During the process of play therapy children play in a way that resembles the emotional experiences they are currently struggling with. These experiences cannot typically be expressed verbally, and often result in misbehavior or acting out at school or home. Children pick toys that help them to recreate issues in a safe way, and then their play evolves until they gain understanding, comfort, empowerment, and a sense of mastery over their emotions. This leads to higher self-esteem, increased enjoyment in activities, and an increased ability to control their disruptive behaviors and challenging emotions.

Is play therapy different than how my child plays at home? The purpose of a child’s play is the same here as it is at home. However, we use the unique environment of the play room to enable play that may not be able to happen at home. Play has essentially three purposes: cognitive development, motor development, and emotional resolution. As we facilitate their play, it becomes focused on the emotional purposes and encourages resolution. How will I as the parent be involved? Parental involvement is very important in the play therapy process. Parents will be asked to meet with the therapist on a regular basis. In addition, we may request that the parent contribute to their child’s progress by following recommendations for home life which may include activities outside of the play room that support the play therapy process.

Questions? For more information on how

play therapy can help your child please contact:

Melissa Wetterlund, MA, LP, LMFT

Licensed Psychologist Licensed Marriage and Family

Therapist

At

651-393-2830

www.centerlifecounseling.com

7039 20th Ave South

Centerville, MN 55038 651-393-2830

www.centerlifecounseling.com

What is Play Therapy?