Play Therapy
“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation ”
What is Play Therapy?
Play Therapy is a modality that is best suited for people between the ages of 2 to 10 years old. Therapeutic play builds on the natural way that children learn about themselves and their relationships in the world around them. Through play therapy, children learn to communicate with others, express feelings, modify behavior, develop problem-solving skills, regulate emotions, and learn a variety of ways of relating to others. Play provides a safe psychological distance from children's problems and allows expression of thoughts and feelings appropriate to their development.
How Does Play Therapy help?
Play is essential to human growth, development, learning, and cultivating relationships. Play is our first language. Just as adults use words to communicate, children use play. When playing, children express thoughts and feelings that might otherwise remain hidden.
Play is a natural process that:
- Builds trust
- Fosters learning & appropriate behaviors
- Regulates emotions
- Reduces anxiety
- Heals & processes pain
- Promotes creative thinking & problem solving
- Encourages open communication
- Elevates spirit & self-esteem
What does Play Therapy help with?
Child therapy helps with behavioral, emotional, and social challenges caused by:
- Grief & Loss
- Divorce & Abandonment
- Bullying
- Physical & Sexual Abuse
- Crisis & Trauma
- Developmental Abnormalities
- Educational Delays
- & Life in general
What does Play Therapy look like?
Certified Play Therapists honor the child's ability to communicate their pains and struggles by allowing them to freely express their experiences through a variety of developmental-appropriate resources, such as art, music, talking, and playing. Our Certified Play Therapist also teaches our young clients skills that help children self-soothe, regulate their emotions, process their feelings, develop realistic perspectives, and cope with the grievances and challenges on their paths.
Parents have the most influential role in a child's development; therefore, our Certified Play Therapist incorporates parents into every therapeutic session in a way that strengthens the parent-child relationship. It is the therapist's goal to help cultivate a nurturing and strong relationship between the parents and child in order to ensure lasting growth beyond the therapeutic play room.
Why choose Play Therapy?
Working with children under the age of 12 requires specialized training in order to understand a child's perspective as well as adequately communicate between children in a language they understand. Developmentally speaking, children under the age of 12 are in a cognitive position that limits their perspective to a very concrete interpretation of the world. With that being said, Certified Play Therapists help bridge the gap between parental expectations and children's developmental limitations.
Davidson Family Therapy Is Proud To Offer Play Therapy in Davidson, NC!
Play Therapy is one of the specialities that our innovative therapists offer. For more information or to schedule an appointment click here.