- What is play therapy?
Play therapy is a method of psychotherapy with children in which a therapist uses a child’s fantasies and the symbolic meanings of his or her play as a medium for understanding and communication with the child. Children are given toys to play with, and a therapist observes their play to better understand their emotional or mental health issues. Different types of play help the child figure out feelings and express them. Freud believed he could understand children by watching them play; it’s also a way of understanding how the child develops a sense of self. It gets to the emotional functioning of children and that expression of emotion through play.
- Goals of play therapy:
- Emotional expression through play:
Children don’t have the same cognitive ability as an adult to say what’s bothering them. The problem could be a behavioural issue, psychological issue, or maybe even medical. No matter what the problem is, they need a way to express it. Children can work on issues that are distressing to them, can play out issues of what the future will be, and can talk about trauma. If it’s too hard to put into words, they can work on it with play. Play therapy might be a way for them to express what they find troubling without using any verbal language. You can’t stick the child on a couch and ask them to start telling you what’s on their mind as they often do not have the vocabulary or understanding to do so.
- Making meaning:
By playing out some of their internal conflict and troubling emotions, children make meaning and achieve emotional integration.
- Obtaining a sense of control:
The idea of being in control of the play can help give a child confidence. Since the child may feel out of control with the events playing out in the rest of his or her life, that sense of control during playtime is important.Botto
- Decrease behaviour and emotional difficulties:
The aim of play therapy is to decrease those behavioural and emotional difficulties that interfere significantly with a child’s normal functioning and development. Inherent in this aim is improved communication and understanding between the child and their parents.
- Improved communication with parents:
Less obvious goals include improved verbal expression, ability for self-observation, improved impulse control, more adaptive ways of coping with anxiety and frustration, and improved capacity to trust and to relate to others. In this type of treatment, the therapist uses an understanding of cognitive development and of the different stages of emotional development as well as the conflicts common to these stages when treating the child.
- Improve impulse control:
By being more in control of their emotions and the difficulties they experience in their lives, children can control their impulses with greater success.
- Session with parents:
Sessions with parents are important opportunities to keep the therapist informed about the child’s current functioning at home and at school and for the therapist to offer some insight and guidance to parents. Before therapy, there is an intake appointment with the parents so that the therapist can learn as much about the child and the presenting problem before seeing the child. It is recommended that parents explain to the child that they will be going to see a therapist, that they discuss, if possible, the particular problem that is interfering with the child’s growth and that a therapist is going to teach both parents and child how to make things better.
- Stages of play therapy:
For the purposes of explanation, treatment can be described as occurring in a series of initial, middle and final stages. The initial phase includes evaluation of the problem and teaching both child and parents about the process of therapy. The middle phase is the period in which the child has become familiar with the treatment process and comfortable with the therapist. The therapist is continuing to evaluate and learn about the child, but has a clearer sense of the youngster’s issues and has developed, with the child, a means for the two to communicate. The final phase includes the process of ending treatment and saying goodbye to the therapist. Sessions last between 45 to 50 minutes.
- Case Illustration:
Kathy was referred to a psychologist for play therapy by her teacher and her parents. Her teacher and parents were concerned about her behavioural difficulties; especially evident at the special needs school she attends. Kathy was clinging onto the teacher and would become emotionally unsettled and throw a tantrum when her teacher was required to attend to Kathy’s peers in the class room, as she wanted her teacher’s undivided attention. With play therapy, Kathy’s mother has reported several positive remarks she has received from Kathy’s school, and her teacher has noted the positive progress Kathy has made in classroom and on the playground of the school environment, after attending play therapy.