About Play Therapy
Play is the child’s natural medium of self-expression. It is vital to every child’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical and creative development.
Play therapy helps children in a variety of ways. The play therapist offers a safe place where children may learn to understand more about their own feelings and thoughts, receiving emotional support and may also learn to manage relationships and conflicts in more appropriate ways. Sometimes children may re-enact or ‘play out’ traumatic or difficult life experiences and through the relationship with the play therapist they are able to make sense of their experiences and cope better with their future.
About the Sessions
Sessions are 50 minutes long and usually take place on a weekly basis, on the same day and at the same time and place in order to provide consistency and to develop a trusting relationship.
Sessions can take place in various locations such as children/family centres and schools – this will be discussed in the initial assessment.
Play therapy intervention is most commonly used for children between the ages of 4-12 years of age, however sessions can be adapted for older children and young people.
The number of sessions a child will need varies
On average children require a minimum of 12-15 sessions. This may be enough for some, however those with complex needs may require longer intervention (24-36 plus sessions). This would be explored during initial assessment and review meetings.
When to make a referral?
There are numerous reasons that a child may be referred for and benefit from Play Therapy. These may include:
- Bereavement, family breakdown (parental divorce/separation), hospitalisation or another emotionally traumatic event.
- Physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
- The child is (or is in the process of) being adopted or fostered.
- Difficulties with peer and/or adult relationships.
- The child or a close family member is affected by an illness or developmental difficulty.
- The child is experiencing anxiety, stress, phobias, low confidence, disturbed sleep, withdrawal, bullying, regressive behaviour or continued unhappiness.
- The child shows significant shifts in behaviour such as anger, aggression, withdrawal, confidence loss, selective mutism, bed wetting, nightmares, not wanting to come to school or any other notable changes.