What is Play Therapy?

Play is a child’s natural way of expressing themselves.  In Play Therapy, children with emotional, mental health, social and behavioural problems are given the opportunity to ‘play out’ their feelings and problems just as, in certain types of adult therapy, an individual ‘talks out’ his difficulties.  Play Therapy is a method of helping children to help themselves. 

How can Play Therapy help?

Play is essential in children’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical, creative and language development. Children learn through play.  Through exploration, they learn about themselves and come to understand the world around them. 

Play Therapy can help children in a variety of ways.  Through a safe and secure environment, children are given the opportunity to play out their thoughts, feelings and problems at their own pace.  They can try out new ways of behaving and receive emotional support that helps them develop self-awareness and learn more about their feelings so that they become confident to express themselves, can better understand their experiences and learn to manage relationships and conflicts in more appropriate ways. 

When emotional, mental, social and behavioural difficulties are alleviated, children are better able to engage in educational settings.

Who can benefit from Play Therapy?

Play Therapy can be helpful for children who:

• are not realising their full potential

• have difficulties learning

• have nightmares or disturbed sleep

• are experiencing the separation or divorce of parents

• are dealing with issues of loss such as illness or death of a loved one

• have suffered trauma

• suffer from anxiety, stress or phobias

• are withdrawn or repeatedly unhappy

• find it difficult to make friends

• quarrel frequently with peers or siblings

• bully others or who are bullied themselves

• display inappropriate behaviour