What is play therapy?

Play therapy is a therapy technique for children tht has gained growing popularity over the last 40 years. The belief is that children cannot be expected to sit and talk the way children and adolescents do, and therefore need to have a safe and open space where they can play, explore. and express. A play therapist is trained to know when to engage with the child through play and art, and more importantly knows when to "get out of the way" and let the child experience their own self-healing through play. 

What will my child be doing?

Your child will get to choose from hundreds or toys, art materials, and sand tray figurines with which to use. He/she may create family scenes at the dollhouse, paint a picture, mold play dough, or evolve a world in the sand tray through which they will connect with their body and mind. Those connections will set the foundation for health and healing. 

Can my child really get better after a death, divorce, or abuse just from playing?

The reason children respond so much to play therapy is because they are in control. They will decide when they play, talk, or even rest and process. for many children, this sense of control and a space of total acceptance is primarily what a child needs to even begin fully connecting with their experiences.  It can be a great surprise to parents how much children release from the difficult events in their lives just from playing, drawing, and creating. While many parents expect their children to resist working with someone they don't know about difficult topics, it will be reasuring to see them enjoying their time and asking when they get to come back!