Children’s Counseling Using Play Therapy
Play Therapy aims to give your child a therapeutically appropriate method of counseling for developing coping skills and managing mood. In play therapy children can use play, sensory toys, nature, and therapeutic toys to express difficult emotions in a healthy way.
Child-Centered Play Therapy
In child-centered play therapy, children can work on expressing their thoughts and feelings, managing their mood, and using coping skills that help them navigate day-to-day life. For instance, your child can work with a play therapist to process situations such as bullying, anxiety with tests, dealing with confrontation, and more.
The traditional “talk therapy” counseling method is clinically effective, yet it may not be what your child needs. Most kids learn so much through play. They learn how to take turns, share, process feelings, and deal with difficult feelings.
Contact our counseling office to get started with play therapy.
What Happens During Play Therapy
Our counseling office has a therapy room that was therapeutically developed to support your child. In the therapy room, you’ll find ample sensory therapeutic toys, sand therapy material, puppets to help your child with expressing and processing feelings, books, and boards to support your child with developing emotional intelligence and more.
Why Would A Child Need Play Therapy?
Children benefit from play therapy because play creates a smooth transition to exploring difficult feelings. Your child is able to participate in fun interactive play therapy games that help them process emotions, talk about hard things, and learn how to use coping skills.
- Play therapy can support your child in healing from trauma and loss.
- Your child can learn coping skills to reduce anxiety and depression.
- Play therapy can help your child with addressing behaviors.
What Disorders Benefit From Play Therapy?
Play therapy can help children that struggle with emotional and day-to-day difficulties. Common disorders that play therapy treats:
- Behavioral disorders.
- Anxiety.
- Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.
- Attention Deficit Disorder.
- Conduct Disorder.
- Depression.
- Autism.
- Academic difficulties.
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
People Also Ask
Is play therapy effective for ADHD?
A journal on play therapy and ADHD found in PubMed Central noted the impact of play therapy and storytelling on ADHD. The journal is cited because at Santos Counseling, our counselors engage in ongoing continuing education focused on play therapy. The goal is to ensure effective clinical practice.
What are things parents and teachers need to know about ADHD?
- It’s important for people with ADHD, teachers, and parents to know that there are different types of ADHD. Typically kids show ADHD with a combination of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. The exact combination can vary.
- ADHD impacts executive functioning. For instance, kids with ADHD may struggle with time management, staying focused on tasks, motivation, or organization.
- ADHD is a brain-based disorder. Ample studies highlight brain differences, with one common discussion area being the weaker prefrontal cortex (PFC) functioning. It’s important to know that the prefrontal cortex is what helps with attention, decision-making, emotion, and working memory.
How is ADHD treated?
The key is to know that treatment does not end. Instead, treatment is a lifestyle acceptance. I like to think of it as going to the gym. It’s not a set end date. It is a lifestyle.
- Evidence-based treatment. One common example is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Counselors at Santos Counselor hold ongoing training in CBT, DBT, and other evidence-based approaches.
- Medications like Ritalin or Adderall. These are only two. It’s important to speak with a trained medication provider that understands ADHD.
- Parents skills counseling. It’s extremely helpful to work with a counselor who understands ADHD in order to help you learn how to parent effectively. Contact our counseling office by clicking here.
