How Does Play Therapy Work?
Play is a child’s natural and age-appropriate form of communication and a vital part of their development. Play therapy is different from ‘just playing’ and differs from the play your child might engage in at home, daycare, or school.
Non-Directive Play Therapy: This approach uses carefully selected toys and play materials and encourages the child to take the lead, giving them the freedom to choose how they engage with the materials provided. The special playtime allows children to express their struggles, worries, and feelings, helping them see things differently and make sense of their experiences. It focuses on the therapist-child relationship and allows the child to go through the therapeutic process at their own pace.
Directive Play Therapy: Approaches such as Theraplay® based therapy and Autplay® involve the therapist guiding activities to support specific skill development. These sessions often include active parent participation, which helps reinforce the skills learned during therapy.
The choice between non-directive, directive, or an integrated approach is based on the individual needs of the child and family.
How Can Play Therapy Help Your Child?
Benefits of Play Therapy
- Empowers children to problem solve and build new coping skills
- Allows children to express and process their emotions in healthy ways
- Promotes self-acceptance, self-confidence and empathy
- Enhances the ability to connect and relate to others in authentic and meaningful ways
- Builds capacity, resilience and skills to navigate the world around them
- Provides a safe environment to process trauma and difficult experiences
Play Therapy Process
Parent Intake Session
Before therapy begins, a 90-minute parent-only session will be scheduled to gather information about your child’s developmental history, strengths and needs and to learn about your family context. This session helps determine the goals for therapy and the likely approach.
Initial Sessions
The first 2-4 sessions are typically non-directive, allowing your child to explore the playroom freely. These sessions help build therapeutic rapport, provide insights into your child, and familiarise them with the therapy process.
Parent Review Meeting
After the initial sessions, a review is scheduled to discuss these sessions, finalise goals, and determine the recommended approach moving forward. Parent update meetings are subsequently scheduled after every 4-6 sessions to discuss your child's therapeutic progress with you.
Ongoing Sessions
Therapy is generally conducted weekly. Consistency with sessions is important for the effectiveness of the play therapy process. The frequency of sessions and a regular session day/time will be determined with you. Play therapy is considered a medium to long-term therapy approach, with the duration varying for each child. Some children experience positive shifts in around 12-14 sessions, while others benefit from longer-term therapy.
Parent Involvement
Therapy sessions are typically between the therapist and child, with the parent remaining close by in the waiting room. However, more directive approaches like Theraplay® based therapy and Autplay® include active parent participation in sessions. Regular parent update and consultation meetings are a key aspect of the therapeutic journey, psychoeducation, or collaborative sessions with teachers may also be included.
Next Steps
If you’re considering play therapy for your child, we invite you to reach out to Playful Minds via the Contact page or email (admin@playfulmindstherapy.com.au). We are here to answer your questions and guide you through the process. Get in touch with us today or click the button below to find out about our fees.