By Doris L. Omdahl, LMHC, RPT-S
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Registered Play Therapist Supervisor
The Association for Play Therapy, Inc. states: “ Play Therapy is becoming an increasingly popular modality with which mental health professionals apply the therapeutic power of play to help clients of all ages resolve their psychological problems or achieve optimum mental health.”
Dr. Garry Landreth, an expert in this field, defines Play Therapy as a dynamic interpersonal relationship between a child and a therapist who has been trained in the techniques of Play Therapy, who provides selected toys and who encourages the development of a safe relationship in order for the child to express and explore his/her feelings, thoughts, experiences and behaviors through play, which is the natural way of communication for children.
In order to conduct counseling with children, we need to access the child’s world, through play. Children cannot survive without play; play is their language and is vital for their development. The toys are the words that they use, and the play is the means to express themselves. Play is for children what verbalization is for adults. During play, the toys or concrete objects represent symbols of an experience the child might have had. Through play the child is able to organize his/her experiences, to make sense of them, and to be in control of the situation. The child’s play allows his/her inside world to become more concrete.
During Play Therapy, the relationship between the child and the therapist becomes extremely important. The objectives of this relationship, --as described by Dr. Landreth in his book Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (1991))- are to establish an atmosphere of safety for the child, to understand and accept the child’s world, to encourage the expression of the child’s emotions, to facilitate decision making by the child, and to provide the child with an opportunity to assume responsibility and to develop a feeling of control. As this therapeutic relationship develops, children in counseling learn how to respect themselves, how to identify and accept their feelings, how to assume responsibility for themselves, how to make choices. They also learn self-control, self-direction and self-acceptance.
Play Therapy can be used with people of any age. However, it is the treatment of choice for children ages 2 to 12. Play Therapy is especially beneficial to treat children who have been traumatized (death of a parent, loss of a loved one, physical/sexual abuse, accidents, operations, divorce, etc.), children suffering from depression and/or anxiety, children with low self-esteem, those who have fears or phobias, children with Attention Deficit Disorder and children with behavior problems. Some indicators that a child might need counseling include but are not limited to regressive behavior, nightmares, difficulties falling asleep, temper tantrums, compulsive behavior, withdrawal, and acting out behavior .
In addition to playing with specific toys, Play Therapy can also incorporate other modalities such as story telling, drawings followed by stories, co-operative play (use of therapeutic games), art, music, crafts and sand play.