What is Therapeutic Play?
There is a big difference between therapeutic play and regular developmental play. A good trained play therapist will help determine what type of play is being exhibited during sessions. Therapeutic play has a goal in mind. It wants to problem solve and help the child move through an event or distressed feelings. Sometimes children will play healthy play, as if the session is a playdate. When this happens. the therapist tries different methods to get the child to exhibit therapeutic play. When regular, normal developmental play is being exhibited during an entire session for consecutive weeks, it usually means the child is ready for less therapy or even to graduate. These opportunities are always discussed with parents so that parents feel a part of the process and the team. Parents are our eyes and ears at home. We rely on them to help us determine when the child is ready to graduate from therapy.
Example from Gabrielle Anderson, Director: I saw a cute little five year old boy who was placed into foster care with his grandmother after experiencing sexual abuse and significant neglect while in the custody of his parents. This child utilized play therapy in an amazing way. Together we confronted his fears of abuse and not feeling safe by battling monsters. I can remember crouching down under a blanket waiting for the monsters to come and then at his command, we would come tearing out of the blanket and charge after them until they were conquered...one by one. This little boy had me help him create safe homes for puppies, turtles, himself, etc...allowing me to provide nurturance and warmth when he needed it most. As therapy progressed, the monsters seemed to dissapear and we began to play fun things like hide and seek, darts and guess who. Although these activites can be wonderful and fun, I could tell they were losing their therapeutic power. He was getting better! It became apparent to me that our play had shifted and that the therapeutic play was seen less and less and the regular, developmental play was being seen more and more. At this point, it becomes important to involve his grandparents into the dialogue, inquiring how healthy and well adjusted they see him at home. Sometimes therapy at this level is a balancing act between healthy developmental play and disruptive, issue driven play. Sometimes sessions can go every other week at this point, and other times it is important to wait. Parents/guardians and the therapist decide this together.
Example from Gabrielle Anderson, Director: I saw a cute little five year old boy who was placed into foster care with his grandmother after experiencing sexual abuse and significant neglect while in the custody of his parents. This child utilized play therapy in an amazing way. Together we confronted his fears of abuse and not feeling safe by battling monsters. I can remember crouching down under a blanket waiting for the monsters to come and then at his command, we would come tearing out of the blanket and charge after them until they were conquered...one by one. This little boy had me help him create safe homes for puppies, turtles, himself, etc...allowing me to provide nurturance and warmth when he needed it most. As therapy progressed, the monsters seemed to dissapear and we began to play fun things like hide and seek, darts and guess who. Although these activites can be wonderful and fun, I could tell they were losing their therapeutic power. He was getting better! It became apparent to me that our play had shifted and that the therapeutic play was seen less and less and the regular, developmental play was being seen more and more. At this point, it becomes important to involve his grandparents into the dialogue, inquiring how healthy and well adjusted they see him at home. Sometimes therapy at this level is a balancing act between healthy developmental play and disruptive, issue driven play. Sometimes sessions can go every other week at this point, and other times it is important to wait. Parents/guardians and the therapist decide this together.
Sensory Needs in the Play Room
Children often get referred to the center because life at home is just not working any more. At times the needs are emotional, but other times the child's response to outside stimulus, light, sounds, clothing, etc become a source of irritation and stress. Many parents report meltdowns when their children experience outside stimulus as being bombardment instead of experiencing it as normal stimuli. Therapy can help this to a degree. Our therapists are trained to help calm the body down with various deep tissue techniques as well as mind body techniques for older children. Parents are invited into this process so that they may help decide what works best for their child. When sensory needs seem to be the main focus of the child's needs, children are then referred out to an Occupational Therapist for a more specialized approach. Read this article by Gabrielle Anderson about living with sensory needs.
Example from Gabrielle Anderson, Director: It is not uncommon for parents to come in to therapy because their child is experiencing significant behavior or emotional struggles. I recently had a child come to me with such issues. After 3 sessions, it became apparent to me that she was NOT exhibiting emotional distress. Instead, mom and dad needed help with behavior strategies at home and the child needed to be referred to an Occupational Therapist, OT, to help with her sensory needs. In no time at all, the family was empowered to help their child and were able to understand why she was struggling so much.
Example from Gabrielle Anderson, Director: It is not uncommon for parents to come in to therapy because their child is experiencing significant behavior or emotional struggles. I recently had a child come to me with such issues. After 3 sessions, it became apparent to me that she was NOT exhibiting emotional distress. Instead, mom and dad needed help with behavior strategies at home and the child needed to be referred to an Occupational Therapist, OT, to help with her sensory needs. In no time at all, the family was empowered to help their child and were able to understand why she was struggling so much.
Arrested Play: When a Child Stops Playing
Sometimes instead of seeing aggression, overstimulation or anxiety a drastic decrease in play is noted. The reduction may be a slow numbing process that parents do not notice themselves and other times it is instantaneous. Children use play to learn, communicate and process the world around them. When a child stops playing, it is important to understand why. Arrested play often points to internalized distress. Playing helps children organize their emotions and make sense of experiences. If a child has too much negative experience or emotion to purge, it may show up as aggressive violent play or it may go to the opposite extreme and look more avoidant. The distress may or may not be trauma focused, but for play avoidant children, it is often too emotionally stimulating for them to play through on their own. Because children process their worlds differently with their own level of tolerance for change, stress and trauma not everyone experiences arrested play. If your child has experienced a reduction in confident, self initiated imaginary play a trained play therapist can help sort out the cause and help your child feel the joy of playing again.
Behavior vs Emotional Symptoms
At the Center, we find it incredibly important to help distinguish between what symptoms are emotionally based and what are just plain behavioral. During our play therapy assessments, we help identify the difference. If a child is acting out because of behavioral issues, than a behavior management plan and strategy is appropriate. However, if a child is acting out and it is because of something emotionally based, a behavioral plan of discipline and punishment will exacerbate the problem. This is why it is extremely important to know what you are seeing from your child and where it is coming from in order to help him/her reach his best. We offer sessions just for parents to help teach you the skills that we have learned so that you too can de-code what is happening with your child. Add sensory related issues to the mix and it can become quite confusing!
Let us help take out some of the mystery and the overwhelming feelings. We are excited to help you understand yourself and your child from a new more well informed perspective. Whether it be to help you, the parent develop a behavioral management system at home, or to help your child emotionally heal via play therapy sessions, we are here to help! Please utilize us and our services.
Examples from Gabrielle Anderson, Director: I have years of experience working with children in the special needs school system. I have worked and observed wonderful behavioral modification systems as well as systems that seemed less effective. When appropriate, we at the Center help parents devise a system at home that works with their own parenting philosophy. However, if we are talking about the child feeling inadequate or bullied or scared, etc., then a sticker chart or other method won't speak to this specific pain. This is where an emotional strategy such as sand tray, art or play therapy would help bring about more healing.
Let us help take out some of the mystery and the overwhelming feelings. We are excited to help you understand yourself and your child from a new more well informed perspective. Whether it be to help you, the parent develop a behavioral management system at home, or to help your child emotionally heal via play therapy sessions, we are here to help! Please utilize us and our services.
Examples from Gabrielle Anderson, Director: I have years of experience working with children in the special needs school system. I have worked and observed wonderful behavioral modification systems as well as systems that seemed less effective. When appropriate, we at the Center help parents devise a system at home that works with their own parenting philosophy. However, if we are talking about the child feeling inadequate or bullied or scared, etc., then a sticker chart or other method won't speak to this specific pain. This is where an emotional strategy such as sand tray, art or play therapy would help bring about more healing.