Here at Child Therapy Chicago, we are dedicated to helping kids with BIG feelings get to the root of their issues through play therapy. How familiar are you with play therapy? Maybe this is the first time you’re hearing the term. We know how important it is for families to feel informed and comfortable about their decision to start sessions. So, if you’re curious about play therapy, read on to learn more.
WHAT IS PLAY THERAPY?
Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy rooted in using activity to help children identify, recognize, and work through a variety of social, emotional, behavioral and relational issues. We know that the most natural way for kids to learn is through play - children learn by “doing”. Oftentimes, play is the language that children use to share with adults about what is going on inside for them.
During play therapy sessions, children are in charge. They make the rules and decide how things should go. Alongside the therapist, they can take on different roles, experiment with alternative perspectives of an issue, and re-enact situations in order to better understand themselves and those around them. Engaging in play with the support and guidance of the therapist allows children the opportunity to work through tough situations or challenging feelings in a more indirect, but emotionally safe way. They’re also encouraged and supported to express a range of emotions. In play therapy, pretend characters can express anger, sadness, jealousy, joy, nurturing - the whole range of the human experience. This is fundamental because kids get the chance to work through a wide range of emotions, many of which are difficult to work on in “real life”. They then are able to process different sensations, feelings, and ideas in a safe space.
Play also helps to instill a sense of power and control, efficacy, independence and perseverance. While working on these important skills, play also helps kiddos to develop their imagination and creativity, along with physical and social skills.
WHO IS IT FOR?
While play therapy can be beneficial for any child - even teens - it is especially useful for children struggling with emotional and behavioral difficulties. Play therapy can help kiddos work through things like intense or overwhelming feelings, disruptive behaviors, parent-child and peer relationship challenges. It is also extremely helpful for Highly Sensitive Children (or any kid with BIG feelings') as well as children struggling with issues like anxiety, fears/worries, anger/aggression, divorce, grief, low self worth, school problems, etc.
HOW DO WE DO IT?
Child Therapy Chicago provides a wide range of toys, games, building blocks, Legos, sand, books, dolls and doll houses, stuffed animals, cars, household and self care items (think plates, cups, utensils, pots/pans, pretend food, doctor’s kits, etc.), puzzles, dress up clothes, arts & crafts and other materials so that the child can play and explore, using their imagination to the fullest. Our therapists use techniques like storytelling, drawing, role-playing, writing, question/answers, free association, and interpretation to help children express themselves when they're unable to put their feelings into words.
WHY DOES IT WORK?
Play therapy is created and executed with children and the way their brains work in mind. It’s so successful because the child is the protagonist, every step of the way. Think about it, for many adults, talking about feelings can be difficult, so just imagine how challenging it is for children. In many cases, children are unable to articulate what they are feeling because their cognitive capacity is still developing. Play is how they communicate and let adults into their inner worlds.
Even when children are able to express themselves verbally, feelings can be very confusing. Through play and other creative activities, children’s feelings emerge organically in a non-threatening environment.
The work we do is geared towards getting to the underlying causes of each child’s issues. Our therapists’ psychodynamic approach to play prioritizes getting to the root of children’s issues by working to understand and explore their unconscious thoughts and bringing them to the surface in the play. How many times when asking a child "What's wrong?" do they respond that they don't know? They truly don’t. We begin to understand their internal world through their play choices - what they choose - and how they use it.
Play therapy also includes the power of reflection. The child is always encouraged to express themselves freely without judgment. The therapist helps the child think and reflect more deeply about the concerns, worries, problems, etc. that the child brings to the room and, together, they work on linking the child’s feelings to their behaviors. When children develop an awareness of their internal world, they then have the capacity to see how the feelings they have inside can lead to behaviors they express on the outside and can learn skills to deal with these feelings before the big behaviors that usually get them in trouble can take over – they develop coping and self-regulation skills.
Finally, one of the most important parts of the play therapy process is the relationship between the child and the therapist. The therapist - using empathy, emotional containment, modeling and through their joint play interactions with the child, encouragement and support of, as well as expressed interest in the child’s play, guidance, boundaries, reflections on feelings and the play itself, etc. - serves as a container and metabolizer for the child’s feelings. These feelings can then be worked on together though the play and in the warmth and safety of the play space and healthy coping skills get internalized. These skills last a lifetime!
If you’ve been wondering if play therapy makes sense for your child, we hope this helps. We are always happy to talk with you more about your child’s unique issues if you want more help deciding. Please be in touch! Call or email us anytime at Counseling@ChildTherapyChicago.com // 312-768-8746.
