What is Play Therapy?

Play Therapy enables children to consider and acknowledge their feelings. It helps children to learn it is OK to have emotions and teaches them how to cope with their big emotions and feelings in a safe, constructive way. 

Play Therapy should always be undertaken with a trained play therapist who is on an accredited register: This gives the parent or caregiver the assurance that the sessions will meet ethical standards. There are two accredited registers one managed by PTUK and one by BAPT.

Play Therapy follows a non-directive approach. It allows children freedom of choice, within carefully managed boundaries. This allows the child to feel safe while the therapist holds the boundaries in a confidential space. The child has the freedom to express themselves verbally, physically or with playthings as they learn more about themselves. This allows their change to come from within. A play therapist does not praise, blame or judge a child or their actions. 

There are two types of play therapy sessions: individual and group. The most suitable session for a child is decided based on their needs. 

What happens in an individual play therapy session?

The only people in the play room during an individual session are the child and the therapist. Each session is confidential and cannot be interrupted. Sessions last 45 minutes and are part of a block of sessions. Children have the freedom to use equipment from ‘The Tool Kit’ in whatever way they choose while staying within set boundaries. There is no expectation that children will use particular resources during a session. 

During a session, the therapist reflects the child’s feelings and actions back to them to give them a better understanding of themselves. The only boundaries within the room are that the child, the therapist and the resources stay safe. Everything the child says or does during a session stays in the room. 

Things created by the child are stored in the therapy room until the final session. On their final session, the child can take their work home if they want to. 

What happens in a group play therapy session?

Group play therapy sessions have a similar format to individual sessions. They are slightly more directive, with activities being offered to the children to support them meeting their therapeutic aims. The only people in the play room during a group session are the children in the group and the therapist. The children in a group session would all be working towards similar therapeutic aims.

What is in the play therapy tool kit? 

The play therapy tool kit includes but is not limited to the items below. 

• Storytelling

• Sand-play

• Music

• Painting and drawing

• Creative visualisation

• Dance and movement

• Small world toys

• Clay

• Puppets

• Sensory items