The Importance of Play: Play is a fun, enjoyable activity that elevates our spirits and brightens our outlook on life. It expands self-expression, self-knowledge, self-actualization and self-efficacy. Play relieves feelings of stress and boredom, connects us to people in a positive way, stimulates creative thinking and exploration, regulates our emotions, and boosts our ego.  In addition, play allows us to practice skills and roles needed for survival.  Learning and development are best fostered through play.

Why Play in Therapy?   When adults go to therapy, the medium most often used is verbalization.  Adults talk about their problems with a therapist in order to gain a clearer understanding of themselves and the problems they are trying to resolve.  The relationship with the therapist, in working through the problem by talking about it, are key ingredients in the healing process.

When working with children, we find that talking is actually one of the least effective and most difficult ways of conducting therapy.  Children are developmentally less able than adults to express themselves verbally, especially their experiences and emotions.  As with adults, the therapist's role with children is to offer unconditional support and a safe environment.  However, in play therapy, the therapist is also responsible for providing carefully selected appropriate toys and play materials.  Play therapy allows toys to be the child's words and play the child's language.

What are the Benefits of Play Therapy? Through play, therapists may help children learn more adaptive behaviors in which to experience emotional or social difficulties.  The positive relationship that develops, between therapist and child during play therapy sessions, provides a corrective emotional experience necessary for healing. Play therapy may also promote cognitive development, providing insight about and resolution of inner conflicts or dysfunctional thinking in the child.

Play therapy builds on the natural way that children learn about themselves and their relationships in the world around them.  Through play therapy, children learn to:

•  communicate with others
• express feelings
• modify behavior
• develop problem-solving skills, and
• learn a variety of ways to relate to others

Play provides youth a safe psychological distance from their problems and allows expression of thoughts and feelings appropriate to their development.