Play Therapy
Why Play Therapy?
So what is Play Therapy and why might it be a good intervention for your child/family?
Broadly speaking, Play Therapy refers to a range of interventions aimed at helping children and their families learn to regulate their emotions and increase overall wellbeing. Children do not have the development in frontal regions of the brain (responsible for problem solving, impulse control, emotion regulation, and more) to engage in the same forms of “talk therapy” as adults. They do not yet have the words or ability to understand their emotions or behaviour and so tend to express this symbolically through their primary language, play. Therefore, play therapists use children’s natural language to help little people communicate and work through their emotions.
Anna has a Master of Child Play Therapy and has undertaken advanced training in understanding how to apply the therapeutic powers of play in their work.
Play therapy has efficacy in support children with a broad range of challenges including:
General emotion and behavioural regulation difficulties
General anxiety/worries
Separation anxiety
Sleeping difficulties
Low self-esteem
Impact of traumatic events
Anna is also a strong advocate in the Neurodiversity Affirming Movement and is confident in adapting play therapy to meet the needs of Neurodivergent clients (particularly those with Autism and/or ADHD).
The therapeutic powers of play can be used to support children in many areas including:
Expressing themselves and their feelings in healthy ways
Learning to manage difficult feelings and regulate through periods of distress
Making sense of troubling feelings and experiences, including healing from traumatic events
Understanding social relationships, empathy, and ways to communicate with others
Developing problem solving skills and personal resilience
Building healthier and stronger relationships
