Play Therapy

Many parents or caregivers can intuitively sense when their child is not quite themselves. You may notice difficulty sleeping, increased withdrawal, challenges with friendships or school, or emotional changes following a distressing or traumatic event.

While these concerns are sometimes dismissed as “just a phase,” we regularly find that parental instincts are often a strong indicator that the root cause of a child’s emotional or behavioural difficulties has not yet been identified.

Parents naturally want to help, but may feel unsure where to begin, especially if their child is unwilling to talk about the problem or lacks the developmental skills to express what they are feeling.

In situations like these, Play Therapy for children can be an invaluable and evidence-based approach. Children may not yet have the ability to fully process or verbalise their emotions, but they naturally communicate through the language of play.

Play Therapy is grounded in the understanding that children use play to express themselves, process experiences, and make sense of their world.

During child-centred play therapy, a psychologist creates a safe and supportive environment where the child can play freely using a range of carefully selected materials. These may include:

• Dolls and figurines
• Painting and art materials
• Dancing and movement
• Board games
• Puppets
• LEGO
• Toy cars
• Sand trays
• Play money
• Dress-ups
• Play-doh

Through play, children are often less guarded and more able to express their inner thoughts and deeper emotions. Toys may take on symbolic meaning. For example, a child might use dolls or figurines to reenact an upsetting memory or stressful situation.

This creates a unique opportunity for psychologists to observe recurring themes and patterns in the child’s play, offering insight into what may be happening in their emotional world.

Using a combination of play and gentle therapeutic conversation, psychologists work alongside the child to:

• Help them understand and verbalise their feelings
• Process trauma or distressing experiences
• Develop healthy coping skills
• Improve emotional regulation
• Reduce inappropriate or disruptive behaviours
• Strengthen problem-solving and social skills

Play Therapy also nurtures creativity, resilience, confidence, and emotional wellbeing.

Play Therapy is particularly beneficial for children experiencing emotional, behavioural, or developmental challenges. It can support concerns such as:

• Autism
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Depression and anxiety
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
• Pre-operative anxiety
• Classroom behaviour difficulties or aggression
• Palliative care and chronic illness
• Cultural adjustment issues
• Behavioural disorders
• Learning disabilities
  
  

If you are wondering whether play therapy is right for your child, it can be especially helpful when a child struggles to talk about their feelings directly.

Although commonly associated with children, play therapy is not limited to early childhood. Teenagers and adults may also find creative or expressive therapeutic approaches helpful when words alone feel insufficient.

Adults who may benefit from play-based or expressive therapy approaches include those affected by:

• Intellectual disabilities
• Dementia
• Chronic illness or palliative care
• Substance use concerns
• Physical abuse
• PTSD
• Unresolved childhood trauma
   

Research supports the effectiveness of play therapy in addressing a range of emotional and behavioural concerns.

Evidence shows that play therapy can:

• Reduce pre-operative anxiety in children
• Improve symptoms of ADHD, including anxiety, withdrawal, mood changes, and learning difficulties
• Support children with learning disabilities and low self-esteem
• Improve expressive and perceptual speech skills in children with communication difficulties
• Enhance socio-emotional development, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Reduce disruptive, off-task, and disobedient behaviours
• Decrease stress before and after surgery

Play therapy is considered an evidence-based psychological intervention that supports children’s emotional regulation, behavioural development, and overall mental health.