Patty Scanlon
(1960 – 2011)

"I tried to teach my child with books,
he gave me only puzzled looks.
"I tried to teach my child with words,
they passed him by unheard.
"In despair I turned aside,
'How will I teach my child?',
I cried.
"Into my hand he put the key,
'Come' he said, 'and play with me!' "
-Author unknown

About Play Therapy

About Play

In 1989, the United Nations proclaimed play to be a universal right of every child. Play is essential to a child’s healthy development: mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Play stimulates brain growth. In fact, research has shown that children who do not play may be depressed, lack social skills, be more aggressive, and may have as much as 30% smaller brains than children who do play. Indeed, play is vital to healthy human development! The American Academy of Pediatrics published a report on play in October 2006. Entitled The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds, the Academy noted that play has lost its importance in a society that emphasizes education and achievement. In this document, the Academy set forth guidelines for pediatricians to emphasize and promote the benefits of play for children. Play in our contemporary society typically involves organized sports and video games, rather than play which is creative, spontaneous and requires imagination.

Play is not only the inalienable right of every child; it is the right of every adult and every family! Play builds strong family bonds and encourages open expression of feelings amongst family members. Click here for ideas to put play back into your own life!

So, what are the specific benefits of play? Through play, children learn:

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Why Play Therapy Video

This 3-minute video provides an overview of the benefits of Play Therapy. Click here to view the video You must have Adobe Flash Player installed to view the movie. Click here for a free player.

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What is Play Therapy?

Play Therapy is defined as "The systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development." – Association for Play Therapy, Fresno, CA.

Play has three purposes: cognitive, motor, and emotional development. Play therapy focuses on the emotional component. A benefit of play therapy is that it allows the child to play at his or her developmental level. The play therapist makes a wide variety of toys available and encourages the child to play as he or she wishes. Play therapy isn't simply playing with the child. A concerted effort is made by the therapist to create an atmosphere of safety, trust and respect for the child. Within this nurturing and supportive environment, children express their feelings, conflicts and concerns, recreate stressful experiences and master them, and feel more secure.

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How does Play Therapy work?

Adults use words as symbols for meaning in their lives. Children use play as their symbol for meaning. Play is children's way of making sense of their world. It is their language.

Play therapy creates an atmosphere of safety, protection, and trust by using the child's language, play.The role the therapist takes is an important part of the play therapy process. The therapist communicates with the child on the child's level and lets the child lead the way. The therapist does not "do" anything to the child, but rather enables the child to discover feelings and conflicts the child has. In a trusting relationship with the play therapist, the child plays out these feelings and conflicts, bringing them to the surface. The child faces them, and chooses to manage or to let go of them. Because play therapy moves at the child's pace, it allows the child to fully understand and integrate what the child has experienced within the safe and protected space of the play therapy room. Play therapy is powerfully healing.

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Playroom at PlayJourneys, Inc.

What do children learn in Play Therapy?

to respect themselves to identify and accept their feelings self-control to assume responsibility for self to be creative and resourceful in confronting problems to accept themselves to make better choices and to be responsible for their choices

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How long will play therapy take?

The two most important factors affecting the length of therapy are the developmental stage of the child and the age of the child at the onset of the issue. Usually the more recent the event(s), the shorter the length of therapy. However, each child is unique and responds differently. Two children experiencing the same event may have two entirely different responses. Play therapy moves at each child's pace. The play therapist does not "do" anything to the child, nor can the play therapist "make" the child change his or her attitudes or behaviors. A child must have enough ego strength to deal with troubling issues. In a trusting relationship with the play therapist, the child will gradually change when he or she is able and ready to do so, just as adults do. The important and powerful changes that take place in play therapy can be compared to the changes that occur when a broken bone is healing, or when crooked teeth are being realigned with braces.

Attempts to bring about psychological healing too quickly can be dangerous and interferes with the natural play therapy process.

Some issues dictate the need for play therapy more than once during childhood. A child may participate in play therapy now, at his or her next developmental phase, and more as needed in order to integrate certain issues into his or her developing identity.

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