As a Play Therapist, Sarah works therapeutically with children aged 3-10.
Play in therapy is the child's primary language of communication, for sharing their inner world, thoughts and feelings, and is a way for them to make sense of their life experiences.
Play allows children to gather new understandings of their experiences, and reach new decisions about who they want to be and how they want to behave within a developmentally sensitive approach.
In truth, everyone can benefit in some capacity from the power of play!
Play therapists work with children and young people that may experience one or more of the below:
Initial Consultation - the therapist will receive your referral and arrange a time to meet with the parent/primary carer to discuss the presenting concerns and ensure Play Therapy is the right fit, they may also seek to obtain any relevant information from other providers or professionals for a holistic view.
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The therapist will then meet with the child weekly for 30-50 minute sessions at a consistent time and day.
The therapist will strive to come to the relationship with absolute warmth and a simple desire to know your child.
The child will arrive with a simple desire to be known, no matter how defended with mistaken behaviour they may be (Cochran, Nordling and Cochran, 2010).
The playroom is an inviting, child friendly space carefully curated with a range of selected toys and art materials. These toys and materials will become the child's tools for self expression, allow for exploration of emotions and help them to 'play out' their life experiences in a way that seeks mastery.
The therapist is specifically trained in creating environments that allow for acceptance, empathy and understanding, and will apply their skills in a consistent and predictable manner to build their therapeutic relationship.
Sometimes, whilst still accepting the child and their emotions, it's important to set limits to behaviour. In play therapy, limits are only set when needed and they are communicated in a way that allows the child to choose a different outcome. This helps them to develop self control and learn to make responsible choices.
Throughout the intervention the child will learn to cope with and to work through their difficulties, they can then generalise these skills to everyday life and changes are observed outside of the playroom.
The therapist will work with the family and the child to prepare for the therapeutic relationship to end.
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