The Power of Play: Understanding Child-Centered Play Therapy
It is helpful to know more about different approaches to therapy when considering what type of therapy could benefit your child or family most. Knowing information about why that approach may help your child and what a session using that approach might look like allows you to make an educated choice about which therapy would make the best fit for them. Child-Centered Play Therapy is an approach that allows children to learn and grow in a safe environment in order to build their confidence and skill set.
An Introduction to Child-Centered Play Therapy
Play therapy is not a one-size fits all approach. It comes in all shapes and sizes, and one kind of play therapy might make a better fit than another if there are specific concerns or issues you’d like to address. Child-Centered Play Therapy is one approach to play therapy that is particularly well-suited for younger children or clients who love to play with toys. This form of play therapy is all about letting the child take the lead in the play time – in the play therapy room, the child has nearly free range to choose how they play and what they want to play with.
Because the play is entirely created and carried out by the child, the play therapist has opportunities to identify themes and offer reflections relating to the child’s life or struggles. In doing this, the play therapist uses what we call the Therapeutic Powers of Play to help a child make progress on goals. The Therapeutic Powers of Play can be broken down into four main categories: facilitating communication, fostering emotional wellness, enhancing social relationships, and increasing personal strength. If any of these categories sound similar to reasons you are seeking therapy for your child, Child-Centered Play Therapy may be a good fit!
What does Child-Centered Play Therapy look like?
Child-Centered Play Therapy gives the child a lot of control over how the session will go, meaning that the child gets to choose what activities they do and how those activities will look. As such, the most helpful element of change in this type of therapy is the relationship between the child and the therapist. No matter what type of play is occurring, the therapist is actively engaged with the child’s play and is entering into the child’s world with them. The therapist may actively participate in play if invited by the child, or watch and offer reflective statements to the child. Regardless of the role the therapist assumes, the child and therapist will have an ongoing conversation as the play unfolds, promoting positive changes in the child as they build independence, self-esteem, problem-solving techniques, and numerous other skills.
As a parent or guardian, you can also expect to have consultation time with the play therapist about your child’s therapy experience. This parent/guardian consultation is a key part of Child-Centered Play Therapy, and might look like a short check-in every session or a full parent/guardian session every several weeks throughout treatment depending on what makes most sense for you. Parent/guardian consultations often include a review of the child’s play therapy sessions, any notable statements or questions the therapist may have, and an introduction of new skills or helpful information that could benefit the child or the family unit as a whole.
How is this helpful? What does my child stand to gain from Child-Centered Play Therapy?
From the outside, it might seem like play therapy is all fun and games, but a great deal of progress and therapeutic work can be made over the course of these sessions. The primary way this work is done is through the play therapist identifying themes of play. These themes are like metaphors in the child’s play that often relate to something they are, something they need, or something they are experiencing. Picking up on and exploring these themes can be helpful to both therapists and guardian figures alike in aiding children to work through complex emotions and better understand the world around them.
The play therapist’s responses to the child’s play can also inspire positive changes in the child. As the play therapist monitors the child’s behaviors, emotions, and ways of making sense of the world around them, they make reflective statements about what they notice. Helping the child feel seen, accepted, and validated as different themes and emotions arise during the play time offers the child a safe environment to reflect on their own behavior and explore other ways of thinking or behaving that are more aligned with their therapeutic goals. The play therapist’s guidance throughout this process is what encourages this growth, and what differentiates play therapy from normal play time.
The effects of play therapy can be thought of like a chain reaction. One of the primary goals of play therapy is to help the child develop a more positive view of themself, which is called their self-concept. By increasing their positive self-concept, children are more likely to develop healthy autonomy, agency, and self-acceptance. As they develop these skills, they will naturally begin assuming more responsibilities and engaging in self-determined decision-making, developing an internal sense of evaluation and validation as they grow in healthy independence. Essentially, the better the child’s view of themself is, the more empowered they will be to grow and make positive changes in their behavior and thinking. Throughout this process, the child will also become more sensitive to their own ability to cope and handle big problems or emotions. The play therapy process gives children the opportunity to build this knowledge, confidence, and trust in themselves by allowing them to experience a sense of control in the play therapy room, all while supported and guided by their play therapist.
