SHREY INSTITUTE OF NURSING

AND ALLIED SCIENCES

SUBJECT: MENTAL HEALTH NURSING

TOPIC : PLAY THERAPY

SUBMITTED TO,
Ms. Daksha Baria
Assistant Professor
SINAS Ahmedabad

SUBMITTED BY,
Ms. Madhuri Jani
F.Y. M.Sc. Nursing
Roll No: 06
SINAS Ahmedabad

SUBMISSION DATE: -
 Play Therapy

Play is a natural mode of growth and development in children. Through play a child learns to
express his emotions and it serves as a toll in the development of the child.
Play is a natural stimulation and common mode of growth and development among children.
Child learns mastery over the impulses and learns to adapt to the environment. Play is the
language of childhood and the communication medium for assessing developmental and
emotional status, which will aid in determining diagnosis and therapeutic interventions which
has to be implemented.

Types of play therapy:-

1. Individual vs. group play therapy:
In this individual therapy the child is allowed to play by himself and therapist attention is
focused on this one child alone.
In group therapy other children are involved
2. Free play vs, controlled play therapy
In free play, the child is given freedom in deciding with what toys he wants to play.
In controlled play therapy the child is introduced into a scene where the situation or setting is
already established.
3. Structured vs. unstructured play therapy:
Structured play therapy involves organizing the situation in such a way so as to obtain more
information.
In unstructured play therapy no situation is set and no plans are followed.
4. Directive vs. non directive play therapy:
In directive play therapy, the therapist totally sets the directions where as in non-directive
play therapy the child receives no directions.

Indication:-
Childhood emotional problems
Goals of play therapy
Helping the child better understand feelings and how feelings relate to behavior.
Helping the child find more appropriate ways of expressing feelings.
Helping the child find ways to solve personal problems.

Functions of Play Therapy :-

Curative functions
It releases tension and pent-up emotions
It allows compensation for loss and failures
It improves emotional growth through his relationship with other children
It provides an opportunity to the child to act out his fantasies and conflicts to get rid of
aggression and to learn positive qualities from other children.
Diagnostic functions
Play therapy gives the therapist a chance to explore family relationships of the child and
discover what difficulties are contributing to the child's problem.
Play therapy allows to study hidden aspects of the child's personality
It is possible to obtain a good idea of the intelligence level of the child
Through play inter-sibling relationships can be adequately studied

 Phases of Play Therapy:-

 INTRODUCTORY PHASE
The first task of the therapist is to gain the child's trust. This may happen in 5 minutes or 5
months depending on the personality and prior experiences of the child. Until trust has been
firmly established and the child is able to reveal inner thoughts and feelings it is difficult to
accomplish other goals.

 HONEYMOON PHASE
Children, like adults in therapy usually go through a honeymoon period when the relief from
finally being able to express some of their anxieties is so great that their demeanor at home
and school improves dramatically.
 REBELLIOUS PHASE
At his point the child often voices strong anger about having to attend therapy sessions. This
sudden rebellion, the constant venting of anger is actually a positive sign. It indicates that the
repressed feelings that have resulted in much anxiety and/or depression are beginning to
surface.

 THE WORKING-THROUGH PHASE

Becoming aware of what one is feeling, learning more productive methods of expressing
feelings, and developing healthier defenses are some of the tasks achieved in this phase.
Occasionally the behavior may actually deteriorate or the symptoms intensify. Such periods
are relatively short. Such regressive episodes may indicate that old defenses are weakening.
 TERMINATION PHASE
The longer and more intense the sessions have been, the more difficult termination will be for
the child. Many of the child's original symptoms do reappear. This is due to the stress ceased
by the termination. It may be the child's way of convincing every one that therapy is still
needed. If proper time is not allowed to work through the emotions generated by the
separation, therapeutic gains may not be maintained.

Advantages of play therapy :-

Offers the child an opportunity to experience growth under the most favorable conditions.
Child uses the therapy time to play out his accumulated feelings of fear, tension, confusion,
frustration and aggression.
Allows the child's feelings to surface and learns to control, accept or abandon them
Helps the child to realize that he is an individual in his own right and is capable of thinking
and making decisions for himself.