PLAY THERAPY

Birds fly, fish swim,

children play
-Gary Landreth
Why play?
• Play is the natural world of
the child.
• Considered a child’s right by
UN (1989)
• Play helps overcome resistance for therapy.
• Means of communication
“Dynamic language indispensable for expression of subjective
feelings”- Piaget
“Toys are words and play is language”- Ginott
• Helps develop creative thinking.
• Sense of efficacy and competency in children.
• Cathartic release of tension and affect.
• Abreaction in trauma- reliving past stressful events.
• Ability to develop empathy by means of pretend play.
• Use of fantasy in play helps children learn more about themselves and
the world.
• Increased ability to refulate emorions, generate positive feelings.
• New attachment formations
• Primary means of socialization- waiting for turns, gracious victories
and losses, abiding rules
• Enjoying play promotes well being.
• Directive v/s
Non directive
play therapy
DIRECTIVE PLAY THERAPY NON-DIRECTIVE PLAY THERAPY

Cognitive behavioural Child Centred

Gestalt Jungian

Developmental Humanistic

Solution focused Psychoanalytical

Child Centred Play Therapy
• Recognizes the relationship between therapist and child as the primary healing factor for
children who are experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges

(1) Must develop a warm and friendly relationship with the child.

(2) Accepts the child as she or he is.

(3) Establishes a feeling of permission in the relationship so that the child feels free to
express his or her feelings completely.

(4) Is alert to recognise the feelings the child is expressing and reflects these feelings back
in such a manner that the child gains insight into his/her behaviour.
• (5) Maintains a deep respect for the child’s ability to solve his/her
problems and gives the child the opportunity to do so. The
responsibility to make choices and to institute change is the child’s.
(6) Does not attempt to direct the child’s actions or conversations in
any manner. The child leads the way, the therapist follows.
(7) Does not hurry the therapy along. It is a gradual process and
must be recognised as such by the therapist.
(8) Only establishes those limitations necessary to anchor the
therapy to the world of reality and to make the child aware of his/her
responsibility in the relationship.
Cognitive behavioural play therapy
• Based on Cognitive and Behavioural theories of
psychopathology
• Mostly for young children
• Child takes an active role.
• Children don’t have cognitive skills developed
enough to facilitate CT.
• Models, role playing, de sensitisation etc
incorporated through play
Theraplay
• Unique form of play therapy that focuses on
dyadic relation between child and caregiver.
• Based on attachment theory
• Practitioner guides the parent and child
through playful, fun games, developmentally
challenging activities, and tender, nurturing
activities
• It helps the child feel secure, cared for,
connected and worthy.
• Structure: The adult, the leader in the relationship, creates
organization and predictability for the child which communicates
safety
• Nurture: The adult provides caring that can calm and soothe the child
in a manner that makes them feel good physically and emotionally
• Engagement: The adult is present in a manner that the child
experiences being seen, heard, felt, and accepted
• Challenge: The adult supports the child in the acquisition and mastery
of new skills, enhancing the child’s sense of competence and
confidence
The practice of play therapy
• 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 of play therapy 2008
On the toy shelf!!
• Dolls,
• Dollhouses
• Play kitchens
• Building blocks
• Dress up costumes
• Games
• Musical instruments
• Puppets
• Neutral
• Developmentally appropriate- arrange early to later on lower to
higher shelves
• Games can be given for older kids
• Have a variety of media- each kid uses it differently
• Broken toys are still usable
• Scary toys
• To explore fears.
• Plastic monsters, snakes, bugs, bears,
lions

• Nurturing toys
• To act out family relationships
• Dolls, kitchen set
• Pretend toys
• To explore different roles, feelings, behaviours..
• Doctor's kit, zoo animals, building materials,
costumes

• Mastery toys
• To explore sense of confidence, competency,
self-esteem
• Blocks, chalk board, school supplies, puzzles,
books…
• Aggressive toys
• To express anger
• To explore power and control
• Guns, knives, hammer, punching bag

• Expressive toys
• To explore relationships, feelings,
problems, solutions
• Crayons, craft items, paint, mirror…
Core techniques of Play therapy
• SAND TRAY
• A tray with sand, small toys, water, some miniature objects
• For CBT- may be used to help child deal with difficult situations
• For family therapy- to understand caregiver subsystems
• Genograms, Focus time
• METAPHORS AND STORIES
• To access the inner world of the
child.
• May be used in family play
therapy as well
• May be enacted with puppets,
action figures
• ARTS
• Music, drama, poetry,
storytelling
• Helps child express
oneself
• Enhances the play
therapy encounter
• BOARD GAMES
• Checkers, UNO etc
• Use depends on the child’s problem
• Communicating, reciprocal respect, learning to share, patience, taking
turns, having fun connecting with others
• Can be used to assess the child’s coping skills, frustration tolerance,
IQ, social interactions, development level etc.
Family play therapy
• Helps children and
families to express
their emotions,
improve their
communication,
and solve problems
Future prospects
• Increasingly being used by counsellors, thereapists
• International Association for Play Therapy
• Family play therapy
• A life span approach
• Why play therapy?
• Types of Play therapy
• Materials for Play therapy
• Core techniques