As adults, we are adept at identifying our issue areas and resolving them in a healthy manner, whether through problem-solving, healthy communication, or therapy. However, children frequently fail to manage their emotions in a healthy manner because they lack the ability to express themselves verbally or are bashful. If only communication and healing were as effortless as playing! That is precisely the purpose of play therapy. Lumiere Children’s Therapy is one of the notable names for play therapy.
Play therapy promotes more efficient use of play because it is a natural activity for children and allows them to explore their difficulties. By definition, play therapy is a sort of psychotherapy in which children are assisted in addressing problems about their emotional and mental well-being through play. By engaging play as a medium, children can explore and share their emotions with the counselor or their parents. Numerous benefits accrue from play therapy, since it can aid in the resolution of numerous in-depth issues that the child is facing. Several of the advantages are listed below.
- It Encourages Expression: When children seek to play therapy, they frequently lack the communication abilities to express their true feelings. On the other hand, play therapy allows the kid to express emotions via play. In this sense, play therapists are uniquely trained to recognize, interpret, and react to children’s play messages and help parents “speak” to their children through play outside of therapy sessions.
- Regulates Behavior: The child begins to develop abilities that allow them to govern and manage their behavior once communication takes place and is interpreted through play. The kid will be allowed to test limits in a safe atmosphere during play therapy sessions, helping them become more aware of the repercussions of their actions. For example, a youngster may choose to shatter a toy or a piece of craft, leading to a growing understanding that it cannot be replaced once broken or destroyed.
- Promotes Creative Independence: In the eyes of a child, they spend the majority of the day being directed by others regarding what to do. Of course, as they learn regarding limitations, safety, and moral values, this is necessary. On the other hand, play therapy promotes creative freedom in a safe atmosphere, allowing the kid to learn, think, and make decisions for themselves. The potential to make decisions and understand the positive and ominous implications of these decisions empowers the youngster to become a leader. This nonjudgmental setting allows the youngster to express their emotions creatively.
- Inculcates Social Skills: The kid and the therapist develop a connection; trustworthy relationships are a motif throughout therapy. The child can try out various social exchanges with the counselor without fear of irreparably destroying the relationship. Play therapy toys are also carefully chosen to help your child try different societal expectations. Play therapy will assist your child in comprehending the feelings and thoughts of others so that this skill development will transfer to family and friend connections.
- Hold Families Together: Of course, the counselor and the kid are supposed to be the only two crucial components in play therapy. Parents and other family members, on the other hand, play an important role in a child’s development and discovery. Although family members may not be present at every session, they play an important part throughout the therapeutic process. The core for playing happily, communicating, and developing is the connection you have with the counselor, the child, the surroundings, the commitment to attend, etc. Play therapy can help parents and the child’s family members cope with the normal distress they are experiencing, allowing them to devote more time to family development and meaningful time with their children.
Play therapy does help a child a lot. Whether they are having trouble expressing, showing compassion, or dealing with grief and resentment, play helps bring many of those issues to the surface. Through a non-directive approach, play assists the therapist in understanding the child’s needs. Play therapy can be used in conjunction with other types of psychological testing. The therapist may combine art and play to help the youngster express their emotions. Kids aged three and above can benefit from play therapy significantly. Lumiere Children’s Therapy is a notable presence in the play therapy scene and many other pediatric therapy services.
