Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesTechniquesWhat Play Therapy Can Help WithBenefitsEffectivenessThings to ConsiderHow to Get Started
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Techniques
What Play Therapy Can Help With
Benefits
Effectiveness
Things to Consider
How to Get Started
Close
What is play therapy?Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy primarily for children (but sometimes, adults) working through emotional and mental issues.It helps children express themselves and learn about the world through their natural love of play. Therapists use it primarily for children, but adults can benefit, too.
What is play therapy?
Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy primarily for children (but sometimes, adults) working through emotional and mental issues.It helps children express themselves and learn about the world through their natural love of play. Therapists use it primarily for children, but adults can benefit, too.
A play therapist guides a person through play therapy in a comfortable, safe environment using play activities such aspainting, dancing, and playing board games. Play therapists sometimes ask other family members,, parents or guardians to get involved in the playtime activities.
Online Therapy Services for Kids and Families, Tried and Tested
Types of Play Therapy
Many different techniques can be applied during play therapy. The technique used during a therapy session largely depends on your child’s needs and what play mediums they feel most comfortable using.
A typical play therapy session usually lasts between 30 and 45 minutes. During a play therapy session, the therapist will create a comfortable and safe environment for the child to play. The therapist will then observe the child’s interactions with the toys that are provided.
What Is Art Therapy?
Play therapy is particularly beneficial for people who struggle with communicating and expressing themselves in a positive and healthy manner.
Children who have been abused or experienced extremely traumatic or stressful events might benefit from play therapy to regain a sense of normalcy in their lives. Children with certain disorders which hamper their emotional and social expressions typically benefit greatly from play therapy.
The Best Online Trauma Therapy, Tried and Tested
These could include children with behavioral disorders or learning disabilities. There has been some research into the effectiveness of play therapy on children with the following conditions:
What Conditions Does Online Therapy Treat?
Benefits of Play Therapy
People are often dismissive of play therapy and the benefits they hold. Concerned parents often find it hard to understand what benefits their children gain from “just playing.” However, the fact is that with or without the guidance of a therapist, children like to communicate through play, whether you might have noticed it or not.
A child playing violently with toys might be dismissed as aggressive when in reality, he might be mirroring a violent domestic situation he has been witnessing.
Here are some of the benefits of play therapy:
Can Children Use Online Therapy?
Further research into the effectiveness of play therapy still needs to be carried out. Most traditional forms of therapy might not connect with children who are as young as 3 to 12 years old.
In a 2009 study on the effectiveness of play therapy with aggressive children, researchers divided a group of students with a history of aggressive behavior into two groups. One group was exposed to play therapy and the other group was used as a control group.At the end of the study, the researchers found that the children who had been exposed to play therapy showed significant improvement in aggressive behaviors over the children in the control group.
A 2005 analysis of 93 studies conducted between 1953 to 2000 on the effectiveness of play therapy with children also supports the theory that it’s an effective method of therapy for children.The review found that this form of therapy produced positive effects, even more so when the parents of the child in therapy were involved. It also found that this form of therapy appeared to be effective across age and gender.
Good Peer Play at Age 3 Means Better Mental Health Down the Road
While a play therapist will take the lead during play therapy, the child’s parent or guardian also has an important role to play.
The play therapist will typically have a joint consultation with the parent and guardian and the child and also separate consultations with all parties involves. This is done to completely understand the child’s needs. When looking for a play therapist for your child, it’s important to ensure they have the relevant experience and expertise.
Get Help NowWe’ve tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of thebest online therapy programsincluding Talkspace, BetterHelp, and ReGain. Find out which option is the best for you.
Get Help Now
We’ve tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of thebest online therapy programsincluding Talkspace, BetterHelp, and ReGain. Find out which option is the best for you.
Should Your Child Be In Therapy?
4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Center for Play Therapy , University of North Texas.What is play therapy?2021College of Education & Human Development, Georgia State University.What is play therapy?2021Ray DC, Blanco PJ, Sullivan J M, Holliman R.An exploratory study of child-centered play therapy with aggressive children.International Journal of Play Therapy.2009;18(3), 162–175. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014742Bratton S, Dee R, Tammy R & Jones L.The Efficacy of Play Therapy With Children: A Meta-Analytic Review of Treatment Outcomes.Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 2005 http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.36.4.376
4 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Center for Play Therapy , University of North Texas.What is play therapy?2021College of Education & Human Development, Georgia State University.What is play therapy?2021Ray DC, Blanco PJ, Sullivan J M, Holliman R.An exploratory study of child-centered play therapy with aggressive children.International Journal of Play Therapy.2009;18(3), 162–175. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014742Bratton S, Dee R, Tammy R & Jones L.The Efficacy of Play Therapy With Children: A Meta-Analytic Review of Treatment Outcomes.Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 2005 http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.36.4.376
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Center for Play Therapy , University of North Texas.What is play therapy?2021College of Education & Human Development, Georgia State University.What is play therapy?2021Ray DC, Blanco PJ, Sullivan J M, Holliman R.An exploratory study of child-centered play therapy with aggressive children.International Journal of Play Therapy.2009;18(3), 162–175. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014742Bratton S, Dee R, Tammy R & Jones L.The Efficacy of Play Therapy With Children: A Meta-Analytic Review of Treatment Outcomes.Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 2005 http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.36.4.376
Center for Play Therapy , University of North Texas.What is play therapy?2021
College of Education & Human Development, Georgia State University.What is play therapy?2021
Ray DC, Blanco PJ, Sullivan J M, Holliman R.An exploratory study of child-centered play therapy with aggressive children.International Journal of Play Therapy.2009;18(3), 162–175. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014742
Bratton S, Dee R, Tammy R & Jones L.The Efficacy of Play Therapy With Children: A Meta-Analytic Review of Treatment Outcomes.Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 2005 http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.36.4.376
Meet Our Review Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
What is your feedback?
