Childhood Issues

Our program relies on many of the tenets of traditional play therapy. Play Therapy responds to the unique developmental needs of young children, who often express themselves better through play activities than through verbal communication. The therapist uses play and other creative activities to communicate with the child and observes how the child uses these activities to express thoughts and feelings that are not expressed in words. There are two approaches to play therapy, nondirective and directive:

• Nondirective Play Therapy is based on the principle that children can resolve their own issues given the right conditions and the freedom to play with limited instruction and supervision.

• Directive Play Therapy has specific goals in mind each session. Using a carefully developed Treatment Plan that focuses on target behaviors and issues. The therapist can introduce new skills and adaptive behaviors to rehearse during sessions. Play therapists use both approaches, depending on the circumstances.

Nondirective play therapists are trained to trust that children are capable of directing their own process rather than the therapist imposing their own ideas of what the child needs to do in therapy to work through any challenges they may be facing. This requires the therapist to enter the emotional world of the child rather than expecting the child to understand the therapist’s world, which is beyond their capabilities.

Play Therapy is based on the theory that play is a child’s language, and that a child uses puppets or toys to express their inner experiences and how they perceive and experience the world. We use a version of virtual puppets with our illustrated characters to achieve this kind of 3rd person narrative, helping a younger child to speak to the therapist and communicate their inner thoughts and feelings. Within a therapy session, and over the course of sessions, themes emerge in the child’s inputs, giving the therapist insight into the child’s experiences, thoughts, feelings, and interpretations of their world.

Normal parenting includes concerns about the basic growth and development of their child, child behavioral and social issues, emotional well-being of the child, and financial responsibilities. These concerns alone can result in parental distress.  Additional stressors for parents of a child with emotional issues or behavioral problems, however, increase parental distress significantly. Challenges experienced by caregivers of children with mental health problems have been associated with parental distress and feelings of being stretched beyond their limits.

Parents caring for children with mental health problems are extremely challenged in getting both their child’s and their own needs met.

• Parents with emotionally challenged children will report their lives being dominated by their child’s intense emotions and problematic behaviors.

• Parents searching for direction, guidance, and practical advice can feel overwhelmed and confused.

• Parents of dysregulated children often report anger, sadness, and guilt, which can result in abuse.

• These parents also report being blamed for their child’s behaviors by family members, school staff, and even by mental health professionals, lowering their self-esteem and confidence.

Play therapy can also benefit a parent of a distressed child.  The parent or caregiver will receive support from the therapist while working on the symptoms of the child.  By participating in the development of new and more effective patterns of behavior, the parent can reduce friction in their life too. The parent starts encouraging and validating self-expression and emotional effectiveness in their child and can become the agent of change, as much or more than the therapist. The bond of parent and child can normalize and grow into a much happier and healthier relationship.