What is "Play Therapy?"

Play therapy is to children what talk therapy is to adults. Children, even children who are quite talkative, express themselves more fully through their play. Emotions are often difficult to understand for children and even more difficult to express. Play provides a non-threatening way for children to express themselves. In the playroom, toys, games and activities are used like words. Children are provided toys in play therapy to enable them to say with the toys what they have difficulty saying with words. They can use dolls, puppets, paints, or other toys to say what they think or how they feel. Play therapy allows children the opportunity to work through, heal, and move past the difficult times in their lives. Play therapy is child focused to encourage the children to like working with the therapist as to provide the most effective and efficient model needed for the child.

Click on the image to download our Play Therapy flyer.

Who can provide play therapy for my child?

As with any type of counseling or therapy, only a trained professional should provide this service for you and your child. "Registered Play Therapists" have gone through extensive training to become certified by the Association for Play Therapy. Some questions to ask that may help you in choosing a professional are: What is your training as a mental health professional? What mental health degree have you earned? Have you ever received formal education on working with children? To what extent? Have you ever received formal education on play therapy? To what extent? What process do you use to work with children?

When does a child need therapy?

In the process of growing up, children often experience difficulty coping at some time (at home, at school, with divorce and separation, with other children, etc.), or they exhibit behaviors which concern their parents or teachers. Some children may need more help than others in some areas. Generally, if you, your child's teacher, or pediatrician is concerned about your child's behavior or difficulty adjusting, play therapy may be the recommended approach to help your child.

What do I tell my child about play therapy?

Tell your child during the first visit that he or she will be coming each week to play with Miss Tara in the playroom. You may tell them that it helps children to have someone special to talk and play with.

What should I tell the therapist?

Parents are experts in relation to their children. The therapist job is to be your partner in helping your child and his or her emotional health. It is your job to report events to the therapist and is inappropriate to ask the child to recount events to the therapist, especially as a punishment. If you question the importance of an event, it never hurts to call the therapist and talk out the event. Parents will have an initial meeting with the therapist with the child present to gather information developmentally and socially about the child.

How do I ask my child about his or her therapy session?

It is important to not pressure the child to talk about their sessions and work progress. Parents will be told by therapist anything that arises in session relating to the child's safety or any other vital information. It is important to remember your child is granted privacy during his or her sessions in order to allow for self expression. Remember progress will take time and children will be allowed to work at their pace in order to build a trusting therapeutic relationship.

How do I confirm a therapist is licensed in Florida?

For information about a therapist's credentials through the state of Florida, you may check the following website.

     http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/PRAES/index.html