The Association for Play Therapy defines play therapy as "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." Play Therapy is a research based form of expressive therapy primarily used with children. Play is the first language of any human. During a play therapy session we utilize various toys, art supplies, and games in a child-centered manner in order to enhance emotional regulation, communication, problem solving, reduce behavioral concerns, and to give children a developmentally appropriate way to express their feelings and thoughts. Play therapists are masters or doctorate level clinicians who have received additional, specialized training in working with children through the use of play.
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If you ask your child what they did in therapy and they say "I just played!" they're telling the truth. But that doesn't mean they aren't working hard! In child-centered play therapy children get to lead the direction of the session and choose toys to use from those available in the play room. Clinicians curate toys to ensure that a variety of categories of toys are available in order to best support a child's ability to work through their difficulties. During a play session some children will play alone, some want a parent or clinician to play with them, and we often hear from parents that their children look forward to upcoming sessions. During a session clinicians are hard at work narrating, being with, and noting themes and changes to children's behaviors and themes of play.
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We often tell parents that the evidence of change in their child starts like slow burning ember, before roaring into a full blown campfire. Parents may notice that they are prepping for something to be hard as it has in the past, or for their child to show overt behaviors or experience overwhelming emotions. In hindsight, some of the first changes we notice are when you prepare for the tough thing to happen, and it's a bit easier. Or you notice you're tense and ready for reaction based on your child's historical behaviors, and suddenly you don't need to react. Maybe your child has struggled to get to school and every step from waking has been a full blown conflict! While your child likely won't gleefully awake and attend school joyously overnight, an initial noticing might be that they brushed their teeth without a fight or reminder, or that instead of crying at drop off, one day you start noticing they are calm and collected.
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When working with children our parents often provide a mixture of play therapy sessions, with every so often parent sessions, so we can best support the family unit, and empower parents to be their child's best support.