Play Therapy
PLAY THERAPY
Please refere to Reasons for Counselling before reading this section.
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We provide 50 minutes appointment with each session.
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Our practice is situated in a relaxing and comfortable environment.
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We provide a confidential, non-judgmental and respectful atmosphere (find out more in Our Principles).
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Our practice is person-centered and collaborative. This means that we respect you as an expert of your own life and work with you as a team.
What is Play Therapy?
Generally speaking, in play therapy, a therapist uses a variety of play and creative arts to alleviate chronic, mild and moderate psychological and emotional conditions in children that are causing behavioral problems, emotional difficulties that are preventing children from being the best version of themselves.
Play therapy may be non-directive (where the child decides what to do in a session, within safe boundaries), directive (where the therapist leads the way) or a mixture of the two.
The benefit of choosing Play Therapy for your children opposed to "talking therapy", are many. However, it is best expressed by Virginia Axline; a psychologist who was one of the pioneers in the use of Play Therapy: "Play Therapy is based upon the fact that play is the child's natural medium of self-expression. It is an opportunity which is given to the child to 'play out' his feelings and problems just as, in certain types of adult therapy, an individual 'talks out' his difficulties."
Through play, children are not only able to express their experience, thoughts and feelings but also “process” them which help them to move forward.
How old is too Young or too Old for Play Therapy?
Just like any other type of therapy, the "fit" between the method and the client is very crucial to the success. You cannot really foretell if play therapy would be a good fit for you until you try it.
As far as age of children goes, the youngest we have seen is 4 year old. Again, chronological age does not necessarily match the maturity or developmental readiness of the child, so all those other factors have to be taken into considerations as well.
On the other hand, no one is too old for play therapy, especially a technique called "Sand Tray" which is used at H&A. It can be quite therapeutic even for adult clients.
