Play Therapy

Our therapists help children use play as a way to learn about themselves and the world around them. Through play therapy interventions, children can build healthier solutions to their challenges. Play therapy techniques are used with a wide range of age groups.

Play therapy is used to increase the understanding of verbal and non-verbal communication, promote learning, and gain skills, while building opportunities to “play out” events and emotions in a safe environment.

Children’s first form of communication is by “actively doing”. The brain takes longer to develop verbal abilities and more time to develop comprehension and reasoning skills. Play therapy strategies allow the child to communicate and learn through activities that promote healing and growth.

Sand Tray Therapy

Sand tray therapies can be used used for adult, adolescent, and child therapy. These approaches allow one to explore their story from a hands-on and experiential perspective. Sand tray therapies provide opportunities to work through difficult emotions and life events while providing an external view toward options for healing and growth.

Sand tray therapies are often used in child play therapy and include more focus on child directed exploration of their experiences. These approaches also provide outlets for emotions and thoughts without focus on verbal expression.

An example of Sand Tray therapy, courtesy of Andrea Walker, MSW, LCSW, RPT-S

We use play therapy approaches to treat mental health concerns, such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, Autism-spectrum disorders, behavioral disorders, anger management, trauma-related disorders, adjustment, grief and loss, and divorce/family dynamics.

Play therapy can also improve many difficulties, such as the following: