What Is Play Therapy?

In some situations, clients who are in therapy may have a difficult time expressing their concerns. Play therapy gives clients the opportunity to explore their thoughts in a non intimidating way. Because children are normally comfortable playing, play therapy is often an approach used in child counseling; however, trained mental health providers (e.g., counselors, psychologists, or social workers) can engage clients at any age through the therapeutic process of play.

Many therapists use toys and other child friendly items to interact with children during sessions, but true play therapy requires specialized training and is not just an integration of toys and play. Dr. Salinas received extensive training in play therapy and earned her Registered Play Therapist designation in 2019 from The Association for Play Therapy (APT). In 2022, she became a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor and now provides training and supervision to clinicians serving clients at Heartsease Counseling Center, PLLC.  

How Is Play Therapy Different From Regular Play?

Play therapy differs from regular play in that the client is working with a mental health provider who helps them process their thoughts and emotions through play. Play is a child’s natural method of communication and self exploration. When a child is being treated through play therapy, parents/caregivers are often included to support the therapeutic process.

When Is Play Therapy Used?

Effective interventions in play therapy address concerns and healing related to childhood trauma and PTSD or other adverse experiences, such as parental incarceration, loss of a parent due to death, childhood abuse, living with a parent with mental illness, or living with a parent who suffers from addiction. Play therapy also helps children who may have a challenging time articulating their thoughts and emotions.

Situations where children may need help identifying how to express themselves include school settings and new environments. Play therapy could also help children who deal with bullying or have difficulty focusing, who struggle with anxiety or depression, or who have concerns related to coping with emotions, and other life stressors that are out of their control.

What Are the Benefits of Play Therapy?

Play therapy is a developmentally-appropriate and effective treatment for children. It allows children to communicate through imagination and displacement in the safety of the therapeutic space. Through the therapist’s careful intervention, children can have a corrective experience with lasting positive impacts.

• Helps with skill building for neurodivergent children: Play therapy has been shown to be effective in helping neurodivergent children improve social skills, emotional expression and regulation.

• Reduces disruptions in learning for children with ADHD: Research shows that play therapy reduces the symptoms of ADHD, improving social skills, attention and impulse control.

• Helps children process trauma: Research shows that play therapy is an effective treatment for children who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) to mitigate the risk of future complex trauma

• Reduces OCD symptoms: Incorporating a manualized treatment for OCD into play therapy can be an effective approach in reducing symptoms of OCD in childhood.

• Helps with communication and other skills in adults with developmental disabilities: Play therapy can help adults with developmental disabilities overcome behavioral and emotional difficulties, improve self-expression, self-efficacy and emotional well-being.

• Boosts mental health for older adults: For older adults, play therapy has been shown to increase socialization, improve self-esteem and reduced symptoms of depression.

• Reduces symptoms of ODD in children: One study showed play therapy to be effective in both individual and group settings in reducing symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) in children, even two months after treatment, suggesting positive long-lasting impacts