Play and Art Therapy
"Playing allows the child to creatively and dynamically explore their thoughts and feelings without words."
Play therapy is a type of therapy in which people express themselves primarily through play and arts and crafts. Play therapy allows people to express themselves in their own unique way, which is especially beneficial if they are struggling to understand how they feel and find it difficult to put their feelings into words. Play therapy can be especially beneficial for children who require therapeutic assistance. Playing allows the child to creatively and dynamically explore their thoughts and feelings without having to use words. Children in play therapy explore their creativity and express themselves through media such as drawing, painting, clay, sand, and miniatures, as well as relaxation techniques.
For children, discussing problems can be difficult. A child may lack the words to express how they feel or why they behave the way they do; a child may beunable to recognise or explain to someone else what they find difficult. Play therapy provides the expertise and time required to accomplish this through play. Play therapy sessions aim to strengthen a child's ability to form healthy and resilient relationships as well as work through traumatic experiences that may be causing difficult feelings that make learning at school or managing feelings difficult. Using play and art to express difficult emotions adds a layer of story or metaphor to what is shared and felt. For the child, metaphors can provide some distance from the experience. A child's expression or exploration of their experience through play can feel safer and less intense.
