Play Therapy
Children struggle with anxiety, depression, trauma and loss just like adults do. However, children do not have advanced language like adults. They are not fluent in the language of verbal expression, however they are capable of expression through the language of play, movement, art and experiences. Play therapy utlizes the natural ability of children’s play to help understand the way they are interpreting their world. Children absorb information constantly but they do not necessarily have the tools to interpret their experiences in a way that makes sense to them. In play therapy, your child will spend time with a therapist who is curious about understanding they way they filter their world and help them to learn to make sense of it. Whether a child has been through trauma, separation from a loved one, anxiety, or loss, play therapy is a great way for a child and therapist to work together to assist the child in gaining new skills and learning to cope with and process their experiences. We help children who are hurt or who have be hurt by circumstances they cannot comprehend.
Parent(caregiver)/ Child Play Therapy
Sometimes due to challenges that children and caregivers face it can be difficult for the relationship of attachment to thrive. Parents sometimes have their own difficulty with attachment and feel unable to meet the needs of their small child. Children rely on caregivers and parents to help them learn social interaction, safety, and emotional regulation. In this type of therapy, the therapist works with the child and caregiver together to help the children learn that they can trust and feel secure in their attachment to their parent. Children need to know that their caregiver is a safe base for them to land when things feel like they are crumbling around them. There are usually a combination of parent only sessions, child only session and joint sessions in which the parent and child work together to find playful solutions and form strong connections with each other.
