5 Valuable Reasons Why Play Therapy Can Lead to Results

Is your child having problems in school or with social skills? For example, are they displaying "red flags" that you're concerned about? Examples include poor academic performance, headaches, stomach aches without illness, or difficulty concentrating. Likewise, your child may exhibit impatience, isolation, or extreme worry, or sadness? If this sounds familiar, your child may benefit from play therapy. 

Children are naturally limited in their ability to verbalize thoughts and emotions. As a result, taking them in to sit and talk to a therapist isn't likely an option or something that will help them heal. However, you don't have to wait until your child is a teenager to take them to a counselor. Play therapy is an effective way to help both children and their families. 

Let's talk about play therapy and the valuable benefits it can provide to children and families alike. 

Why Play Therapy Over Talk Therapy? 

Play therapy is a type of therapeutic intervention that is particularly effective for children. Unlike traditional play, it involves a series of techniques that a counselor with at least a Master's degree uses to help a child heal. With their guidance, they're able to help children facing a variety of issues.

You can consider play therapy as an equivalent to talk therapy for adults. It works because cognitively, children are limited in their ability to use words to verbalize their thoughts and emotions. However, this type of treatment puts children in their natural environment. Regarding communication, toys serve as a child's words. Play is the universal language of children.

Children communicate through their behavior. Play therapy uses an array of specific techniques to equip children with the ability to express their needs and wants. Likewise, they can resolve issues, overcome obstacles, and acquire lifelong skills.

Visit Capstone Counseling and Coaching to learn how to schedule a play therapy assessment.

Top 5 Reasons Play Therapy Is Worth Checking Into

1. By design, play therapy is fun and enjoyable. As a result, sessions may be something your little one eagerly looks forward to. 
2. Children can work through grief, trauma, distress, or difficult emotions. Likewise, they work at their pace in an environment conducive to healing.
3. During sessions, the therapist can guide your child to situations they may be facing. Then, they can help them learn new problem-solving skills. Likewise, they can help them improve social skills or overcome behavioral issues. 
4. It's easy to get children to participate in something they want to do. Many times, a child gets to take the lead and pick what they want to play with. 
5. The effectiveness of play therapy has been proven through scientific research and results. 

We offer play therapy at Capstone Counseling and Coaching. Our therapists don't have a pre-planned, one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we listen to you, your child, and everyone involved. Then, we design a path forward with clear goals to meet your child's needs. Likewise, we make every effort to ensure you feel comfortable with the process. We would love to see how we might be able to best help your child and your family. Give us a call today, or visit our website to learn more.