What to expect during play therapy?

Play sessions

  • The play-therapist will invite the child to join her, into the playtherapy room, where there the child will encounter an atmosphere of acceptance, understanding and empathy.
  • The room is equipped with a selective use of specific toys that promote engagement and symbolism in therapy, these will evoke the child’s imagination, offering the child the opportunity to express through specific toys an array of feelings and problems.
  • The therapist will assess your child and discuss with the paremts, which time-option would be best suited to your child. It’s best that the child attends initially ten weekly sessions to start.
  1. 45 minute (complete session)
  2. 30 minutes (half session while your child is adjusting to the process)
  • After the initial assessment there will be “feedback session” with the parents. Then either and/or firstly there will be some parent consulting sessions prior of seeing the child or other wise there will be a “update progress session” after the 5th playtherapy session and at the end of the 10th playtherapy session.
  • In between communication may be through email or no more than 5 minutes after the playtherapy session.
  • The goal of the play therapist is to engage with the child and together establish a trusting therapeutic relationship that moves gradually at the child’s pace.
  • Child Centered Play Therapy focuses on the child, not the problem; focuses in the present moment, communicating acceptance and promoting freedom in creativity, trusting to awaken the child’s inner strengths.
  • The play-therapist uses four set of skills during the process, Structuring, empathic listening, encourages imaginary play and sets limits in a nurturing, caring and sensitive manner.

Intake interview
Our first meeting is with the parents, to discuss the main areas of concern, the child’s development, any past & present interventions as well as any current issues. It’s important to be open and honest in order to help create a clear picture of the situation - so that we can plan our therapy goals.
Once we have an understanding of the parents perspective, we meet with the child - depending on the child's age and situation this could be an intake interview and/or an observational play session.

Assessments

  1. In the first session the psychologist will make an intake interview solely with parents, at the same time the family will be given some forms and documents to fill out.
  2. There may be some forms to complete and questionnaires for the parents and/or teachers, depending on the circumstances.
  3. Following there will be a session to meet with the child, get a sense of his own perception about the problem, start to establish a relationship and promote engagement from the beginning in the intervention process.
  4. Sometimes we may do a following observation process in the play-room between the parent and the child to observe closely his development and engagement.

Want to know more about playtherapy?

Please check out these links:

A beautiful article of Working creatively with children by the Australian Psychological society
https://www.psychology.org.au/inpsych/2015/june/short

The American Associaton of Playtherapy offers a summary about this valuable interventuion:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0DXBcxC-d63IZDtMzzFotA

Australian Play Therapist Association APTA, offers best practice guidelines as follows
http://apta.asn.au/best-practice

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