"Toys are the children's words and Play is their language"
- Gary Landreth

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Play therapy is an age appropriate form of counselling for children. Play therapy offers child a space to express their thoughts, feelings and emotions in a way that  is easier for them, through PLAY! As adults, even we find it challenging to talk through and understand our thoughts and feelings, so we can only imagine how hard this is for a child. Play therapy meets the child where they are at developmentally and allows them to explore their world in a pace that is safe and comfortable to them. 

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At Power of Play Counselling, we adopt a child-centred approach which means that the child takes the lead in the room, making decisions about what they would like to engage with and how. This is an incredibly empowering experience for children which is often makes the process much more enjoyable for them (getting children to exit the playroom can often be the more difficult issue - but a good issue to have!).

During their sessions, children engage with the therapeutic resources in the room, inviting the therapist to share in their personal views of the world, their experiences, their relationships and their sense of self. 

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The role of the therapist is to hold a sense of safety, calmness and trust within the therapeutic space, that ultimately allows children explore their internal world more deeply. Empathy, authenticity, trust and unconditional positive regard form the foundations of the therapeutic relationship in play therapy. Beyond the relationship, the therapist implements specific skills and techniques that assists in increasing children's understanding of their internal world whilst feeling heard and supported by the therapist. As children begin to understand and process their experiences, they simultaneously build upon their sense-of-self, confidence, independence and are better able to regulate their emotions and neurological system. 

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So what do I expect when I bring my child to Play Therapy?

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When you arrive with your child, you will be greeted in the waiting by the therapist. The therapist will invite your child to the playroom where they will engaged in 1:1 Play Therapy. If your child has difficulty separating from you, then the therapist may invite you to enter the playroom with the child. The aim then is to slowly work towards moving you out of the playroom at a pace that is comfortable for you and your child. This may be during the session or over the course of multiple sessions. If this is the case, a plan will be made between you and the therapist during the initial consultation phase, so that you feel confident and happy with the approach.

 

While your child is in Play Therapy, you are welcome to wait in the waiting room. If there are no risks to your child or therapist, and your child can toilet themselves, you are welcome to take a walk down the street while you wait. We just ask for your diligence to return before the end of your child's 50 minute session to avoid any upset to the child. At the end of the session, the therapist will bring your child out to meet you in the waiting room. If you are a private paying client or self-managed NDIS client, we will take payment via the therapists Square terminal and then you are free to leave.

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It is important that when we bring children to Play Therapy that they know this is their time. For this reason, please avoid entering into discussion about your child in front of them. Naturally, things occur overtime that you may feel are necessary to update the therapist on. If this is the case, please send through an email or text to the therapist to arrange a private time to talk away from your child.

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Each time your child has completed 4 therapy sessions, the therapist will organise a parent consultation to discuss feedback, progress and therapeutic parent support. These will be booked in advance at your previous parent consultation session.

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