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What is Play Therapy?
What is Play Therapy?
Play therapy is "the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development." [The Association for Play Therapy]
Why Play Therapy?
Play InfoVideo for Caregivers (English)
Play InfoVideo for Caregivers (Spanish)
Setting-Up the Play Therapy Space
Setting-Up the Play Therapy Space
What do you need for a Play Therapy Room?
(Hollander, 2016)
Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT)
Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT)
CCPT Demonstration Video (Landreth, 2012)
CCPT Role Play Video (Thompson, 2017)
Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT)
Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT)
Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT) integrates cognitive and behavioral interventions into a play therapy paradigm. Playful activity, as well as non-verbal forms of verbal communication, are used to promote the development of problem solving skills.
The design of specific play therapy interventions for young children facilitates their direct involvement in therapy. Through CBPT, it is possible to learn more adaptive coping skills and offer structured and goal-oriented activities. It also provides a space where the child can bring out a spontaneous contribution in the session and successfully express their experiences.
Video Demonstration Examples of Creative CBT Interventions
Video Demonstration Examples of Creative CBT Interventions
Trauma-Focused and Trauma-Responsive Play Therapy
Trauma-Focused and Trauma-Responsive Play Therapy
"The brain develops sequentially- in order- from the bottom-up. Children with complex trauma are impacted in the very lowest parts of their brain. Bruce Perry’s work taught us that the lowest parts of the brain need rhythmic, repetitive, relational, and somatosensory experiences in order to organize and heal. Perry is able to bring together the truth that relationship and following the child’s lead is non-negotiable (play therapists are good at this!!), yet we can do those things while still being strategic about the types of experiences we offer to the child in order to best support their underdeveloped brainstem." (Gobbel, 2019)
32. Checklist for Postraumatic Play (Gil, 2017).pdf
Oaklander Approach to Gestalt Play and Art Therapy
Oaklander Approach to Gestalt Play and Art Therapy
Filial Play Therapy or Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT)
Filial Play Therapy or Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT)
Synergetic Play Therapy®
Synergetic Play Therapy®
31. Synergetic Play Therapy Tenets (Dion, 2021).pdfCulturally-Responsive Play Therapy
Culturally-Responsive Play Therapy
Lean in to a conversation with Eliana Gil about:
what it means to become culturally competent as a therapist
Steps to building an anti-racist and culturally-informed practice
ways to respond when children are exploring racism and cultural issues in the playroom
how to dive deep within yourself to move from not just reflection, but ACTION!
Apart from application of treatment modalities and skills with specific populations, play therapy that fosters multicultural inclusivity also involves the process of constructing the therapeutic environment – the playroom. In the book chapter above, Dee C. Ray and colleagues present the results of a study conducted with play therapy experts on increasing the inclusivity of the playroom through attention to the attitudes, structure, and materials that comprise a playroom. The results of this exploration provide the field of play therapy with a clear and detailed description of a multicultural playroom, active behaviors for play therapists to ensure cultural inclusivity in their playrooms, and a list of toys/materials that are essential to a multicultural playroom.
This is the first play therapy book written by experts from specific Asian cultures for practitioners working in the mental health field for Asian groups. This book discusses how mostly Western play-therapy approaches are adapted for use in Asian countries. The authors are knowledgeable not only about the different models of play therapy used in Asian countries, but also about parental attitudes and child rearing practices that need to be considered in modifying therapeutic approaches. For example, in the East, the widespread emphasis on academic excellence from early childhood can contribute to a down valuing of play which can be considered to be just "fun" and frivolous. Some practice guidelines and case illustrations related to this book are found in the articles below:
Cuento Therapy is a form of child psychotherapy in which Puerto Rican mothers recount to their children folktales taken from Puerto Rican culture. This monograph discusses traditional folk-healing practices in Puerto Rico, the function of folktales throughout history, the use of storytelling in psychotherapy, the theoretical framework of cuentro therapy, and the caregiver's role in the therapy. The major finding was that cuento therapy was effective in reducing trait anxiety. It also improved cognitive skills relating to social judgment and had some effect on aggressive behavior, as observed in role-playing situations. Cuento therapy and other guidelines for play therapy with Latina/o/x/e and Hispanic children/youth and their families are included below:
This reading provides perspectives that will enable the therapist to step into the African American “village” in order to gain insight into the role of play as influenced by slavery, religion, societal factors, socioeconomic status (SES) and gender differences. By gaining this information, the therapist will be better able to form a stronger bond with the “villagers.”
Virtual, Digital, and Tele-Play Therapy
Virtual, Digital, and Tele-Play Therapy
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