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Play Therapy

At Blue Balloon Children's Therapy, we practice child centred / non-directive Play Therapy.  This means:

  • The therapist accepts the child unconditionally and without judgement,

  • The therapist communicates a desire to understand the child’s perspective,

  • The therapist relates to the child in a genuine way.

During play therapy, children communicate through play, not words.  Children’s brains are not yet development sufficiently to enable them to express themselves using words.  Through play, children are able to make sense of their world and feel more in control of their feelings, emotions and behaviours. The play therapy sessions are non-directive meaning that the child leads the play and guides the therapist to the heart of their issues.    In the safe environment of the play room, the qualified play therapist uses their therapeutic skills to enable the child to safely express and explore their thoughts and experiences and to practice new behaviours. 

Play therapy is effective for children with a range of struggles including, but not limited to:

  • Aggressive behaviours,

  • Anxiety,

  • Behaviours associated with ADHD or autism

  • Bullying,

  • Depression,

  • Grief,

  • Self-esteem,

  • Separation anxiety,

  • Separation and divorce,

  • Socialisation issues,

  • Trauma.

What happens in a Play Therapy session?

 

The child has a large selection of play materials from which to choose.  These may include art and craft materials, sand, small figures and animals, dressing up props, musical instruments and puppets.  The Play Therapist enables the child to use these resources to express themselves without having to provide verbal explanations. 

Watch this video by Dr Dee Ray PhD demonstrating the effectiveness of Play Therapy

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