What is Play Therapy?

Play Therapy is a therapeutic approach that uses play and creative materials as the primary way for individuals to express themselves.

Play Therapy uses a variety of play and creative arts techniques (the Play Therapy Tool-Kit to alleviate chronic, mild and moderate psychological and emotional conditions in children that are causing behavioural problems and/or are preventing children from realising their potential.

Through play, people are able to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a natural and comfortable way. This can be especially helpful when someone is finding it difficult to understand their emotions or put their experiences into words. Play Therapy can be particularly beneficial for children who need therapeutic support.

By using play, children are able to explore their thoughts and feelings in creative and dynamic ways without needing to rely solely on verbal communication.

During sessions, children may express themselves using a variety of creative activities and materials such as drawing and painting, water and clay, sand tray play with miniature figures, guided imagery and relaxation techniques, drama and puppetry, poetry, movement, and music.

Talking about problems can often be challenging for children. A child may not have the vocabulary to explain how they are feeling or why they behave in certain ways. Sometimes they may not even recognise what they are finding difficult or may struggle to explain it if they are asked.

Play Therapy provides the time, space, and professional support needed for children to explore these feelings through play. The aim of Play Therapy sessions is to help children build the capacity to form healthy and resilient relationships and to work through difficult or traumatic experiences that may be occupying their thoughts and emotions.

When children are preoccupied with distressing feelings, it can affect their ability to learn at school or manage their emotions effectively. Exploring these feelings through play allows children to express themselves through stories, symbols, and metaphor.

This symbolic layer creates a degree of emotional distance from the experience, which can help the child feel safer and less overwhelmed while exploring their feelings.

Research and Evidence

APAC Play Therapists carefully measure the impact of their work and contribute to ongoing research in the field.

As part of the accreditation process, therapists record anonymised practice data from their sessions. This information is collected and analysed to produce up-to-date research publications that support the effectiveness of Play Therapy.

What is Play Therapy?

Play Therapy is a therapeutic approach that uses play and creative materials as the primary way for individuals to express themselves.

When children are preoccupied with distressing feelings, it can affect their ability to learn at school or manage their emotions effectively. Exploring these feelings through play allows children to express themselves through stories, symbols, and metaphor.

Research and Evidence

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