Child-Centered Play Therapy
This is a non-directive type of play therapy, which allows the child to lead play sessions while their therapist observes and supports them as necessary. It’s often helpful for children who are struggling with low self-esteem or emotional withdrawal, as well as children who have trouble expressing their feelings clearly with words.
Through child-centered play therapy, children can develop their problem-solving skills and find space for self-expression. Non-directive play therapy also empowers children to foster their independence and make minor decisions with more confidence.
Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT)
While traditional CBT guides people in identifying and rewriting negative thought patterns, CBPT integrates play therapy with standard CBT techniques. By introducing tailored games and activities, a therapist can help children learn simple coping strategies and let go of unhelpful beliefs they might hold.
CBPT helps children recognize and manage their anxious and negative thoughts in a playful way. Children who are living with anxiety, depression, phobias, or certain behavioral challenges can make tremendous progress through CBPT.
Filial Play Therapy
Some forms of play therapy do entail a higher level of family involvement. For families who are dealing with conflicts, filial play therapy can be a good fit. If a child is having trouble with attachment or feels disconnected from their parents, a therapist might recommend this approach.
In filial play therapy, a counselor trains parents to lead play sessions under their guidance. In addition to improving communication skills and strengthening parent-child relationships, filial play therapy also allows parents to become better attuned to their child’s emotional needs.
Group Play Therapy
Parents might pursue therapy for their child if they are having difficulty building friendships with their peers or if they’re dealing with social anxiety at school. In this case, individual play therapy might not be the best choice. Instead, group play therapy gives children a chance to develop these valuable skills alongside their peers.
In group play therapy, children participate together in activities led by a therapist. These activities promote social skills, teamwork, empathy, cooperation, and conflict resolution. Overall, group activities can help children cultivate critical life skills that they can learn only from successful group interactions. Additionally, children might feel less isolated after taking part in group play therapy.
Sand Tray Therapy
Just like adults can find relief through expressing themselves in art therapy, sand tray therapy allows children to create symbolic representations of their own experiences, using miniature items and a sandbox.
Sad or distressing memories can be difficult for people of any age to talk about. For children, especially, it’s not always easy to put feelings or memories into words. They might not feel comfortable saying what’s on their mind, or even have the vocabulary to do so. Sand tray therapy provides a safe outlet, especially for children who have been through grief, trauma, or other major life changes.
Experiential Play Therapy
This model of Play Therapy created by Byron and Carol Norton operates with the premise that children process and heal through experience. A child’s first language is play and they can process and heal from events through their play. This model takes a non-directive approach allowing the child to lead the play and the therapist once invited into the play, joins in the healing process of play. The therapist pays attention to themes and metaphors in the play to gain insight into the child’s world and inner thoughts. This model is one of the primary models of play therapy used at Denver CAC.
Are you wondering if your child might benefit fromplay therapy? We invite you to contact our practiceto learn more about our approach or schedule your child’s first session.
