What is Play Therapy

Play Therapy is a therapeutic approach based on developmental principles. Play Therapy is a process where the child chooses objects, symbols, or types of play to express their inner concerns or work through particular problems. Play Therapy is done with a trained child therapist who is skilled in interpreting the child’s play. The child therapist assists in promoting growth and change.

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Dr. Garry Landreth, one of the greatest teachers and leaders in the field of play therapy and author of The Art of the Relationship, has said that play relieves stress, enhances connections in relationships, stimulates creative expression and exploration, and helps us regulate our emotions. Dr. Landreth has gone on to explain that in play therapy the toys in the play room are the child’s words and the play itself is the child’s language.

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“You can learn more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” – Richard Lingard