What is Play Therapy?
Play is a child’s natural way of exploring the world and expressing themselves. It helps children of all ages, gender and culture to learn, communicate and make sense of their life experiences. When children experience upsetting events in their lives, their feelings can become too difficult to talk about with words. Play Therapy enables them to ‘play out’ these feelings, thoughts and experiences without talking. The Play Therapist facilitates this by forming a medium-term therapeutic relationship with the child, in a safe environment and allows the child to play. The therapist uses a wide variety of therapeutic creative arts media and toys. This is called the therapist’s ‘toolkit’.
What is Filial Play Coaching?
A New Approach For Improving Parent/Child Relationships
Parents or caregivers can play an essential role in alleviating the social, emotional and behavioural problems of their children if they learn to play with their children again. Fillial Play Coaching uses child-centred and non-directive play to include as a part of their parenting activities. The focus of each session is to effectively impart basic skills that parents or caregivers with many different backgrounds may use to play with their children in their varied everyday lives.
‘Children don’t need more things. The best toy a child can have is a parent who gets down on the floor and plays with them’ – Dr Bruce Perry
What is Land Play?
The Play Therapy sessions will take place in the natural environment in a safe and ethical way. This therapeutic outdoor space is an addition to the therapist’s ‘play room’ and offers the client the opportunity to explore the connection of nature to themselves and others.
‘Land Play’ is outdoor Play Therapy and ‘at its heart is a philosophy of the human need to connect to the earth’ – Kate Macairt
Fulfilling your potential...why Play Therapy?
All children should have the opportunity to fulfil their full potential in life – but many children find it difficult due to behavioural or mental health problems. Others need support with emotional literacy.
How will Play Therapy help me?
PTUK (Play Therapy UK) state that “ between 77% and 84% of the children who are in play therapy change in a positive way”. Children receive emotional support and can learn to understand more about their own feelings and thoughts. Play Therapy, Filial Play and Land Play can facilitate in the resolution of their pain, create hope for their future and unlock the potential for self- growth and self healing.