Frequently asked questions about child therapy in Littleton, CO

You have been looking for a therapist for your child/family and have noticed that the most therapists who work with children reference play therapy as the most developmentally appropriate modality of intervention for children age 2-12. In addition to all the questions you have about getting your child started in therapy, now you have a ton of questions about play therapy- exhale- that is completely normal.

Is Play Therapy the right fit for my child or family?

Once again your child has had a meltdown of epic proportions. Just when you think you are on the right track to help them figure out what they are feeling and why even the smallest stressor tips them over the edge, it happens again! Just as there are hundreds of reasons that you’re child could be having more difficulty that some in handling life’s ups/downs, there are a lot of different modalities that mental health professionals are trained in to help children and families overcome difficulties, develop social/emotional skills, and increase regulation. Figuring out what type of help your child needs can be overwhelming. Here are a few common questions I answer when parents are first reaching out to me for support or during the first few weeks of therapy.

Is play therapy just for young children?

Play therapy is an effective modality for children and teens (and some adults). Play is how we as humans learn, explore, and manipulate experiences. Through play there is a natural curiosity and engagement that is less threatening and more developmentally appropriate than talk therapy for children and teens. Their brains are still developing and the part of the brain that helps humans with “talking through” problems, using insight, empathy, and abstract thought is the last to develop (well into our mid 20’s).

If my child is playing are you going to be teaching them skills for coping with their emotions or changing their behaviors?

Play therapists are trained to engage in play with the child as a way to explore areas of challenge and growth. It is in the play that the therapist can do things like: name emotions, regulate the intensity of a situation, model problem solving and engage the child in trying on new ways of thinking and behaving when under stress. It has been my experience that when children are allowed to play as a way to explore these stressors and I can model the naming of emotion and regulation of the intensity it is much more effective than if I try to engage in “teaching” a skill directly to the child.

Will my child “act out” or “play” what happened to them or a specific situation/challenge.

Very rarely is the play that the child engages in a direct reenactment of a specific situation or challenge. What children do most often in their play is use the toys, art, games, sand, or other materials in the play room to explore the emotions, relationships, and environments that are difficult for them giving the therapist a felt sense or experience of what it is like to be the child. The therapist can use different parts of the play to explore emotions, relationships or situations as well as model options for how to respond to the stressors that are present in the play itself.

Will I (the parent) be part of the play therapy?

Most children actual do amazing work in the play room with just the therapist there because they need a space to feel safe to explore challenges without a bunch of expectations from adults. IF your child invites you into the play room with them then yes you will be part of the play therapy. Sometimes this invitation is a few moments to show you something they have been working on, other times you may be invited in to play with us. IF you are invited in then you become an active participant in the play (not an observer on the couch or in the corner).

Will you tell me what my child played with?

If your child is being seen individually and doing the session with only the therapist in the room, the therapist will have regular communication with you about the progress towards the identified goals. The play room, the content of the play (ie: what toys were used, how, what your child did or did not talk about) is a protected space. It is important for your child to know that what they play with and how they work with their therapist is sacred and private. There are many ways for me to communicate with you the progress your child is making towards goals without sharing specifically what and how they played.

When will we know that my child is ready to be done in play therapy?

We will set agreed upon goals at the beginning of therapy to help us track progress and monitor where your child is at in the play therapy process. One of my favorite things about play therapy is that there is an easy way to track a child’s progress using those identified goals as well as several other markers that we will agree upon to decide when we begin the process of saying goodbye/termination.

What if what I want my child to work on is their relationships with others in the family?

In these situations it might make the most sense to talk about family play therapy. This might mean that every session is a session with the entire family or how to integrate family sessions into the plan for services.

Reach out if you have other questions about child therapy, play therapy, family therapy or parent support in Littleton, CO.

I hope this answered some of your questions about play therapy for children and families. If you are still feeling stuck, schedule your FREE 20 minute video consultation.