What is Play Therapy?

 

Play therapy is a means of understanding a child’s world by observing their play. A Play therapist can learn about a child by watching how they play and relate to the therapist.

 

In child-centered play therapy, the relationship, not the utilization of toys, or the application of techniques, or the interpretation of behavior, is the key to growth.

 

Person of the child . . . rather than . . . problem

Present . . . . . . . . . . .rather than . . . past

Feelings . . . . . . . . . . rather than . . . thoughts or acts

Understanding . . . . . . rather than . . . explaining

Accepting . . . . . . . . . rather than . . . correcting

Child's direction . . . . . rather than . . . therapist's instruction

Child's wisdom . . . . . . rather than . . . therapist's knowledge

 

-Landreth, Garry L. Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship.  New York: Taylor & Francis Group, 2012. Print.

 

 

“Birds fly,

Fish swim, and

Children play”

 

 

 

 

~ Landerth