Play Therapy
What is Play Therapy?
Benefits of Play Therapy
Benefits of Play Therapy
Children use toys and play activities as a way to explore the world and to express their emotions and needs.
Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy that is informed by developmental neurobiology that discovered it promotes optimal brain development of children.
For children, play is serious and purposeful activity through which they work to resolve inner conflicts, anxieties and fears that underlie problem behaviors.
Play as a form of therapy differs greatly from regular play in that it is a structured and strategic method of therapy that is theoretically sound and conducted by a trained professional.
In play therapy, Paula strives to create a trusting and safe relationship with the child and provide an accepting, respectful and free healing space.
Benefits of Play Therapy
Benefits of Play Therapy
Benefits of Play Therapy
- Supports healthy brain development
- Improves social skills
- Fosters learning and academic skills
- Helps with language development
- Stimulates natural curiosity and exploration
- Teaches self-soothing skills
- Teaches adaptive behaviors
- Improves confidence and self-esteem
- Reduces stress
- Problem solving and life skills
- Develops and improves thinking skills
- Is a form of trauma therapy for children
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PLAY THERAPY HERE:
Sandplay Therapy
Benefits of Sandplay
Symbolic Language of Sandplay
Symbolic Language of Sandplay
- Improves self-awareness and acceptance
- Fears and anxieties decrease as one is able to expand the relationship to the outside world and experience more freedom
- Allows one to work through trauma, loss, grief and other issues
- Emotions and behavior are clarified with increase awareness of healthy and unhealthy choices
- Inner tensions and conflicts
- Improves self-awareness and acceptance
- Fears and anxieties decrease as one is able to expand the relationship to the outside world and experience more freedom
- Allows one to work through trauma, loss, grief and other issues
- Emotions and behavior are clarified with increase awareness of healthy and unhealthy choices
- Inner tensions and conflicts are expressed and resolved
- Conscious and unconscious connect allowing greater understanding of one’s own identity and selfhood
- Healing and creative energies are activated
- Allows one to find meaning and purpose in life
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SANDPLAY HERE:
Symbolic Language of Sandplay
Symbolic Language of Sandplay
Symbolic Language of Sandplay
In typical psychotherapy, we express ourselves in words and body language which allows us to communicate thoughts and emotions in a safe environment and thus getting in contact with realities of our psychic life as it exists at that moment.
The limitation of “talk-therapy” is that the inner experience shrinks as it passes through the anal
In typical psychotherapy, we express ourselves in words and body language which allows us to communicate thoughts and emotions in a safe environment and thus getting in contact with realities of our psychic life as it exists at that moment.
The limitation of “talk-therapy” is that the inner experience shrinks as it passes through the analytical left-brain and is formulated into words.
Verbal language makes it easier for us to communicate and understand each other, but it also tends to label experiences rather than to describe them, which leads to only partial expression of the issue leaving much in the shadows of the unconscious.
Sandplay offers a different and deeper form of communication. A type of communication where a person can connect with the totality of their being, the True Self.
It is based on the premise that the body, mind and soul have a natural capacity and tendency to heal when given the chance and an optimal environment to do so.
In sandplay, this environment is provided by the presence of the therapist, the office space, the miniature toys and the sandtray. In this setting, both children and adults can use their innate drive towards wholeness and healing.
Sandplay is the language of our own inner being that stimulates fantasy, imagination and growth. It is a gentle form of trauma therapy where the images (miniature toys) in sandplay provide a medium for that which cannot be spoken.
How Does It Work?
Symbolic Language of Sandplay
How Does It Work?
Engaging in sandplay requires no skill or understanding of symbolism from the client’s part.
During a sandplay psychotherapy session the therapist encourages you to look at the miniature toys and select ones that you somehow feel connected to or interested in or perhaps feel a strong aversion.
You are then instructed to create a “scene” o
Engaging in sandplay requires no skill or understanding of symbolism from the client’s part.
During a sandplay psychotherapy session the therapist encourages you to look at the miniature toys and select ones that you somehow feel connected to or interested in or perhaps feel a strong aversion.
You are then instructed to create a “scene” or a picture in the sand using the images you selected.
In this part, you allow the body and the unconscious to do the work as you just follow a purposeful inner guidance as to where each image should be placed.
You can also shift and mold the sand as you please. Water can be added to the sand if needed. You will then let the therapist know when you are done and both of you take a moment to look at the scene noticing how it feels to do that.
Engaging in sandplay is like embarking on a journey into the depths of your own being- it takes time, commitment and patience.
Like in any journey, there will be danger and challenges as well as times to rest and enjoy the beauty of your surroundings.