Play Therapy is the most effective type of therapy for children as they mostly express their issues non-verbally through their behaviour and actions. This is due to children not having insight into life experiences, or the vocabulary to 'talk' through whatever is on their mind. Through play they express themselves aiding them to find solutions and understanding. Play therapy therefore gives children the opportunity to convey their emotions and worries in a way that is natural to them - through play.

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How it works:
                                                With the use of structured play, the therapist enters the world of the child and                                                           meets them on their level, verbalising their actions and following the child's lead,                                                     to help them to achieve understanding and more insight into their lives. In other                                                         words, the child plays out or creates a 'picture' which is on the child's

                                                subconscious (which they are often not even aware of) - the therapist then                                                                explores this with the child helping to bring the child into awareness of the difficulty. This is done within a safe environment, where the child opens up when they are ready to – enabling them to feel strong enough to discuss the concerns they are facing and are now in a positive position to find solutions and insight. Through this non obtrusive approach, the child leads the session, increasing self-esteem and responsibility within themselves to gain a larger degree of control over their lives.

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What types of items are used?
Different mediums are utilised, helping the child to express themselves such as play dough, sand tray (using figurines to create a 'story'), drawing, painting, puppets, stories, dolls, drama etc.

What types of concerns can play therapy address?
• Emotional
• Behavioural
• Anxiety
• Any trauma (such as crime, abuse, accident, bereavement)
• Divorce/Separation

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Duration:
On average the therapeutic process takes 10 weeks, this however may be shorter for some children as they open up and are ready to discuss their troubles more readily, while other children need more time due to their personalities or the severity of the life situation they have been exposed to.

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Play therapy also focusses on:
• Sensory work - to bring the child into greater awareness of themselves
   and others
• Aggressive energy - where the child is able to express suppressed 
   emotions in a safe way without hurting themselves or others
• Increasing child's self-esteem
• Self Nurturing – where the child gains greater self-acceptance for who   they are as individuals