PLAY%20Janeece%20Warfield,%20Psy.D.,%20RPT-S

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PLAYJaneece Warfield, Psy.D., RPT-S
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According to Bergen (1998) Play is.

1. Natural and important to growing up.
2. Something people do all their lives.
3. Something fun, where new things are learned,
   experiences shared, and there is make believe and
   learning.

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According to Bergen (1998). Play .

• 1. Provides an opportunity for the person to
  take charge and make their own decisions and
  rules.
• 2. Provides an opportunity to understand an
  experience.
• 3. Is a need which also facilitates emotional
  control.

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According to Bergen (1998)

• PLAY IS NOT
• A waste of time
• A babyish activity
• Something done only with toys
• Something to do when theres nothing important to
  do

• PLAY IS.
• A basic skill that helps childrens knowledge
  grow
• A natural part of everyones life
• A chance to make believe

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Play

• Serves as a medium for childrens expression of
  emotions.

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Play

• Builds trust and mastery
• Fosters learning and acceptable behaviors
• Regulates emotions
• Reduces stress
• Encourages open and voluntary communication
• Promotes creative problem-solving
• Elevates spirit
• -The Association of Play Therapy

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Play Therapy

• Is an approach to counseling young children in
  which the therapist uses toys, art supplies,
  games and other play media to communicate with
  clients using the language of children.

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Definition of Play Therapy

• The systematic use of a theoretical model to
  establish an interpersonal process wherein
  trained play therapists use the therapeutic
  powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve
  psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal
  growth and development.
• (Association of Play Therapy, 2008)

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So What Can Play Therapy Achieve?

• -Establish rapport with children
• -Help the therapist to understand children and
  their interactions and relationships
• -Help children reveal feelings they have not
  been able to verbalize
• -Help children constructively act out feelings
• -Provide an environment to test limits, and gain
  insight about their behavior

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Curative Factors of Play Therapy

• Relationship building/attachment
• Catharsis/Self-expression
• Trauma processing
• Skill building (direct learning, modeling, and
  reinforcement of healthy behaviors)
• Helps develop problem-solving skills
• Identity development (safe place to develop)
• Positive activities (especially helpful for
  depression)
• (Schaefer Drewes, 2009)

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Who is Play Therapy For?

• Infants
• Children
• Adolescents
• Adults
• Couples
• Families
• Elderly

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Effectiveness of Play Therapy Interventions

• Play therapy interventions have demonstrated
  effectiveness in treating and/or addressing
• Anger Management (McGuire, 2001 Ogawa, 2004).
• Grief and Loss (LeVieux, 1994 Webb, 2003).
• Divorce and Family Dissolution (Pedro-Carroll
  Reddy, 2005).
• Crisis and Trauma (Ogawa, 2004 Tyndall-Lind,
  2001).
• ODD and CD
• Depression
• Anxiety
• ADHD
• PDD/ASD
• Emotional competence (feelings identification,
  expression, and regulation)
• (Bratton, Ray, Rhine, Jones, 2005)

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Types of Play Therapy Materials

• Dolls, puppets, plastic figurines
• Sensory-Based items
• Table games
• Blocks, puzzles
• Paints, Play-Doh
• Pretend play materials

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Play Therapy Materials

• Purposefully selected
• Should include both structured and unstructured
  materials.
• Should include items that facilitate the child
  and parent to reconstruct reality from their
  perspective.

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A Few Types of Play Therapy

• Non-Directive/Client- Centered
• Directive

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Child-Centered Play Therapy

• Immediate and present experience with the child
• The therapeutic process is lead by the child
• Through a shared relationship the therapist
  conveys acceptance of the child which frees them
  to develop confidence and self-awareness

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Child-Centered Approach

• The child selects the theme, content, and
  process of play.
• The focus is on the child and not the problem
• Goal is to generate the process of change and
  growth in the child.

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Directive Play Therapy

• The clinician provides structure and guidance to
  the session using play-based approaches.

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Play Therapy

• For more information on play therapy visit the
  Association of Play Therapy websitewww.a4pt.org
• References
• Association of Play Therapy (2008) Association of
  play therapy. Clovis, CA.
• Schaefer, C., Drewes, A. (2009). Therapeutic
  powers of play. New York, NY John
• Wiley and Sons.
• Bratton, S., Ray, D., Rhine, T., L. Jones (
  2005). The efficacy of play therapy with
  children A meta-analytic review of treatment
  outcomes. 36, 376-390.
• Bergen, D.B. (1998). Play as a medium for
  learning and development A handbook of theory
  and practice. Olney , MD Association for Child
  and Education International.