Play Therapy Helps Children Communicate Feelings

play therapy

Children express emotions and communicate through play. It is fun for them. Children learn a lot through play such as self-expression, creativity, exploration, how to combat boredom, and connects them to others in a positive manner. Sitting in a chair, sharing their feelings, and expressing emotions through talk therapy can be a difficult task for children. Play therapy provides a safe, familiar form of communication between a child and his therapist. By the time a child is being seen in a therapist’s office he has exhausted all known coping methods. The ultimate goal of play therapy is to … [Read more...]

Pausing the “Fix It” Tendency

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As a parent, you don't want to see your child uncomfortable, struggling, or in emotional pain.   It is so tempting to jump in and "fix it."  We challenge you to consider pausing with alternative steps before eliminating the discomfort and solving your child's dilemma. Validate your child's feelings.  If your child is scared of the dark, ask questions to learn more about the fear before saying there's no reason to feel scared.  If he is scared of a monster in the closet, what kind of monster does he imagine?  What does it look like?  Validate those fears with a response such as, "That does … [Read more...]

Preparing Children for a Move

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Moving requires much planning and preparation.  The natural to-do list includes gathering moving boxes, sorting through clutter, packing, researching the new location, informing others of new address, etc.  Whether short or long-distance, it is important to prepare children for a relocation.  Here are some helpful tips to consider: 1. Be as specific as possible (and age-appropriate) with your explanation of the moving process.  This includes: Wait until your move is definite before you inform your children to avoid confusion. Take them to visit the new home or city prior to the actual … [Read more...]

Healing in the Sand

sand tray

"Often the hands know how to solve a riddle with which the intellect has wrestled in vain."  ~ Carl Jung One form of play therapy  is sand tray.  This is a safe way for clients of all ages to find some control over their lives in a healthy way.   Sand tray, or sand play as some models refer to it, allows a safe and contained space for the builder to create a world in the sand by selecting and placing different images representing real or imaginary people, places, or concepts in the sand.     Clients can choose from any of the miniatures representing the real and imaginary world in which … [Read more...]