& NURTURING FAMILIES

 

 






Play Therapy is a powerful tool for addressing cognitive, behavioral and emotional challenges. Licensed professionals therapeutically use play to help patients better process their experiences and develop more effective strategies for managing their worlds.


Play is essential to human growth, development, learning, and cultivating relationships. 


Play is a natural process that: 


* Builds trust and mastery 

*Foster learning and acceptable behaviors

*Regulates emotions 

*Reduces anxieties

* Promotes creative thinking and problem-solving 

*Encourages open communication 

*Elevates spirit and self-esteem


Play is out first language. Just as adults use words to communicate, children use play. When playing, we express thoughts and feelings that might otherwise remain hidden.



Mental Health agencies, schools, hospitals, and practitioners use Play Therapy as a primary intervention or as supportive therapy for: 


  • Behavioral issues caused by bullying, grief, and loss, divorce, and abandonment, physical and sexual abuse, and crisis and trauma. 
  • Mental health disorders, such as anxiety, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders, academic and social impairment, physical and learning disabilities, and conduct disorders. 


Research suggest Play Therapy is an effective mental health approach, regardless of age, gender, or the nature of the problem, and works best when a parent, family member, or caretakers is actively involved in the treatment process.  

Play Therapy 

"Play is a medium for expressing feelings, exploring relationships, and self-fulfillment." Garry Landreth. Ed.D., LPC, RPT-S