You might have noticed the happiness on your child’s face during their playtime. There is a strong association between the child’s pleasure and play. So as a parent, you should be familiar with play therapy in child psychiatry.
Play is a fun activity that not only boosts the mood but also elevates the spirit. Moreover, playing activities are also considered significant in relieving stress or anxiety. If we talk about the children then they can experience the activation of brain pathways that assist in their brain growth and development. Children mostly indulge in playing activities and playing with different things. Some play with toys while some play games and spend their time in different activities. Therefore, playing activities are considered the major source of happiness and mental peace for children.
What is Play therapy in child psychiatry?
Play therapy is a type of psychotherapy in which children are asked to play different games and then experts analyze their behavior. Moreover, they keep an eye on all things how they play with their toys and what they actually feel, and then behave accordingly
Who can benefit from Play therapy?
Play is a source of amusement and any individual can divert the mind by indulging in any playing activity. However, play therapy is majorly significant for children whose age ranges from 3 to 12. Moreover, teenagers and adults can also utilize play therapy to boost the process of inner healing. Overall, Play therapy in child psychiatry can generate productive outcomes for all individuals having some cognitive abnormalities.
Why Play is used as a source of Therapy?
Playing activities comprise different approaches that are directly linked with communication and learning. Play is used as therapy especially for children as they get the space to express their physical and mental health aspects. Moreover, when they play with other children they also get a chance to learn various things. Unlike adults, children face difficulty in sharing their thoughts, fears, perceptions, and all other concerns. Therefore, they use their playing activity to show what they feel or think.
How Does Play Therapy Work?
Various recent studies have reported the effectiveness of play therapy in treating and preventing common mental health issues in children. Different children have different ways to resolve their issues. Some children exhibit their anger, misbehave with their family and friends, or go out of their homes.
Communication is an essential key to resolving all types of mental health issues. Unfortunately, in most cases, there is always a major communication gap between children and adults. Adults always have the liberty to express anything as they also possess expressive skills. But children on the other hand face difficulty in having open conversations with adults. Moreover, they also do not possess the language skills that adults do. Although they feel everything they do not express what they feel. They do not feel comfortable in the presence of others and also don’t have trust in adults to soak their hearts.
Furthermore, in most cases, adults also do not understand them and misunderstand their verbal and behavioral signs. Even if any children battling with any mental issue share something with them then they do not consider them. So to avoid this communication gap, play therapy plays a significant role and assists the children in expressing their inner personalities. Experts then implement play therapy as a psychological therapy in which they interact and analyze the child when they play with toys or other children. After a thorough analysis, experts guide the children on how they can smartly cope with their mental health issues and find the best solutions to overcome them.
What are the Common Types of Play therapy in child psychiatry?
There are different types of play therapy but the most common types are the following:
Child-centered play therapy
As the name indicates, this therapy completely resolves around the child. Therapists allow the children to have complete control over their playing scenario. They are free to play anything and play with anyone. The concerned child leads the playing activity and is free to make all the decisions. Therapists do not interact with them during play therapy, They simply analyze the behavioral expressions that they exhibit independently.
Directive play therapy
This type of play therapy involves clear directions from play therapists. They do not set the child free to make their own decisions and guide the child throughout the play therapy. They not only perform the analysis of their behavior but also introduce different other toys or activities to determine their response and identification of the children’s mental health issues. Moreover, another major positive aspect of direct therapy is that under the guidance of experts, children also get the chance to explore their inner capabilities and leverage them to resolve their mental health issues.
Group play therapy
This play therapy comprises group sessions in which different children facing the same mental health challenges interact with each other. The entire session of play therapy remains under the control of play therapists. Through their close interaction, they learn different social skills to contribute to any social community. Moreover, they also get involved in better emotional expression.
Filial play therapy
This type of play therapy does not involve the direct participation of play therapists in play therapy sessions. They just guide the parents or caregivers of the children regarding all the important techniques that they can use to assist their child. Throughout the journey, they follow their skills and perform their child’s emotional development.
What are the main Play therapy approaches for a child?
The following play therapy approaches are common:
Cognitive behavioral play therapy
This involves the integration of cognitive behavioral therapy and play therapy. This therapy targets the thought processes of children during play therapy. Children learn to identify negative thought patterns and then transform them into positive ones. All the cognitive impairments are handled during the play.
Gestalt therapy
This therapy is also significant for children as they can express their inner thoughts and emotions. The therapist mainly focuses on the present moment of sessions and their associated emotional expression. Moreover, children also discover the pathways necessary for their mental growth and development.
Animal-assisted therapy
This therapy involves the use of animals during play therapy sessions. Children consider the animals as their friends and feel comfort in their presence. Moreover, they also feel reduced anxiety while talking and playing with them.
How can we help your Child through Play therapy?
If you are a parent of a child who is having some cognitive impairments then you can also self-evaluate the mental state of your child. However, the experts can better understand the mental condition of your child and then provide play therapy to assist them in getting recovered. If you are looking for the top play therapists then you are at the right place. At Renewed Mental Health Group, we have a team of play therapists who are extremely professional and skilled in implementing the therapeutic approach of Play therapy in child psychiatry. Our experts first perform an depth analysis of the child’s behavior to develop the strategy accordingly. So you do not need to search around as we have all the best psychiatry solutions for your child.
