Children explore the world in different ways to adults, using play to develop skills and find solutions to everyday problems.
Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy that involves play to help children work through difficult emotions. By using play, children are able to explore their feelings, with therapists facilitating and using play to gain insights about their behaviour.
According to clinical evidence from Play Therapy UK (PTUK), up to 84% of children show a positive change through the use of play therapies.
Our specialist play therapists at Newcastle Psychologist are highly skilled in providing play therapy in Newcastle for children with a range of emotional issues.
How Does Play Therapy Work?
When children play, they tend to pick up toys that indicate their emotional state and act out their feelings.
Play therapy provides a safe environment for children to play, allowing them to express things they might otherwise find difficult. This allows our therapists to gain an insight into their emotional state.
By participating in the shared activity of play, trust is built between therapist and child. Play therapy is completely led by the child, and happens at a pace that is comfortable for them, through a familiar and natural medium of toys and games.
Which Problems Can Play Therapy Help?
Play therapy can be used to help children with a range of different emotional problems, including those who have:
- Experienced emotional or physical trauma
- Experienced physical, emotional or sexual abuse
- Witnessed conflict or distressing events
- Anxiety or depression
- Experienced severe bullying
- Had significant life changes (such as the loss of a parent, or separation from family).
How Can Play Therapy Help Children?
Within the safe environment that our play therapists work, children are given the freedom to express and understand their emotions. Additionally, play therapy can also help your child to learn problem solving and decision making skills, social skills, motor skills, and gain more self-confidence.
Play therapy can also be a supportive intervention for children with conditions such as ADHD and autism.
As well as providing emotional support for neurodiverse children, our therapists can also offer support for families, by developing strategies to help you deal with problems caused by autism or ADHD.
Contact Us About Play Therapy in Newcastle
Our skilled psychotherapists in Newcastle and Jesmond are qualified and experienced in offering play therapy to help children with a wide range of difficulties.
If you would like to speak to our team about play therapy in Newcastle for your son or daughter’s difficulties, fill in the box below or call us on 07966645198 today.
Best wishes,
Dr Stuart Sadler
Lead Clinical Psychologist
