"Transform, Emerge, Become"
Play Therapy
"It is in the playing and only in playing that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, it is only in being creative that the individual discovers Self." D.W. Winnicott
Play therapy is often misconceived as playing or just talking while playing with children. In essence, play therapy relies on the child’s natural language of play to communicate and facilitate healing. It is much easier for children to express themselves through play rather than sitting on a couch and talking as an adult. Trained play therapists utilize resources such as carefully selected toys, art, puppets, dolls, play-doh, therapeutic games and books, and sand tray to work through issues and help children heal.
An important aspect of play therapy is helping children learn that all feelings are okay by allowing a safe non-threatening way to express their feelings, beliefs, concerns, and thoughts.
It also focuses on teaching children self-regulation and healthy coping skills. Through play therapy, children can learn to overcome challenges, resolve emotional and behavioral issues, develop a sense of mastery, and increase self-esteem. In addition, it targets the inherent ego-centrism of children to help them understand that they are not responsible or at fault for things outside of their control. Play therapy will not "fix" all issues and Kimberly can assist with assessing whether it may be appropriate for your child.
Kimberly is a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S) through the Association for Play Therapy, which means that she has gone through extensive training and experience with play therapy. To maintain this credential, she also continues to build and expand her skills and knowledge by satisfying the necessary hours of continuing education/training specific to play therapy.
Parents are also involved through play therapy at Monarch Therapy. Although it is important for children to have individual sessions to be able to build trust with an objective therapist, parents are also encouraged to participate in family sessions with their children. This allows parents to gain a better understanding of their child, reinforce new skills at home, and prevents the child from becoming solely dependent on the therapist as a source of safety. Monarch Therapy can also challenge adults participating in individual therapy to reconnect with their inner child or the developmental stage at which a trauma occurred through play therapy, particularly sand tray.
For more information on Play Therapy, feel free to contact Monarch Therapy or visit the following websites:
