As many traditional talk therapists are going to telehealth, I know parents are saying "but isn't the PLAY central to PLAY therapy? I don't think my kid will just sit and talk." I get it. Play IS central to our work, and I'm so glad you value it.
The truth is that the relationship is the most important part of any therapy, no matter what the method, population, or age. Play is the way that we often build the relationship, and play is the language children use to communicate. In my play room I do a lot of child-centered play therapy, which means I allow the child to choose what they want to play and then to lead that play. Giving kids a sense of power and control is an important part of the process, and one that I want to continue to foster.
The good news is there are lots of ways to play, including online. In the play therapy room I might be validating a teddy bear's feelings, but I can just as easily validate Steve's feelings in a game of Minecraft. I might observe and reflect on how a child pretends to nurture a baby animal in the play room, but we can just as easily do that with a virtual animal. In the play room we might discuss sportsmanship over a game of Uno, but we can do that online as well. How are we going to do all this, you ask? Well, that's a good question, and one I've been working hard on.
I also now have a virtual play therapy room, so they can play along with me from home. You can preview the virtual play therapy room below, and you'll notice most of the items link to a separate game or activity. Parents, please review these links and external websites before our sessions to make sure you approve. The first room is the play room, and is going to be most interesting to younger kids. If you click the arrows on the bottom left you can also visit the art room, reading room, and game room.
The truth is that the relationship is the most important part of any therapy, no matter what the method, population, or age. Play is the way that we often build the relationship, and play is the language children use to communicate. In my play room I do a lot of child-centered play therapy, which means I allow the child to choose what they want to play and then to lead that play. Giving kids a sense of power and control is an important part of the process, and one that I want to continue to foster.
The good news is there are lots of ways to play, including online. In the play therapy room I might be validating a teddy bear's feelings, but I can just as easily validate Steve's feelings in a game of Minecraft. I might observe and reflect on how a child pretends to nurture a baby animal in the play room, but we can just as easily do that with a virtual animal. In the play room we might discuss sportsmanship over a game of Uno, but we can do that online as well. How are we going to do all this, you ask? Well, that's a good question, and one I've been working hard on.
I also now have a virtual play therapy room, so they can play along with me from home. You can preview the virtual play therapy room below, and you'll notice most of the items link to a separate game or activity. Parents, please review these links and external websites before our sessions to make sure you approve. The first room is the play room, and is going to be most interesting to younger kids. If you click the arrows on the bottom left you can also visit the art room, reading room, and game room.
Click to set custom HTML
