Deciding if Play Therapy is Right For Your Child
Please email or ring us to book a free, no obligation 15 minute chat. We are happy to speak with you about the needs of your child and family and help answer any questions you might have about Play Therapy.
Please also browse the information found on our website. You will be able to find information there about what Play Therapy is, Who can benefit as well as costings.
Of course, we encourage you to play with your child at home. Playing can help strengthen the bonds between family members and allow for fun and positive interactions to occur.
Therapists at The Play Therapy Project are qualified in one or more Play Therapy approaches. The mental health understandings that they have allow them to tailor the play experience to:
- Assist your child to express their inner thoughts and feelings
- Tap into different areas of the brain through targeted verbal and non verbal interactions
- Direct and guide your child towards positive strategies for coping with challenge
- Continue to monitor and assess the progress and effectiveness of the Play Therapy intervention
Play Therapy is an evidence based approach to children’s counselling. As such it is more than just playing and each interaction with the therapist is based in theoretical and scientific understandings of how best to assist your child when challenged.
In most cases Play Therapy sessions will occur weekly and run for 45 minutes.
In cases with very young children and/or children with developmental delays a 30 minute session may be more suitable. The therapist will discuss this with you if the standard session time presents an issue.
In Synergetic Play Therapy we suggest planning for 15 therapy sessions. The therapist will speak to you about your child’s situation and any variations on this as they get to know your child and your family.
In an initial appointment the therapist will be able to talk with you about strategies that may assist the therapeutic process to be completed in a shorter amount of time. They will also discuss with you any notable aspects of your child’s history that suggest that the therapeutic approach may take longer.
. Any person can choose to start their child in play therapy, a referral from an external organisation or doctor is not required.
A referral may be required if an external agency has suggested play therapy and is supporting the process financially.
There are no Medicare rebates available for our Play Therapy services. Prices are as noted on our website or may be provided through contact with our service.
The Play Therapy Project is currently able to provide NDIS plan services for people who are self-managed or plan managed and whose goals can be worked towards with play therapy.
At The Play Therapy Project the price for play therapy sessions accessed by NDIS clients is the same as that offered to all clients. Additional charges may occur, for any client, if additional services are accessed such as a request for written reports.
At this stage we are unable to offer NDIS covered services for those who are agency managed as we are not a registered NDIS provider.
Therapy does not aim to change who your child is. Therapy aims to help provide your child with the tools they need to cope with challenges they encounter in life. It aims to unlock options, choices and pathways for them that currently may feel blocked. It aims to ensure they have the chance to meet their potential.
The Play Therapy space is permissive so that a child can bring in whatever they want to work on. All expressions and experiences are accepted within play therapy but all behaviours are not.
There are limits that can be set in a play therapy session when appropriate. Limits are often set to ensure the safety of the child, therapist, toys and space.
In play therapy an expression such as hitting may be accepted. The child may act this out with the limitation, for example, that they can hit a cushion or a toy but the therapist is not for hitting.
Planning for The First Session
When introducing the idea of Play Therapy to your child we recommend you consider the following explanation:
“You know that lately you have been having trouble with XYZ (feeling really scared, having trouble at school etc or as applies to your child)? If a mummy or daddy had trouble with XYZ then they would go and talk to someone about it. Talking might be hard or just boring for a kid so some kids get to have a special play time instead.
You are going to get a special play time that is just for you. There will be a room full of toys and (insert name) a Play Lay who you will get to spend time with. “
Please provide your child with a small snack prior to session. This is especially important if coming straight from school or a sporting activity where they have been busy.
We also ask that, where possible, you allow them time to go to the toilet prior to the session starting.
We recommend you consider ensuring your child is in comfortable clothing that is ok for messy play. If your child comes straight from school, you may wish to pack an extra T-shirt for them to change into.
Your child may bring a water bottle into session if they wish too.
Some children wish to bring in a toy from home. If they wish to do this we allow and encourage this. We do ask that the parent/guardian only allow it if they are ok with the child playing with it in session. This could include putting it in water or sand or being around paint. Alternatively if the child brings a toy that is not allowed, for example, to get wet, we ask that you communicate this clearly with the therapist prior to the session.
We recommend you consider ensuring your child is in comfortable clothing that is ok for messy play. If your child comes straight from school, you may wish to pack an extra T-shirt for them to change into.
Your child may bring a water bottle into session if they wish too.
Some children wish to bring in a toy from home. If they wish to do this we allow and encourage this. We do ask that the parent/guardian only allow it if they are ok with the child playing with it in session. This could include putting it in water or sand or being around paint. Alternatively if the child brings a toy that is not allowed, for example, to get wet, we ask that you communicate this clearly with the therapist prior to the session.
- A Child wanting to get something from a parent such as a water-bottle
- A child needing parent assistance for toileting
- a session ending earlier than anticipated.
Play therapy sessions are a mental health appointment. While often children will come out of the session happy and saying they had fun, the work done in the play room can be emotional an hard. Children may need to know that when they come out of a session their parent will be there for them.
Outside the Session
As the parent/ guardian of your child the therapist will aim to collaborate with you every step of the way. This will begin with an initial consultation appointment between the therapist and yourself.
Initial Consultation – this is a 1-1 ½ hour appointment between you and the therapist, conducted before any child Play Therapy sessions begin. In this session you will have a chance to speak to the therapist about:
- your reasons for bringing your child to play therapy.
- Past experiences and developmental history of your child that may have contributed to their current feelings and behaviours
- Goals for therapy
- The Play Therapy approach and what therapy will be like for you and your child if you choose to begin
Weekly 10-15 minute session reviews- At The Play Therapy Project we offer a weekly 10-15 minute parent/ therapist catch-up about the child’s session. In most cases this is done via phone call on the following day from your therapy appointment. This phone call allows the following:
Time for the therapist to provide a brief overview of the child’s last session and what themes may have been present or worked on
An opportunity for the Parent and therapist to discuss any changes at home
Some Play Therapist and approaches allow for this catch-up immediately after each session, if the child is able to be left alone in a waiting area. At The Play Therapy Project we believe in the benefits of the parent/guarding being free to reconnect with their child immediately at the end of the session. We also believe that we can offer more to the parent in feedback through allowing the time for the therapist to reflect on the session and consider what important points they wish to share with the parent/ guardian.
Email option for you to provide information – You will have access to the therapists e-mail address. We encouraged parent/guardians to use this contact to provide information to the therapist on things that may have occurred during the week.
The therapist will respond to your emails where appropriate and/or speak to you about the information provided in the catch-up sessions.
Parent Consultation sessions – These can occur approximately every 5 or so weeks. This session goes for 45 minutes – 1 hour. In this session you and the therapist will be able to:
- Explore information on what is going on inside your child’s brain and how this affects their behaviours
- Discuss strategies that may be implemented at home to support the therapy process
- Review the goals that have been set for therapy, progress, successes and if new goals need to be added
- Have the therapist answer any questions that have arisen for you in the previous weeks.
Some families choose to have the parent/therapist session replace the child’s session for that week. Some families may wish to schedule the consultation at a separate time from their child’s session. If the session is completed as an additional appointment additional costs will apply.
Your child’s Play Therapist will not explain specifics to you about the child’s play. i.e. they would not usually say “She played with the blocks, then she picked up a doll etc.”
The therapist will use their understanding of the child’s play to provide you with feedback on themes that emerged in the play and the stage of play therapy that your child is working through. This could sound something like, She came into the play room and worked on anxiety today. There was a lot of experience of feeling anxious and even feeling really overwhelmed by that anxiety.”
What Else......?
There are Several associations where play therapist may choose to register. These associations provide listings, that you can search, of play therapist who are registered with them. The associations include:
Australian Play Therapy Association: http://www.playtherapyaustralia.com/
Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association: http://appta.org.au/
You may be able to locate a play therapist through these associations. It is worth noting that registration is not a requirement for play therapist and not all therapist available in your area will be registered with an association.
Registration information may also not tell you about the type of play therapy practice such as directive or non-directive. You may need to contact several places and enquire about services to find what is right for you and your child.
We are also happy for you to contact us at The Play Therapy Project. We will provide you with information on a service in a location closer to you where we can.