The Play Room
When you’re child comes into the playroom there will be a variety of toys. These toys are selected specifically to help your child to communicate their thoughts and feelings. As you will recall, toys are words for a child. In the playroom, you will see toys to help your child express feelings related to anger, sadness, family dynamics, love, disappointment, self-esteem, self-control, and many other feelings. Play is the language.
Play Therapy …
- Children communicate thru play
- Experience thru play, learn thru play
- Empowers builds, teaches, self-control
- Builds and improves self-esteem and self-worth
- Feeling expression and management
- Improves and Increases Creativity
- Relationships will improve
- Healing will occur
The Session
Your child’s first session will consist of an assessment-gathering of information. Your child may be present; however, be aware we will ask questions you may not want your child to know/hear and which may be uncomfortable. Gathering information about you (the parent) is pertinent to what is going on in your family and with your child.
Subsequent sessions will last approximately 45-55 minutes long. There are times when sessions may only be 30 minutes. This is based on the child’s needs and tolerance to therapy. Clinicians who work with your child use an integrated approach consisting of Child-Centered Play therapy, cognitive play therapy, Adlerian play therapy, expressive arts, and sand tray. Child-Centered Play therapy is used predominantly during the beginning sessions which helps your child to feel safe, accepted, and empowered. Limits are only set as needed. As your child begins to trust and feel accepted, other directive approaches will be integrated based on your child’s needs.
Family Participation
At Waves Counseling Services, we strongly believe parents, caregivers and families need to be involved and are the experts. For your child to be successful it is important that you and your Clinician communicate, partner and collaborate. Therefore, we ask parents and Guardians to meet independently of your child at times, and other times we will have family therapy as needed. Your Clinician is availabe as a resource and support.
