Integrative and Holistic Play Therapy

Play Therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach first developed by pioneers such as Virginia Axline and Anna Freud. This type of therapy utilises play as a means for communicating and expressing thoughts, emotions, experiences, and internal worlds in a non-verbal way. 

A post graduate level, fully certified, therapist will observe a child’s play to gain insight into their emotional, behavioural, and developmental challenges. By engaging in this type of therapy, children can process difficult emotions, learn coping mechanisms, develop healthy relationships, and support the healing of unresolved trauma through a child’s natural form of expression, play. 

The most important part of any type of Play Therapy is the therapeutic relationship, for this reason, most therapy plans will begin as non-directive and may then move into directive therapy depending on individual needs. 

Both non-directive and directive therapy will focus on conscious and unconscious processing with the use of various mediums including: 

Toys

Sand Trays 

Art materials

Musical Instruments 

Puppets 

Therapeutic Stories

Movement and Role Play

Play Therapy is ideally suited to those aged 3-13 years. However, it is also effective with older young people depending on their developmental stage and individual circumstances.