How Play Therapy Works: Understanding the Stages by Jennifer Eubank
When children struggle with emotions or behavior, it can be challenging for parents. Play therapy offers a gentle and effective way to help children express and process their feelings naturally—through play. Understanding the stages of play therapy can help parents appreciate their child's progress and what positive changes may occur.
The First Step: Creating a Safe Space
The journey in play therapy begins with establishing a safe and supportive environment. The therapist introduces your child to the playroom, explaining that it's a special place where they can play freely. This initial stage helps your child feel comfortable and secure, building trust and rapport essential for the therapeutic process.
The Exploration Phase: Encouraging Free Expression
In the exploration stage, your child will begin to explore the playroom, interact with the toys, and express their feelings freely. The therapist offers a non-judgmental and accepting presence, helping your child feel validated and understood. This phase is marked by the child’s free expression of both positive and negative emotions.
The Working Phase: Engaging in Meaningful Play
As trust deepens, your child engages in more meaningful play, addressing underlying issues. You might see your child beginning to show signs of self-awareness, perhaps verbalizing or demonstrating new coping strategies and solutions to problems. During this phase, sometimes problematic behaviors appear to worsen as the child becomes more aware of them and attempts to work through them. The therapist supports this process, fostering your child's growth and self-understanding.
The Insight Phase: Developing Self-Acceptance
During the insight phase, your child gains a greater understanding of themselves and their emotions, leading to self-acceptance. You might notice increased patience and positive changes in their behavior, both inside and outside therapy sessions.
The Mastery Phase: Growing Self-Confidence
In the final mastery stage, your child’s self-confidence grows, and they begin applying the insights and skills gained during therapy to real-life situations. This stage is marked by a decreased need for the therapist, indicating that your child is becoming more self-reliant and capable of handling emotions independently.
Understanding the stages of play therapy can provide reassurance and clarity about what to expect as your child progresses. Each stage represents a step in your child's emotional and psychological growth, from establishing trust and exploring feelings to gaining insight and achieving mastery. Child-Centered Play therapy creates a supportive environment where children can explore, express, and ultimately heal through play.
If you're considering play therapy for your child, knowing these stages can help you feel more informed and confident in the process. This understanding supports your child in becoming a more self-aware, confident, and emotionally healthy individual.