Play Therapy UK
Helping children with emotional & behaviour problems
Many children don’t want to, or cannot, talk about their problems. Play therapy is very effective for children aged 3 to 12. The child chooses from a range of activities in the play room. These include: drawing and painting, sand tray, clay, puppets, musical instruments, story-telling, role play. The Play Therapist focuses closely on the child, communicating using the media the child has chosen. Although of course, the child can talk about their problems, when they are ready, on average research shows only 8% of the session is spent in talking.
Between 73% and 84% receiving play therapy to Play Therapy UK’s standards show a positive change – the more severe the problems the higher the change. (Based on over 10,000 cases).
Because play therapy works through unconscious processes, it is important that practitioners are fully qualified and meet the highest standards of practice. Play Therapy is now regulated through the Professional Standards Authority’s Accredited Register programme. The PTUK Register of Play and Creative Arts Therapists warrants the quality and effectiveness of its Registrants. Using unregistered therapists can be dangerous.
Play therapy improves a child’s ability to learn and reduces the chance of adult mental health problems.