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Please note we are not providing face-to-face play therapy sessions at this time. play-based video sessions are available upon assessment.

Helping Children and Youth Through Their Problems

If you feel like your child needs help communicating their concerns, or have a therapeutic space to work through feelings, circumstances, or behaviours, you may want to consider play therapy services from Certified Play Therapist, Dr. Laurie Scarce, Psy.D. MFT, provided by Wild Hope Counselling and Consulting. We presently serve clients throughout the Upper Murray Regions of Victoria and its surrounding areas in New South Wales.

WHAT IS PLAY THERAPY?

Through play therapy, children understand upsetting events and muddled feelings that they have not sorted out properly. Rather than having to explain what is troubling them, children use play to communicate at their own level and at their own pace, without feeling interrogated or threatened. Often, play is the language of children. Meanwhile, toys and artistic expression are their words.

HOW CAN PLAY THERAPY HELP MY CHILD?

Play is vital to every child's social, emotional, cognitive, physical and language development. It helps make learning concrete for all children and young people, including those for whom verbal communication may be difficult.


Play therapy helps children in a variety of ways. Children learn to understand more about their own feelings and thoughts as well as receive the emotional support they need.


Sometimes, they may re-enact or play out traumatic or difficult life experiences in order to make sense of their past and cope better with their future. Children may also learn how to manage the relationships and conflicts in their lives through more appropriate ways.

WHAT DOES A PLAY THERAPIST DO?

Play therapists receive extensive training in subjects such as child development and attachment (the bonding process). As play is a child's natural form of expression, play therapists use play as a means for understanding and communicating with children about feelings, thoughts and behaviour.


I will begin by carefully listening to your concerns about your child and family. Moreover, I review history and exploring the stresses and difficulties the family has been through to help your child make sense of it in the playroom. As a play therapist, I may ask to seek information from their school and other significant adults in their lives. I will assess your child's strengths as well as his or her difficulties.


I will brief to you about what to tell your child about their play therapy. You will also be instructed on how to anticipate and answer your child's questions. I may work independently or as part of a team of professionals. Moreover, I may suggest a referral for other professional intervention as part of the support, which might include support for you.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN YOUR CHILD'S PLAY THERAPY SESSIONS?

I will have a large selection of play materials from which your child may choose. These may include arts and crafts materials, dressing up props, sand and water, clay, small figures and animals, musical instruments, puppets and books. I will then enable your child to use these resource to express him or herself without having to provide verbal explanations.

Some children will respond to a short-term intervention of 6 to 12 sessions. However, when problems have persisted for a long time or are more complex, therapy may need to be continued long term.

Sessions are usually once a week and 45 to 50 minutes long. Consistency is also very important for developing a trusting relationship with your child.

THE THERAPEUTIC PLAY TOOL KIT

  • Sand Tray and Symbols
  • Music
  • Art
  • Clay Work
  • Puppets
  • Drama, Role Play or Dress-Ups
  • Therapeutic Storytelling
  • Body Movement or Dance
  • Creative Visualisation

CAN PLAY THERAPY HELP???

Therapeutic play can support your child in their lives and in many issues which may or may not include the following:

  • Behavioural Problems
  • Separation or Divorce
  • Learning, Social, Cultural and Physical Challenges
  • Communication Problems
  • Autistic Spectrum
  • Withdrawn
  • Trauma
  • Grief and Loss
  • Abuse
  • Nightmares
  • Delayed Development
  • School Absences
  • Social Exclusion
  • Bullying or Being Bullied
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