What is Humanistic Play Therapy?

Humanistic Play Therapy is one-on-one therapy for children that helps children to express themselves, make sense of big feelings and learn new coping strategies that can be used in everyday life.

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Humanistic Play Therapy generally takes place once a week in a playroom filled with a range of toys, arts and crafts, instruments, books, dress ups and other play materials. The resources used in the playroom are tailored to meet the unique needs of every child and family to support a wide range of expression and exploration through play.

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During a Play Therapy session, the child takes the lead, deciding what and how they want to play alongside their trained Play Therapist. This approach of child-lead therapy allows the child to set the pace of their own therapeutic journey, resulting in long lasting and meaningful change.

 

How long does Play Therapy go for?

Play Therapy sessions generally go for 50 minutes and are most effective when they take place at the same time every week. Some children might benefit from a different arrangement.
If this is the case for your child, your Play Therapist will make this
recommendation known to you.

 

The number of Play Therapy sessions needed changes from child to child. For some children, short term intervention (12-24 sessions) provides enough support to work through tricky feelings and difficult experiences. For other children, perhaps for those who have experienced more complicated or ongoing challenges, longer term intervention may be required. 

 

How are parents and caregivers kept in the loop?

Play Therapists maintain regular communication with parents and caregivers through regular feedback sessions (every 4-6 weeks). Feedback sessions are an important part of the Humanistic Play Therapy process. During these sessions, parents and caregivers have the opportunity to ask questions about their child's progress in therapy and share things about how their child is going at home and at school or kinder. At this time, the Play Therapist may also make some recommendations for other supports for the child and family.

 

If need be, parents and caregivers can get in touch with their child’s Play Therapist by phone or by email in between feedback sessions.