Play Therapy provides a venue to communicate, when the usage of words becomes too difficult. There are times when traumatic events leave people literally speechless, or unable to effectively communicate through words. Play therapy is a psychotherapeutic and/or counseling intervention used for all ages. Its greatest value lies in its ability to capture communication through methods other than verbal exchange. Using toys, games and rituals we are able to hear stories through play. These individual, family and group stories, might otherwise go untold and exclude valuable input in our quest to understand one another. We utilize Play Therapy in the following four areas.

Children’s Play Therapy is usually a directed intervention where the therapist observes the child to explore and reveal his/her feelings during a counseling or therapy session. Traditional instruments (toys) are used based on their capacity to elicit reactions from the child relative to cognitive and emotional expression.

Adult Play Therapy is most often used when adults are not responsive to verbal interaction. Unlimited choices for games are available. The games are usually interactive requiring the participation of at least two players. The goal of the intervention is to elicit reactions relative to cognitive and emotional expression.

Family Play Therapy gleans awareness of family dynamics including, hierarchical structuring, communication systems, anxiety triggers and many other insights into family dysfunction. Such interventions provide relaxing, non-threatening openings to exploring issues that plague family systems.

Play Therapy Continuing Education Courses are offered by therapists, who hold appropriate supervisory credentials. These courses are offered to persons pursuing course credit in the area of Play Therapy or certification as a Registered Play Therapist.