Mina Kirkova, MA, MSW, LCSW-C Counseling: Play Therapy

I use Play Therapy when working with children and adolescents. While some children may not be able to verbally articulate their feelings, I help them express themselves through play. I observe the child’s play to determine the cause of the disturbed behavior. The therapy sessions take place in a room that is specially furnished with a play house, a sand tray, dolls, pets, games, costumes, and other props a child can use as tools for the dramatic scenes she/he directs while working with me.

Through Play Therapy a child can create a world she/he can master, practice social skills, overcome frightening feelings, traumatic experiences, and symbolically triumph over upsets that have threatened their well-being. The objects and patterns of play, as well as the willingness to interact with me, can be used to understand the underlying rationale for behavior both inside and outside the session.

I meet regularly with the parents to share my observations, learn more about what is happening in the child’s life from the parents’ perspective, and offer suggestions for how parents can support their child’s therapy. In my experience, Play Therapy has been particularly useful in dealing with a variety of issues that affect children, such as divorce, bereavement, school difficulties, socialization, ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety, childhood trauma, eating disorders, etc.

Find out more about Play Therapy:

http://www.playtherapy.org/

http://www.a4pt.org/

http://www.play-therapy.com/