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    Child Therapy

    In order to understand Child Therapy we must first understand how best to communicate with a child.  Child
    Therapy is based on the premise that play is the language of children.

    I use the term “play” in a broad sense to encompass each time a child interacts with the world around them.  This
    would include sucking ones fingers, playing with food, hitting a sibling, playing “make believe” or playing a board
    game.  Learning and development that take place well before language skills develop exist in this realm of play.  
    Children of all ages not only receive, but also send communications via play.

    Emotions are difficult for children to understand and even more difficult to express.  Even highly verbal children are
    less likely to verbally describe emotional problems and more likely to express distress through play.  Play is the
    work of childhood and provides a non-threatening way for children to express themselves and work through
    problems.

    In Child Therapy, play allows the child to express true thoughts and feelings in ways best suited to  his or her
    developmental level, in a setting in which the child has the time, space and freedom to work on issues that may be
    getting in the way of development.  With a young child the Psychologist may not even directly discuss problems,
    but will communicate with the child about them via play.  Play in Child Therapy is both a form of communication
    and a method of healing.

    Child Therapists have used play since the 1930s when Anna Freud first proposed symbolic play as a psychiatric
    intervention for children.  In 2003 Sandra Russ of Case University summarized the findings of her longitudinal
    studies of children which supported the premise that in play children learn to express emotion and solve problems.  
    She also noted that among other natural benefits of play, children also can use it to diffuse strong emotion or calm
    down.

    Parents who are puzzled by a child’s description of fun in the therapist’s office should be aware that the play is a
    means to an end.  Much more than play is taking place.
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