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tessa
eadie
B
SOC SCI (Psych) (UCT) HNRS (Clinical Psych)
(Unisa)
MDIAC (Play Therapy) (Unisa)
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"When
I approach a child,
he
inspires in me two sentiments; tenderness
for what he is,
and respect for what he may become."
Louis Pasteur
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What
is Play Therapy?
All children love to play. Not only is
this wonderful activity fun and relaxing,
it is also invaluable. Play is every child’s
greatest tool as they explore their surroundings
and make sense of their day to day experiences.
It is through play then that unresolved
thoughts and feelings tend to arise.
Working
therapeutically with play, often the only
emotional language available to a child,
offers a non-threatening environment in
which concerns can be raised and freely
explored. Common mediums of play include
clay, sandtray, pictures, and puppets.
Through Play Therapy a child is guided
toward a growing level of awareness.
He/ she is encouraged to note the parallels
between what is happening on the sandtray
(for example), and the reality of this
in their own lives. A play therapist hereby
supports a child as they link their play
to creative and positive ways of understanding
their lives.
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Benefits of Play Therapy
Play Therapy is gentle and non-invasive.
Children of 4 years and older can
benefit from Play Therapy as they
grow in understanding of themselves,
particularly as they are challenged
with processing difficult emotions.
Examples of life situations that
might raise such feelings include
sibling rivalry, bereavement, divorce,
social interaction difficulties,
problematic experiences of attachment,
and acute/ chronic medical conditions.
Play Therapy offers an empowering
opportunity for emotional development
as children are supported to make
sense of these experiences. |
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