What is Play Therapy?

Play therapy is more than simply playing games or using toys during therapy sessions. Play therapists receive specialized training in child development, attachment, and developmentally appropriate therapeutic approaches that use play intentionally to support healing and growth.

At the Mossman Play Therapy Center, our clinicians are rooted in play therapy theories and the therapeutic powers of play. Some clinicians hold advanced credentialing as Registered Play Therapists, while others integrate play therapy principles into their clinical work with children and families.

Unlike "play-based" therapy, where play may be used casually to engage children, play therapy recognizes that play itself is the intervention. Children communicate, process experiences, explore relationships, and work through emotions naturally through play. Rather than using play simply as a way to get children to talk, trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to support emotional growth, healing, and lasting change.

Play therapy helps children:

• Express and process emotions
• Develop healthy coping skills
• Improve emotional regulation
• Build confidence and self-esteem
• Strengthen relationships and attachment
• Work through difficult or overwhelming experiences

Children may benefit from play therapy when they are experiencing:

• Anxiety or worries
• Behavioral challenges or emotional outbursts
• Grief and loss
• Family changes such as divorce or separation
• Trauma or stressful life experiences
• Difficulty at school or with peers
• Trouble sleeping or nightmares
• Changes in mood or behavior