“Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child’s soul.” – Friedrich Froebe
Children see the world through the lens of their experience. Each child’s experience is unique, with positive and negative experiences. A child’s resilience (ability to bounce back from difficulty or change) can be affected by difficult experiences. Play therapy is designed to help children process those difficult experiences and rebuild their resilience.
According to the Association for Play Therapy © children’s natural language is play. According to Gary Landreth, one of the founders of Play Therapy, “Toys are children’s words, and play is their language. In the play, the therapist is able to see what may be impacting the child’s ability to thrive. As children begin to process their experiences in their natural language, and with play therapy techniques, the therapist can help the child process their experience. As the child processes the experience, the resilience continues to build, and the child can return to thriving.
Melanie McClung-Eidsmoe is a Registered Play Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with her, please contact her directly at 720-923-2328 or MMcclung@brightsidecounseling.net.