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What is Play Therapy?

Play Therapy is a therapeutic approach that uses play as the natural language for children to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a safe and supportive environment. Since children often struggle to articulate complex emotions, play therapy provides a way for them to communicate through toys, games, art, and other creative activities. This method is particularly effective for helping children process trauma or difficult experiences that may have occurred before they were able to speak. A trained therapist observes and guides the child’s play, gaining insight into their emotional world and supporting them in working through challenges like anxiety, grief, or behavioral issues. Play therapy fosters emotional growth, enhances self-regulation, and equips children with the tools they need to navigate and heal from past trauma in a constructive way.

NDIS and Play Therapy:

Play therapy is a powerful tool within the framework of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), facilitating capacity building, emotional regulation, and social skill development. Through carefully structured play activities tailored to individual needs and goals, play therapy enables participants to enhance their cognitive abilities, communication skills, and problem-solving capabilities. Moreover, by engaging in play-based interactions, individuals can explore and express their emotions in a safe and supportive environment, fostering emotional regulation and resilience. Additionally, play therapy promotes social skill development by encouraging cooperation, turn-taking, and perspective-taking during interactive play sessions. By aligning with NDIS goals, play therapy empowers individuals with disabilities to achieve their full potential and participate meaningfully in their communities.

What is Interplay?

Interplay is a Humanistic therapy approach that harnesses the universal language of play to help families recreate, reorganise, and rewrite from past trauma. By tapping into the innate capacity for play, this method facilitates the rewiring of neural pathways, promoting emotional healing and transformation. Interplay combines elements of play therapy with family therapy techniques, offering a holistic approach to recovery that includes parents in the therapeutic process.

In Interplay therapy, trained therapists use toys, games, and other creative activities to help children express and explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Through play, children can process trauma, develop coping skills, improve communication, and address behavioural issues. The approach also encourages a dyadic relationship between parents and children, fostering a deeper connection and providing parents with tools to support their child’s emotional growth. This inclusive and supportive environment allows for healing on both an individual and family level.

How Can Play Therapy Help?

Social Skills Development: development of social skills such as turn-taking, sharing,

cooperation, and communication, which are essential for individuals to interact

effectively with others.

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Emotional Regulation: exploring and expressing emotions, teaching coping strategies,

and developing self-regulation skills.

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Behaviour Management: learn appropriate behaviours, manage challenging

behaviours, and develop positive coping mechanisms to deal with stressors and

triggers in their environment.

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Sensory Integration: help regulate their sensory experiences and improve their ability

to process and respond to sensory stimuli.

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Cognitive Development: promote cognitive development, including problem-solving

skills, decision-making abilities, and enhancing cognitive flexibility.

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Self-Esteem and Confidence Building: boost self-esteem and confidence by

providing opportunities for success, positive reinforcement, and fostering a sense of

competence and mastery over challenges.

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Relationship Building: develop and improve their relationships with peers, family

members, and caregivers by practicing social skills, empathy, and understanding

boundaries.

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Trauma Processing: offer a non-threatening way to process and make sense of their

experiences, express their feelings, and work towards healing and resilience.

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Parent/Caregiver Support and Education: Play therapy can involve parents or

caregivers in the process, providing them with strategies, techniques, and insights to

support their child's development, enhance their relationship, and address specific

challenges.

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Integration and Inclusion: integration and inclusion of individuals with disabilities

into their communities by fostering skills and abilities that enable participation in

social, recreational, and educational activities.

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These goals can be tailored to the unique needs, strengths, and preferences of each

individual receiving play therapy services privately or under the NDIS, with the aim of

promoting their overall well-being and quality of life.

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Evidence for Play Therapy

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