Centre for Play Therapy Pty Ltd aims to provide therapeutic counselling and support to children and families across Australia. Centre for Play Therapy Pty Ltd seeks to assist all clients accessing the service to overcome the challenges they are experiencing in their lives. Specifically the service uses non-directive, child centred play therapy (CCPT) as a way of engaging and working with children to allow them the space to work through problems and experiences by using an approach of empathy and unconditional acceptance that allows the child freedom to express themselves in a language they feel most natural to them, play. The service also works closely with parents and carer to ensure they are able to support the child through the process of Filial therapy/ Child- Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) and provides therapeutic counselling for parents and carers if requested too. Non-directive child centred play therapy (CCPT) is a structured, theoretically based approach to therapy that builds on the normal communicative and learning processes of children. Therapists strategically use play therapy to help children express what is troubling them when they do not have the verbal language to express their thoughts and feelings. In play therapy, toys are like the child’s words and play is the child’s language. Initially developed in the early 20th century, play therapy differs from regular play in that the therapist helps children to address and resolve their own problems. Play therapy builds on the natural way that children learn about themselves and their relationships with the world around them. Through play therapy children learn to communicate with others, express feelings, modify behaviour, develop problem solving skills, and learn a variety of ways of relating to others. Play provides a safe psychological distance from their problems and allows expression of thoughts and feelings appropriate to their development. Children are referred for play therapy to resolve their problems. Often, children have used up their own problem solving skills, and they misbehave, may act out at home, with friends, and at school. Play therapy allows trained mental health practitioners who specialise in play therapy to assess and understand children’s play. Further play therapy is utilised to help children cope with difficult emotions and find solutions to problems. By confronting problems in the clinical play therapy setting children find healthier solutions. Play therapy allows children to change the way they think about, feel toward and resolve their concerns. Play therapy is appropriate for children aged 2- 12 years old. Teenagers and adults have also benefited from play techniques and recreational processes. Research supports the effectiveness of play therapy with children experiencing a wide variety of social, emotional, behavioural and learning problems including: children whose problems relate to life stressors, such as divorce, death, relocation, hospitalisation, chronic illness, physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence and natural disasters. Research indicates typically a child will require around 20 sessions on a weekly basis depending on the child. Research also indicates greater success for children when parents and carers are actively involved in the therapeutic process. Please contact Centre for Play Therapy Pty Ltd on 1300 424 752 or email admin@c4pt.com.au to enquire about our services and arrange an initial consultation.
