HeartWork Play Therapy

15/07/2024

Children who attend play therapy sessions often find big feelings overwhelming, so they will become easily dysregulated at these times.

Each child has a different level of resilience, and their window of tolerance (what they can cope with) varies depending on their lived experiences.

When in the play therapy room, their therapist supports them by 'containing' their emotions and 'being with' them, coregulating them through the waves of overwhelm again and again until they realise they can make it through themselves.

13/07/2024

Non-directive play therapy does not rely on a child's ability to articulate their lived experiences.

Instead, their therapist interprets their nonverbal expressions and play to make observations and reflections about how they (the child) or the characters (in the play) may be feeling.

Removing the necessity for the child to verbalise their difficulties enables them to feel seen, listened to, and understood.

12/07/2024

11/07/2024

In play therapy, the child explores their strengths and difficulties using the toys and equipment to help them.

The child is able to identify likes and dislikes within the playroom and play with these without being pushed outside their window of tolerance for whatever the toy or experience is.

Sometimes, these activities may be sensory or physical, and ultimately, the child is able to gain mastery over these experiences, desensitising themselves to or building resilience to the feeling of slime or disappointment if a picture or game doesn't happen how they expected.

02/07/2024

Play Therapy is child-led, allowing children to choose resources that meet their needs.

It uses both verbal and non-verbal communication, doesn't rely on cognitive ability and lets children progress at their own pace.

By harnessing their natural instinct to play, it empowers them to direct their own healing process.

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25/06/2024

Non-directive Play Therapy allows children to unconsciously process lived experiences and maintain a safe psychological distance from any upsetting situations they've experienced.

Playing enables children to reach a deeper level of understanding and interaction. Through these instances of play, children make sense of their world using the play to work through their difficulties. They learn other skills through different play activities again and again to gain mastery over activities they may have once found tricky.

24/06/2024

** New client slots are open **

Please let me know if you would like to know more about Play Therapy or Filial Play Coaching 🌈

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06/11/2023

New addition to my repertoire! More information about Filial Play Coaching coming soon! 🌈

14/10/2023

26/05/2023

In the most recent 416 complete SDQ records inputted. 78.4% of children referred show improvements in their mental health and wellbeing following Play Therapy.
104 of these are for children who’s SDQ score pre-therapy was 20 or higher. From this population, 88.5% of children show improvement in their mental health and wellbeing following Play Therapy.

Average percentage improvements across the SDQ sub-facets measured show: ProScoial: 13%, Hyperactivity: 24%, Emotional: 37%, Peer Relations: 27%, Conduct: 35%.
For those with a 20+ SDQ at referral, these rise to: ProScoial: 24%, Hyperactivity: 27%, Emotional: 42%, Peer Relations: 31%, Conduct: 40.5%.

The referral criteria with the highest rate of referral are: Generalised Anxiety Disorder (10.3%), Adjustment Issue With Anxiety (6.1%), Anger (5.9%), Separation Anxiety 5.6%, Aggression (5.2%)

Play Therapy International South Africa

24/05/2023

It’s International Play Therapy week! Here is some information about what Play Therapy is and how it works.