Below you will find information on: Depression and Play Therapy
This was a question that I was recently asked, how can play therapy be used to treat depression?
Depression and play therapy
It can be difficult at times to understand how a young child is feeling. He or she may not express themselves in the same manner as you or I. When people hear that someone is "depressed", they automatically assume that the person walks around looking sad, they may sleep alot, cry, etc.
But depression in younger children can be displayed in a very different manner. It is not unusual for an acting out child to be depressed. When children encounter stressful points in their lives, they often do not have the necessary skills to deal with their problems. They are not able to express their feelings in an appropriate way, and the feelings come out in other forms.
Play therapy can be used with children who are suffering from depression. Since young children cannot sit down and talk clearly about their feelings, a play therapist is trained specifically in how to help children in the play setting. The therapist observes and interacts while the child "plays freely" in the office (under certain conditions). The therapist interprets the behaviors and helps the child to express their feelings in an appropriate fashion.
This technique may sound really strange to some of you (I myself was certainly skeptical at first), but what I have to say to you is that it works. It is amazing how much a child can communicate through their play. For those of you that are interested in learning more about the exciting world of play therapy, please check out my play therapy resources.
Play Therapy
A collection of Play Therapy websites.