Play Therapy
by Mirel Krasner, MA

Therapy can be fun! I play with my child clients in order to help them heal. One way of accomplishing this is to allow the child to play in any way that he/she pleases and then talk to the child therapeutically through the symbolic play. I also use the play to understand the child's conflicts, feelings, wishes and fears.

For example, if a child plays out a theme in which they are feeling all powerful and behaving destructively, I may understand that they are feeling too powerful and that the adults in their life need to offer more protection and authority. I can then work with the adults to help them regain the authority they need to have with the child.

I can also talk to children about the characters in their play and how they are feeling, as well as introducing corrective characters into the story. Children's play stories have meaning, and play can be used to create problem resolution and a sense of confidence.

As a family systems therapist, I always believe that working with the "system" - parents, teachers, etc – can be very beneficial. At the same time, if the child's system is painful and unchanging, I can offer the child a safe place to act out their conflicts and to help resolve them.

Play therapy belongs to the child. They may play as they choose, express their feelings, or do nothing if they wish. The child may use the space to exercise their full power and choice and to feel safe. My job is to let the child play and to try and understand their world. When I gain admittance to the child's world, I have a full range of possibilities open to helping them out.