play therapy with children by: cathi spooner, … · play therapy with children by: cathi spooner,...
TRANSCRIPT
PLAY THERAPY WITH CHILDREN
By: Cathi Spooner, LCSW
Presented at: NACSW Convention 2010
November, 2010 Raleigh-Durham, NC
Play
The
rapy
with
Chi
ldre
nU
nder
stan
ding
the
Pow
er o
f Pla
y an
d Sp
iritu
ality
in
Clin
ical
Pra
ctic
e w
ith C
hild
ren
Pres
ente
d by C
athi
Spo
oner
, LC
SW
, RPT
/SVA
PT N
OVA
Cha
pter
Cha
ir
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
Wha
t is
Pla
y The
rapy
?A
ssoc
iatio
n of
Pla
y The
rapy
(19
97) d
efin
es p
lay
ther
apy
as:
“…th
e sy
stem
atic
use
of a
the
oret
ical
mod
el t
o es
tabl
ish
an in
terp
erso
nal p
roce
ss w
here
in t
rain
ed p
lay
ther
apis
ts
use
the
ther
apeu
tic p
ower
s of
pla
y to
hel
p cl
ient
s pr
even
t or
res
olve
psy
chos
ocia
l diff
icul
ties
and
achi
eve
optim
al g
row
th a
nd d
evel
opm
ent.”
Key
ele
men
t: t
heor
etic
al o
rien
tati
on a
nd t
rain
ing
to
impl
emen
t th
e st
rate
gies
of t
he t
heor
y
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
Pow
er a
nd B
enef
it of
Pla
y w
ith
Chi
ldre
n in
Tre
atm
ent
The
Am
eric
an A
cade
my
of P
edia
tric
s st
ates
:
“Pla
y al
low
s ch
ildre
n to
cre
ate
and
expl
ore
a w
orld
th
ey c
an m
aste
r, co
nque
ring
the
ir fe
ars
whi
le
prac
ticin
g ad
ult
role
s, so
met
imes
in c
onju
nctio
n w
ith o
ther
chi
ldre
n or
adu
lt ca
regi
vers
. As
they
m
aste
r th
eir
wor
ld, p
lay
help
s ch
ildre
n de
velo
p ne
w c
ompe
tenc
ies
that
lead
to
enha
nced
co
nfid
ence
and
res
ilien
cy t
hey
need
to
face
futu
re
chal
leng
es.”
Pedi
atri
cs, V
olum
e 11
9, N
umbe
r 1,
Janu
ary
2007
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
The
rape
utic
Pow
ers
of P
lay
by C
harl
es S
chae
fer
(Ada
pted
)
�O
verc
omin
g re
sist
ance
Pl
ay is
nat
ural
and
fun
beha
vior
for
child
ren
whi
ch
help
s to
est
ablis
h a
wor
king
the
rape
utic
alli
ance
. �
Com
mun
icat
ion
Chi
ldre
n of
ten
have
diff
icul
ty e
xpre
ssin
g th
emse
lves
ver
bally
to
com
mun
icat
e fe
elin
gs,
thou
ghts
and
nee
ds.
Play
offe
rs t
hem
a “
natu
ral”
m
eans
of c
omm
unic
atio
n. S
chae
fer
stat
es, “
Play
is
to t
he c
hild
wha
t ve
rbal
izat
ion
is t
o th
e ad
ult-
the
mos
t na
tura
l med
ium
for
self-
expr
essi
on.”
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
The
rape
utic
Pow
ers
of P
lay
by C
harl
es S
chae
fer
(Ada
pted
)
�C
ompe
tenc
eC
hild
ren
enjo
y pl
ayin
g w
hich
mea
ns t
hey
will
sp
end
muc
h tim
e in
volv
ed in
pla
ying
. Pl
ayin
g al
low
s op
port
unity
to
enha
nce
self-
este
em b
y sa
tisfy
ing
the
child
’s in
tern
al m
otiv
atio
n to
exp
lore
an
d m
aste
r th
e en
viro
nmen
t.�
Cre
ativ
e T
hink
ing
Play
enc
oura
ges
crea
tivity
and
flex
ibili
ty w
ithou
t fe
ar o
f neg
ativ
e co
nseq
uenc
es s
o ch
ildre
n ca
n tr
y ou
t di
ffere
nt p
robl
em s
olvi
ng s
trat
egie
s.
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
The
rape
utic
Pow
ers
of P
lay
by C
harl
es S
chae
fer
(Ada
pted
)
�C
atha
rsis
Chi
ldre
n of
ten
have
diff
icul
ty v
entil
atin
g in
tens
e fe
elin
gs a
nd p
lay
allo
ws
an o
ppor
tuni
ty t
o re
leas
e th
ese
pent
up
feel
ings
with
som
e em
otio
nal
dist
ance
. R
elea
sing
the
se fe
elin
gs c
an o
ften
faci
litat
e a
inne
r pe
ace.
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
The
rape
utic
Pow
ers
of P
lay
by C
harl
es S
chae
fer
(Ada
pted
)
�A
brea
ctio
nSc
haef
er s
tate
s th
at, “
Abr
eact
ion
is t
he r
eliv
ing
of
past
str
essf
ul e
vent
s an
d th
e em
otio
ns a
ssoc
iate
d w
ith t
hem
. In
pla
y, ch
ildre
n ca
n sl
owly
men
tally
di
gest
and
ass
imila
te t
raum
atic
exp
erie
nces
by
reliv
ing
them
with
a a
ppro
pria
te r
elea
se o
f affe
ct.”
T
he p
lay
ther
apis
t ca
n he
lp t
he c
hild
to
re-
expe
rien
ce th
e ev
ent
in a
diff
eren
t w
ay a
nd g
ain
a se
nse
of m
aste
ry a
nd e
mpo
wer
men
t.
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
The
rape
utic
Pow
ers
of P
lay
by C
harl
es S
chae
fer
(Ada
pted
)
�R
ole-
play
ing
Play
allo
ws
child
ren
to t
ry o
ut d
iffer
ent
role
s an
d be
havi
ors
to e
xper
ienc
e th
ings
from
a d
iffer
ent
pers
pect
ive
and
deve
lop
a se
nse
of s
elf a
s se
para
te
from
oth
ers.
�
Fant
asy/
Vis
ualiz
atio
nIm
agin
atio
n is
enh
ance
d th
roug
h pl
ay.
Scha
efer
sta
tes,
“Pre
tend
ing
give
s a
child
pow
er o
ver
the
wor
ld, e
ven
whe
n he
doe
s no
t ha
ve m
uch
cont
rol i
n re
al li
fe…
Thi
s po
wer
and
con
trol
is e
go-b
oost
ing
and
augm
ents
an
inne
r lo
cus
of c
ontr
ol.”
The
pos
sibi
litie
s w
ith
imag
inat
ion
are
endl
ess
with
a c
hild
in w
hat
he c
an
achi
eve
and
over
com
e.
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
The
rape
utic
Pow
ers
of P
lay
by C
harl
es S
chae
fer
(Ada
pted
)
�M
etap
hori
c Te
achi
ngPl
ay a
llow
s th
e op
port
unity
to
deve
lop
new
myt
hs
or m
etap
hors
to
addr
ess
issu
es r
elat
ed t
o un
cons
ciou
s co
nten
t. T
he t
hera
pist
can
obs
erve
a
child
’s fa
ntas
y pl
ay a
nd g
ain
unde
rsta
ndin
g in
to t
he
conc
erns
of t
he c
hild
.
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
The
rape
utic
Pow
ers
of P
lay
by C
harl
es S
chae
fer
(Ada
pted
)
�A
ttac
hmen
t Fo
rmat
ion
Play
ful i
nter
actio
ns w
ith s
mili
ng a
nd p
ositi
ve t
ouch
ar
e na
tura
l and
enj
oyab
le w
ays
for
child
ren
to c
onne
ct
with
adu
lts.
�R
elat
ions
hip
Enh
ance
men
tSc
haef
er s
tate
s, “T
hrou
gh p
lay,
a pl
easu
re b
ond
is
form
ed t
hat
mak
es e
ach
part
y m
ore
attr
activ
e to
the
ot
her.
Onc
e fo
rmed
, mut
ual f
eelin
gs o
f war
mth
and
cl
osen
ess
betw
een
ther
apis
t an
d ch
ild c
ontr
ibut
e to
th
e ch
ild’s
sens
e of
wel
lbei
ng.”
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
The
rape
utic
Pow
ers
of P
lay
by C
harl
es S
chae
fer
(Ada
pted
)
�Po
siti
ve E
mot
ion
Play
ing
is fu
n an
d ch
ildre
n en
joy
it w
hich
can
be
uplif
ting
for
the
child
and
rel
ieve
str
ess.
�M
aste
ring
Dev
elop
men
tal F
ears
Chi
ldre
n ca
n ov
erco
me
thei
r fe
ars
by r
epea
tedl
y pl
ayin
g ou
t th
reat
enin
g st
imul
i and
find
ing
way
s to
m
aste
r an
d ov
erco
me
thei
r fe
ars.
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
The
rape
utic
Pow
ers
of P
lay
by C
harl
es S
chae
fer
(Ada
pted
)
�G
ame
Pla
yPl
ayin
g ga
mes
invo
lves
adh
erin
g to
a
pred
eter
min
ed s
et o
f rul
es w
hich
pro
vide
s op
port
uniti
es fo
r ch
ildre
n to
lear
n so
cial
izat
ion
skill
s. R
ules
invo
lve
play
ing
fair,
tak
ing
turn
s, an
d le
arni
ng t
o lo
se a
nd w
in g
raci
ously
. Eg
o co
ntro
l an
d fo
cus
mus
t ov
erri
de im
puls
ive
beha
vior
.
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
Type
s of
Pla
y The
rapy
Chi
ld C
ente
red
�C
hild
Led
�R
elat
ions
hip
Focu
sed
�Sa
fe a
nd S
ecur
e Sp
ace
�U
ncon
ditio
nal P
ositi
ve
Reg
ard
�Be
lief i
n C
hild
’s In
tern
al
Dri
ve fo
r H
ealin
g
Dire
cted
App
roac
h�
The
rapi
st L
ed�
Sym
ptom
Foc
used
�Sa
fe a
nd S
ecur
e Sp
ace
�U
ncon
ditio
nal P
ositi
ve
Reg
ard
�A
pply
Spe
cific
The
ory
Mod
el t
o C
hang
e Sy
mpt
om
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
An
Inte
grat
ed A
ppro
ach
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
Play
The
rapy
Non
–D
irect
Chi
ld C
ente
red
Play
The
rapy
Dire
ctSk
ills
focu
sed
Expr
essi
ve A
rts
Sand
tray
Art
Non
D
irect
Dire
ct
Non
Dire
ctD
irect
How
Can
Pla
y The
rapy
Ben
efit
Chi
ldre
n?
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
How
Can
Pla
y The
rapy
Ben
efit
Chi
ldre
n?
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
How
Can
Pla
y The
rapy
Ben
efit
Chi
ldre
n?
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
How
Can
Pla
y The
rapy
Ben
efit
Chi
ldre
n?
How
Can
Pla
y The
rapy
Ben
efit
Chi
ldre
n?
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
How
Can
Pla
y The
rapy
Ben
efit
Chi
ldre
n?
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
How
Can
Pla
y The
rapy
Ben
efit
Chi
ldre
n?
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
How
Can
Pla
y The
rapy
Ben
efit
Chi
ldre
n?
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
How
Can
Pla
y The
rapy
Ben
efit
Chi
ldre
n?
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
How
Can
Pla
y The
rapy
Ben
efit
Chi
ldre
n?
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
Wha
t Doe
s Sc
ript
ure
Say?
�“T
hen
little
chi
ldre
n w
ere
brou
ght
to Je
sus
for
Him
to
plac
e H
is h
ands
on
them
and
pra
y fo
r th
em.
But
the
disc
iple
s re
buke
d th
ose
who
bro
ught
the
m.
Jesu
s sa
id,
“Let
the
litt
le c
hild
ren
com
e to
me,
and
do
not
hind
er
them
, for
the
kin
gdom
of h
eave
n be
long
s to
suc
h as
th
ese.
”
M
atth
ew 1
9:13
-14
�“H
e to
ok a
litt
le c
hild
and
had
him
sta
nd a
mon
g th
em
[dis
cipl
es].
Tak
ing
him
in H
is a
rms,
He
said
to
them
, ‘W
hoev
er w
elco
mes
the
se li
ttle
chi
ldre
n in
my
nam
e w
elco
mes
Me;
and
who
ever
wel
com
es M
e do
es n
ot
wel
com
e M
e bu
t th
e O
ne w
ho s
ent
Me.
‘ ”
M
ark
9: 3
6-37
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
Wha
t Doe
s Sc
ript
ure
Say?
�“A
nd t
he w
olf w
ill d
wel
l with
the
lam
b, a
nd t
he
leop
ard
will
lie
dow
n w
ith t
he k
id, a
nd t
he c
alf
and
the
youn
g lio
n an
d th
e fa
tling
tog
ethe
r; an
d a
little
chi
ld w
ill le
ad t
hem
.”
I
saia
h 11
:6
�“W
hen
I was
a c
hild
, I u
sed
to s
peak
as
a ch
ild,
thin
k as
a c
hild
, rea
son
as a
chi
ld; w
hen
I be
cam
e a
man
, I d
id a
way
with
chi
ldis
h th
ings
.”1C
or. 1
3:11
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
Wha
t Doe
s It
All
Mea
n?
�Je
sus
alw
ays
enga
ged
with
peo
ple
in a
m
anne
r th
at w
as m
eani
ngfu
l to
them
-at
thei
r de
velo
pmen
tal l
evel
and
cul
tura
l re
leva
nce.
�Je
sus
high
ly r
egar
ded
child
ren
and
His
pe
ople
are
reg
ular
ly r
efer
red
to a
s “c
hild
ren.
”
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
Wha
t Doe
s It
All
Mea
n?�
God
’s pu
rpos
e fo
r H
is “
child
ren”
is t
o re
flect
Jesu
s-H
is li
ght
into
a d
ark
wor
ld.
�A
key
ele
men
t us
ed b
y Je
sus
is r
elat
ions
hip
and
mee
ting
peop
le “
whe
re t
hey
are”
-de
velo
pmen
tally
, em
otio
nally
, cog
nitiv
ely
and
spir
itual
ly.�
Earl
y in
terv
entio
n in
chi
ldho
od in
crea
ses
the
likel
ihoo
d of
livi
ng a
n “a
bund
ant
life”
re
flect
ing
the
pow
er a
nd lo
ve o
f Jes
us-w
hich
st
arts
with
a h
ealth
y ch
ildho
od a
nd
unde
rsta
ndin
g ou
r va
lue
and
wor
th d
urin
g ch
ildho
od.
Phoe
nix F
amily
Cou
nseli
ng &
Play
The
rapy
Cen
ter, P
LLC
Stra
tegi
es fo
r C
linic
al P
ract
ice
�R
oseb
ush
Dra
win
g-(V
iole
t O
akla
nder
)
�Be
fore
and
Afte
r D
raw
ing
�C
olor
My
Feel
ings
Phoe
nix F
amily
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