Play Therapy Archive

I’m not trained in art therapy, but I definitely use a lot of art and crafts in my work with my clients.  Art and play therapy go so easily together; art can easily be playful and therapeutic.  I also love it

Since the Summer Virtual Book Club for Kids is featuring Kevin Henkes this month, I though it would be a great time to review his books that can be extremely useful in therapy with kids.   (He has A LOT that

One of the most important social skills is the ability recognize, distinguish and label one’s own emotions and the emotions of others.  A great way to help develop this skill is to begin reading books that describe and picture feelings to

As a parent and a child psychologist I firmly believe in focusing on reinforcing positive behaviors … as opposed to punishing negative ones.  This stems from my knowledge of what behaviorists have studied about human behavior … AND my first hand experience

Since I took the Playdough Pledge this week … I figured it was high time that I shared HOW and WHY I use play dough in my work as a play therapist.   Play therapy uses PLAY as a way to

A few years back I found this list of questions that are terrific as keepsake questions to ask kids on a Facebook note (if anyone knows the original source, PLEASE let me know!). What is something mom/dad always says to you?

For this, our second month doing the Virtual Book Club hosted by Toddler Approved, we read The Carrot Seed, by Ruth Krauss. If you haven’t read this one (at all, or lately) I highly recommend it.  We have been enjoying it frequently

I am so excited that I will be starting off the new year in a brand new office.  It was time for a change … so, me and my friend/office mate (Dr Betz King), found a great new location and moved

Previously I posted a list of great “starter” games for kids  … Classic “Board” Games to Play with Three-Year-Olds … and WHY.  Here’s some more for when the other games are mastered!  I would recommend them for children 4 and older

A three step sequence of stating the limit, giving a warning, and enforcing the consequence can be used in a child-centered play therapy session … this simple limit setting model is also a GREAT to use CONSISTENTLY and with FOLLOW THROUGH

When teaching a class on play therapy, I teach and quiz my students on basic skills of being a child-centered play therapist.  I also discuss using these same skills with the parents of my children clients to help decrease problematic behaviors

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