Children’s Therapy
Mental health difficulties in children often manifest as behavioral issues. Childhood is a very special time and also a time of incredible growth for children. Deciding what is normal or age appropriate can be hard to determine at times for parents and caregivers.
Benefits of Therapy
- Children learn to identity and express their feelings
- Children learn new coping skills to manage their feelings
- Children develop self-confidence
- Children develop hope
- Children release stressful feelings
- Children release stressful and/or traumatic memories
- Children develop healthy routines
- Children develop the emotional/behavioral connections
- Children learn and develop self-respect
- Children learn and develop respect for others
- Children feel safe
Common Signs of Stress or Mental Illness in a Little One’s Life:
- Excessive fears and worries
- Extreme hyperactivity
- Sudden decrease in school performance.
- Physical aggression
- Bullying other children
- Self-injurious behaviors
- Loss of interest in friends or favorite activities.
- Loss of appetite.
- Sudden changes in weight.
- Excessive worry about weight gain.
- Sudden changes in sleep habits.
- Avoiding friends and family
- Irritability
- Frequent mood swings
- Frequent anger
- Low energy or motivation
- Defiance with parents and/or teachers
- Changes in hygiene
- Childhood depression
Horizon’s Play Therapy Center
We have a wonderful and culturally sensitive playroom to address all childhood challenges from anxiety, trauma, sexual abuse, aggression, ODD, ADHD, and other behavioral issues. Why play therapy? Play is essential to human growth, development, learning and cultivating relationships. Play is a natural process that regulates emotions, reduces anxiety, promotes creative thinking and problem solving, and elevates self-esteem. We provide a wide range of expressive therapies for children and tweens that include sand play, play therapy, and art therapy.
What is Play Therapy?
Play Therapy is to children what counseling is to adults. Play Therapy utilizes play and children’s natural medium of expression to help them express their feelings more easily through toys instead of words.
Play Therapy is the most appropriate method of treatment for children who are having difficulties coping with life situations. Though children lack the cognitive skills to express themselves with words, they are fluent in the language of play.
Play therapy allows them to express themselves in the way in which they are most comfortable. Play therapists are specifically trained to provide an environment of acceptance, empathy and understanding in the play therapy room. Play therapy is not the same thing as playing.
Play therapy uses the child’s natural tendency to “play out” their interactions with life situations, in the presence of a trained play therapist, to help the child feel accepted and understood and gain a sense of control or understanding of difficult situations.
Play Therapy has been shown to be effective in dealing with issues such as:
- Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Behavior problem
- Trauma- divorce, separation, abuse/neglect, foster care, adoption
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Autism
- Anger Management