Metro Atlanta Play Therapy

How Does Play Therapy Work?

Children often lack the verbal or cognitive skills to express their feelings or experiences. Play, however, is a natural form of expression they use to communicate their feelings.

In play therapy, registered play therapists meet children at their level, speaking their language during sessions. The emphasis that play puts on relationships and experience positively impacts brain development. As children explore their concerns, the therapeutic relationship helps them feel seen, heard, valued, and accepted.

Play therapists gain valuable insights through observation. For instance, they may observe how a child handles separation from their caregiver, explores toys, or acts out stories.

Play-based therapy spaces generally contain a variety of toys, games, and figurines. As a result, their toys can become symbols representing people, places, thoughts, feelings, desires, or conflicts.

Goals of Play Therapy

The goals of play-based therapy include helping with:

• Understand and express their feelings in a healthy way

• Regulate their emotions

• Process stressful or traumatic experiences

• Communicate more effectively

• Improve their problem-solving skills

• Learn better social skills and behaviors

Who is Play Therapy For?

Most children who benefit from play therapy are between the ages of three and 12. However, this type of therapy can also be adapted for infants, toddlers, adolescents, or adults.

Types of Play Therapy

There are two major types of play therapy:

• Directive play therapy: The therapist guides the session with certain goals and outcomes in mind. They introduce specific activities or toys to help a child learn new skills and make new connections.

• Nondirective play therapy: The child mostly guides the session. The therapist may place specific toys in the playroom, but it’s up to the child to decide how to play. They may also adjust their methods to reach goals through the child’s favored play activities, while still aiming for specific outcomes.

Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) is an evidence-based practice that helps children express their thoughts and emotions in a way that feels natural and comfortable for them, through play. Since children often communicate best through action rather than words, the therapist uses toys, games, art, and other activities to help the child process emotions, build coping skills, and work through challenges in a safe, supportive environment.

It’s common for the first few sessions to focus on building rapport/relationship between the child and therapist to help the child feel safe, comfortable, and ready to engage in the therapeutic process.

It’s recommended that parents form realistic expectations and understand that meaningful behavior changes take time because therapy is a gradual process, and each child progresses at their own pace. It’s normal if your child doesn’t talk much about sessions at first. The therapist will guide you on how to best support your child during this process.

Play Therapy For Children vs. For Teens & Adults

While child-centered play therapy is the most common form, it can also benefit some teens and adults. The main differences lie in communication styles, goals, therapist roles, and activities used. Play therapy is beneficial for a wide range of ages, and for those who find it difficult to express themselves verbally.

Children naturally communicate through play, while adults usually talk. Play therapy for kids focuses on learning and development, with the therapist taking a more directive role. Play therapy for adults often address unresolved childhood experiences, with the therapist serving as a facilitator and incorporating expressive arts.

What to Expect When Scheduled for an Initial Intake Appointment for Play Therapy:

During sessions:

• The therapist will meet individually with your child in a playroom equipped with carefully selected toys and materials.
• Sessions typically last about 45–60 minutes.
• The therapist will observe your child’s play themes and interactions to better understand what they’re experiencing emotionally or behaviorally.
• Over time, your child may develop new ways to express feelings, solve problems, and manage behaviors more effectively.

Parent/Caretaker involvement:

• Parents/Caretakers play an important role in their child’s progress. The therapist will provide regular updates, share insights, and sometimes involve parents in parts of the sessions or in separate parent meetings.
• You may be asked to share details about your child’s daily life or provide feedback on their behavior between sessions.
• To protect your child’s privacy, therapists are required to remain HIPAA compliant. This means that the details of what your child shares or expresses during therapy sessions have to be kept confidential, except in specific situations where safety is a concern or when information must be shared by law (such as risk of harm or abuse).
• Although you may not receive a detailed account of each session, the therapist will share general themes, skills being developed, and suggestions with you to support your child’s progress.

While your child is in session: 

You are more than welcome to wait in the lobby or in your car while the session takes place. If you plan to drop your child off and leave the office during the appointment, please go inside with your child at the start of the session to ensure they are safely received by the therapist.

Divorce and Custody Cases:

Our therapists are not custody evaluators and cannot make any recommendations on custody. We can refer you to a licensed professional who does provide custody evaluation if needed.

If applicable, at the first intake session we require a copy of any most current standing court order demonstrating the custodial rights of each parent and/or the parenting agreement that is signed by both parents and the judge. If a divorce is in process but there is no parenting plan, then we need both parents to complete all intake paperwork. If there are changes to any parenting plans, then it is the responsibility of the parents to provide the new order to the therapist immediately.

In most cases we need to have contact and written/signed consent with/from both legal guardians before we see the child for counseling. In the case there is a final-decision maker on health-related issues who wants the child to be seen for counseling even in the case the other parent does not agree; it is to the discretion of your therapist as to whether the child will be seen.

We will be in contact with both parents who share in the legal custody of the child being seen for counseling and will offer and encourage opportunities for both parents to participate in parent consultations along the way.

Family sessions may be recommended and depending on the case, may need to see the child with each parent separately along with siblings and/or other significant family members who live in the homes where the child lives.