Play & Art Therapy for Children

Play therapy uses a variety of toys and games specifically chosen for their expressive qualities. In this type of expressive therapy your child is given the opportunity to 'play out' life events, under the guidance of a trained therapist. Ideally suited for children, it is useful for those who have difficulty describing their emotions verbally and those who have the need to actively express themselves. Examples of the toys used include hand puppets, sandtray, dollhouse and dolls, Playmobil, Lego, toy cars and animals, dress-up clothes, simple percussion instruments and simple board games.

See these sites for more information:

• Canadian Association of Child and Play Therapists
• (American) Association for Play Therapy

"Art therapy is based on the belief that the process of creating art helps people to resolve emotional conflicts and achieve insight. It is especially beneficial for those who have trouble expressing themselves verbally, hence its usefulness with children." (American Art Therapy Association) 

Artistic abilities are not necessary. The act of making art helps re-direct emotions and is in itself soothing and therapeutic. The art that is produced becomes an extension of the child. This is used as a basis for discussion of emotions and also leads to increased self-confidence and self-accomplishment.

Your child's art work is kept in a folder which can be taken home when therapy ends. Having a folder full of art helps to give your child a feeling of accomplishment and increased confidence in his or her abilities.

Examples of art materials include paints, finger paints, markers, crayons, paper, collage material, stickers, construction material, fabric and clay.

See these sites for more infomation:

• Ontario Art Therapy Association
• Canadian Art Therapy Association
• American Art Therapy Association

Play and art therapy also includes traditional 'talk' therapy. The advantage of these expressive therapies is that your child is given a choice in how he or she would like to express him or herself. Your child can choose between toys, art material or talking - which ever is most comfortable. In addition, this child-centred approach helps to more easily establish the trusting bond, required for therapy, between the therapist and your child.

• increased self esteem
• decreased anxiety
• sense of accomplishment
• insight into one's behaviour
• may decrease disruptive behaviour
• increased ability to problem solve
• improvement in social skills
• catharsis

Every child is different! Typically, a minimum of 12 sessions are recommended. This allows time for a trusting relationship to develop between your child and the therapist, and for your child's issues to surface.

The sessions will begin with a meeting between you, the child's parent(s) or caregiver(s), and the therapist, to discuss your concerns regarding your child. The subsequent sessions are with the therapist and your child. A brief verbal update on your child's progress will be provided at the end of every 6 sessions.

All art supplies are included in the fee. All play materials are provided. Art supplies and toys are specifically selected by the therapist for maximum therapeutic benefit.

No art skills are required.

The process of creating the art is typically more important than the end product. The end product becomes a basis for discussion and a permanent record of the child's emotional state at that time during the therapy.

Sessions take place in my office / therapy room. See location and address details.

DTATI is a post-graduate art therapy diploma from the Toronto Art Therapy Institute (TATI). This diploma is earned after two years of study in counselling skills, child, adolescent and adult mental health, art therapy techniques, personal psychotherapy, internships within the community and a final thesis.

In the early 1930s, psychoanalysts Anna Freud and Melanie Klein found that verbal techniques used with adults, such as free association and dream analysis did not work with children. What they did discover, was that in their work with children, play seemed to be the medium through which emotions were expressed most freely. Play therapy has developed and continued to grow in popularity since that time.

In the early 1900's, Carl Jung, a psychoanalyst, became interested in the uses of art expression with his clients. He encouraged his clients to draw and observed that by representing emotions as an image or artwork, he was able to understand his clients emotions more clearly. As time went on art therapy was found to be very helpful for his adult clients who had emotional difficulties. By the mid-1900's, art therapy's popularity spread to other populations, including hospitals, schools, and seniors.

Expressive therapies, up to recently, have been considered alternative therapies by many traditional mental health professionals. Just as alternative therapies (such as massage, accupuncture, and herbal medicine) in medical practices are becoming mainstream, so too are 'alternative' mental heatlh therapies.

Play and art therapy are widely accepted in the U.S. and many countries outside of North America. Within Canada, play and art therapy has taken a hold in British Columbia and is steadily gaining acceptance in other parts of Canada. Other expressive therapies include drama, music, poetry, and dance.

Here are some links to some of the professional associations:

In Canada:

• Ontario Art Therapy Association
• Canadian Association of Art Therapists
• Canadian Association of Child and Play Therapists
• BC Art Therapy Association
• BC Play Therapy Association

A few examples outside of Canada:

• American Art Therapy Association
• British Association for Play Therapy
• Play Therapy International

My services are not covered by OHIP.

Some extended health care plans may cover Play and Art Therapy. You need to check with your plan administrator.