Child-Centred Play Therapy (CCPT) is something I am very passionate about. Over my career I have used many modalities as an integrative therapist, but I can honestly say that none have been as powerful as CCPT.
As I work predominantly with children from diverse backgrounds, I wanted to explore and share with you some benefits of using CCPT as a model for children who have experienced trauma.
Childhood should be a time of wonder, exploration, and joy. However, for far too many children, it's marred by experiences of trauma that can leave lasting scars. Whether it's abuse, neglect, loss, or other adverse events, the impact of trauma can be profound, affecting a child's emotional, cognitive, and social development.
Often, I see play underestimated as a therapeutic means for relief, and I must ask you why? Even as adults, when we are having a bad day, or we’re feeling down and overwhelmed the last thing we want to do is keep working. What do we do? We relax, we seek comfort, we communicate our need to process in an adult way. Maybe we watch TV, catch up with friends, read a book etc. So why aren’t we able to see the link between play being a therapeutic experience for a child?
The answer is that we have become so conditioned to think that play is just fun, but it is also vitally important to a child’s development. Play is so special; it allows kids the safest space to explore their experiences without real world consequences. Don’t we all remember role playing in the safety of our bedroom when we were angry with Mum or Dad? Maybe it was just me! But there was something so empowering about using our toys to explore the discipline that we were given. I once had a kid in the playroom put me in jail, because that is what the consequence of going to their room felt like for them. A total disconnection during a time when they were seeking.
CCPT allows children to be expressive and it uses their natural language. Dr Garry Landreth captures is perfectly “Play is the language, and toys are the words” (2012).
An area where I am seeing so much power and change with CCPT is trauma and I feel so strongly that kids are able to heal their experiences through play. When kids come to me it is because Mum, Dad or carer are seeking help and support. Sometimes we know the reason why they are coming, sometimes we don’t. But one thing I trust about CCPT is that the safety that exists in the playroom never changes. I meet the child where they are and move alongside them at the pace they set, with no expectations around speaking, sharing, or changing. CCPT gives the child the space to be authentic in their person and their experiences. For many traumatised children, trust is a fragile commodity. CCPT focuses on building a strong therapeutic relationship between the child and the therapist, creating a safe space where the child feels heard, understood, and supported. Over time, this trust and connection lays the foundation for healing and growth.
Although CCPT is non-directive and is not currently a recognised trauma focused modality, it can successfully be used to support trauma processing in children. Trauma can leave children feeling overwhelmed by difficult emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, guilt and shame. CCPT provides a non-threatening outlet for children to express these emotions through play, allowing them to release pent-up feelings in a healthy and constructive manner.
In my opinion CCPT carries a thread of exposure therapy, by allowing children to relive their traumatic experiences and work through their associated feelings in a safe environment where trauma is no longer present (Reyes & Asbrand 2005; Scott et al. 2003). In some situations, I am finding a child will engage with the experience multiple times from different perspectives, perhaps role-playing different stakeholders to explore alternative possibilities and outcomes, all in an effort to master their experience and to make sense of it.
Ray et al. (2021) describe how CCPT, specifically the therapeutic relationship is a catalyst for change. When a child comes to see me, it is my job to communicate the way they seek to communicate and sometimes that doesn’t involve any verbalisation. I use the toys as word to infer and reflect back to the children for verification. I am in their corner to create safety and acceptance so they can just worry about being themselves, without judgement. When they can explore their own identity, it births empowerment. Traumatic events can leave children feeling powerless and out of control. CCPT empowers children by giving them control over their play sessions, allowing them to make choices, set boundaries, and assert themseves in a safe environment. This sense of agency can be incredibly empowering and can help rebuild their shattered sense of self.
Through play, children learn to develop and practice coping skills that can help them navigate the challenges of daily life. Whether it is using imaginative play to explore new possiblities, building reslience through problem-solving actitivies, or learning to regulate their emotions through sensory play, CCPT equips children with the tools they need to cope with adversity.
They build self-concept, they discover personal responsibility and self-direction. They learn to embrace self-acceptance in those beautiful moments of decision-making. They gain control, where before they felt powerless. They build self-reliance and begin to foster their own awareness of coping and trust (Landreth, 2012). Perhaps most importantly, CCPT helps traumatised children build resilience and recover from their experiences. By providing a safe space for healing, validating their emotions, and teaching them essential coping skills, CCPT sets children on a path towards, resilience, empowering them to overcome adversity and thrive despite their past trauma.
When we accept our children as a whole, they feel safe to express their wants, needs and feelings. It is important to remember that all behaviour is communication. So, I urge you to practice being sensitive to what the behaviour is telling us, rather than reacting to the disruptive behaviour (Bratten et al. 2013; Cochran & Cochran 2017).
In the face of trauma, children need support, understanding, and hope. CCPT offers all of these and more, providing traumatised children with a safe and nurturing space to heal, grow, and reclaim their childhood. As we continue to prioritise the well-being of our kids, I hope this has shone a little more light on the transformative power of CCPT in helping traumatised children find healing, hope and resilience through the power of their natural language.
コメント