Play Therapy

This course covers the foundations and applications of play therapy, including how it is used to support children with anxiety, depressive, behavioural and developmental disorders. You will learn about play therapy for social and family problems, its use with adult populations, and related creative therapies such as art and music therapy. Suitable for those working in counselling, education or care settings, wanting to add play therapy to their practice.

Learn how play can be used to treat psychological problems in children and adults. Learn the approaches to play therapy that encourage the expression of thoughts and feelings as an aid to resolving psychological problems in children and adults. Learn how play can be used as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of injury, illness or disability. Develop your understanding of applying play therapy techniques to address psychological problems in children and adults. What is Play Therapy Play therapy is a therapeutic approach which can be used to help children express their thoughts and feelings through play. Although it is mostly used with children between the ages of 3 and 12 years, more recently it has also be used with older children and infants as well as special populations of adults such as people living with dementia, adults with emotional disturbances and those with developmental disabilities. As with other psychotherapies, the goal of play therapy is to help individuals attain improvement in psychological health and well-being. Course Structure and Lesson Content There are 9 lessons in this course: Lesson 1 The Foundation for Using Play Therapy Introduction What is Play? The Value of Play What is Play Therapy? Scope of Play Therapy Lesson 2 Applications of Play and Play Therapy Introduction Therapeutic Play Continuum Application of Play Therapy Choice of Toys and Materials Creating the Right Environment for Play Therapy Issues in Play Therapy Lesson 3 Play Therapy for Anxiety and Depressive Disorders Introduction Anxiety Disorders Depressive Disorders Lesson 4 Play Therapy for Behavioural Disorders Introduction Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder ADHD Use of Play Therapy Lesson 5 Play Therapy for Developmental Disorders Introduction Autism Intellectual Disability Learning Disorders Lesson 6 Play Therapy for Social and Family Problems Introduction Types of Social and Family Problems - Abuse and Neglect, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Grief And Loss, Divorce, Death of a Parent Other Factors - Schooling, Location Uses of Play Therapy Lesson 7 Play Therapy and Adult Populations Introduction Play Therapy For Adults Research Supporting Use of Play Therapy with Adults Lesson 8 Related Specialised Creative Therapies Introduction Music Therapy Art Therapy Drama Therapy Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) Lesson 9 Play and Rehabilitation Introduction Injury and Illness Disability Science and Technology Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading. Course Aims Explain the purpose for using play therapy, potential of what it might achieve, and determine situations where it is appropriate to use it as a therapeutic technique. Explain the therapeutic play continuum, applications of play and play therapy, play therapy tools, advantages and issues arising in therapy. Explain how play therapy can be used to help children with emotional disturbances such as depression and anxiety disorders. Explain how play therapy can be used to help children with behavioural disorders such as conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder and problems with anger and impulse control. Explain how play therapy can be used to treat developmental disorders such as autism, intellectual disability and learning disorders. Determine appropriate uses of play therapy for children suffering from social and family related problems such as grief and loss, crises such as divorce, and trauma-related issues. Determine uses of play therapy to assist adult populations with specific emotional and psychological problems which can benefit from play. Explain a range of different but closely related therapies including music, art, and drama therapy, and techniques used in these therapies which are incorporated into play therapy. Explain how play can be used in occupational therapy and other contexts to help people manage or rehabilitate from physical and mental disabilities, and the role of science and technology. Why Study Play Therapy? Like other types of therapy, play therapy helps to reduce or eliminate negative or maladaptive behaviours whilst encouraging the use of positive or adaptive ones. Some of the benefits attributed to play therapy include: Improved mood and positive feelings Better coping skills Enhanced problem solving Less internal conflict and stress Greater self-awareness Increased impulse control Appropriate emotional expression Improved verbal skills Better communication Improved social skills Increased confidence and self-esteem Greater trust of others Increased maturity Find Out More You can enrol on Play Therapy today. If you have any questions or want to know more about studying with ACS then call us today on (UK) 01384 442752 or (International) +44 (0) 1384 442752, or submit your questions to our specialist Health and Fitness tutors.