Cognitive Play Therapy is a developmentally sensitive therapeutic modality that combines cognitive and behavioural theories within therapeutic play. Through the use of play, therapy is carried out in a non-threatening and indirect style. Cognitive play therapy is at once brief, structured, educational, solution oriented, and can be either directive or non- directive. Within cognitive play therapy, the therapist accesses the play world of the child to gain their acceptance through trust, safety, and understanding. Once this occurs, the therapist gently starts to guide the play. Toys and materials such as action figures, dolls, puppets, sand, and games are used to assess, model, and gently restructure the child’s ability to articulate and regulate their emotions. A cognitive play therapist then works to facilitate the child’s the development and acquisition of new cognitive patterns to enhance their resiliencies and inner strengths.
Cognitive play therapy is not just about the therapist and the child playing, even though it may look like that to an observer. Cognitive play therapy is also not used to distract your child while the therapist unearths their subconscious, nor is the play about fantasy. Cognitive play is directed towards real concerns that a child may have about their experiences, their world, and their relationships with the people around them. The play is directed by an experienced therapist in such a way that enables the child to navigate experiences that they are currently struggling with.Cognitive play therapy is not just about the therapist and the child playing, even though it may look like that to an observer. Cognitive play therapy is also not used to distract your child while the therapist unearths their subconscious, nor is the play about fantasy. Cognitive play is directed towards real concerns that a child may have about their experiences, their world, and their relationships with the people around them. The play is directed by an experienced therapist in such a way that enables the child to navigate experiences that they are currently struggling with.
Cognitive play therapy helps children learn new coping strategies and is about supporting a child develop the skills they need to thrive in the world. The therapist recreates scenes from your child’s life and utilizes modelling, role-playing, desensitization, and other techniques to enable your child to restructure their cognitions and behaviours. Because cognitive play therapy focuses on experiential interventions that incorporate play rather than on complex verbal skills, it is particularly well-suited for children. In other words, because many children do not have the capacity to articulate themselves verbally, play therapy offers children a novel and expressive vocabulary with which to safely navigate the issues they may be facing. Through play therapy, children gain insight, problem-solving skills, new behaviours, understanding, safety, comfort, resiliency, and a sense of mastery over their emotional landscape.
Cognitive play therapy assists children navigating many life circumstances, including:
- Academic underachievement
- Anger
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Bullying
- Change in Caregivers
- Defiant Behaviours
- Depression and Sadness
- Divorce of caregivers
- Death, grief, and loss
- Emotional abuse and neglect
- Generalized Anxiety
- Physical Abuse
- Oppositional Behaviours
- Relationship and Interpersonal Conflicts
- Separation Anxiety
- Sexual Abuse
- Social Anxiety
- Social Skills Deficits
At Toronto Psychological Services, we offer short and long-term psychotherapy services for children. For more information about cognitive play therapy or to book an intake appointment with one of our clinical therapists, call (416) 531-0727 or email info@torontopsychologicalservices.com.