WU Sociology Play Therapy Analysis The Therapeutic Strategies Essay

PLAY THERAPY ANALYSIS

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”

—Fred Rogers

Play therapy is a key treatment modality in social work with children, but it may be less familiar to many mental health professionals. If a social worker has only been trained to conduct certain types of talk therapy geared toward adolescents or adults, it may be challenging to learn how to transfer and apply some of these therapeutic skills in a significantly different format like play therapy. Some of the typical strategies social workers use to engage and build rapport with older clients may look and feel different when conducting play therapy with a very young child. A social worker may feel unsure how to best utilize the session time or may wonder how to discern if play therapy sessions are yielding progress. One of the best ways to gain familiarity with any unfamiliar treatment modality is to observe and study sessions conducted by experts.

In this Assignment, you watch and analyze an experienced play therapist at work and consider how additional expressive therapies could supplement future work with the child. 

To prepare:

Review the Learning Resources on play and expressive therapies.  

Review the Child-Centered Play Therapy video by Routledgetherapy in the Learning Resources. As you watch the video, consider the strategies used to engage the child and themes drawn from the child’s behavior. 

Submit a paper in which you: 

• Analyze the therapeutic strategies the practitioner used to engage and communicate with the child. Explain how these strategies impacted the session. 
• Describe the conclusions you would draw from elements of the child’s behavior and play. In your description, identify themes you observed, questions the child’s behavior raises, and topics the social worker could explore further in future sessions.  

Identify other expressive therapies that the practitioner could also use with this client and explain how they could be beneficial.  

References to utilize and cite.

Cohen Konrad, S. (2020). Child and family practice: A relational perspective (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. 

Chapter 7, “Play and Expressive Therapies” (pp. 171–208) 

Glover, G., & Landreth, G. L. (2016). Child-centered play therapyLinks to an external site.. In K. J. O’Connor, C. E. Schaefer, & L. D. Braverman (Eds.),?Handbook of play therapy (2nd ed.)?(pp. 93–118). John Wiley & Sons.  

Sarah, B., Parson, J., Renshaw, K., & Stagnitti, K. (2021). Can children’s play themes be assessed to inform play therapy practice?Links to an external site. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry,?26(1), 257–267.  

Association for Play Therapy. (2011, January 29).?Play therapy works!Links to an external site.?[Video].      YouTube.? 

 https://youtu.be/_4ovwAdxCs0

Routledgetherapy. (2012, May 16). Child-centered play therapy DVD previewLinks to an external site. [Video]. YouTube.      
https://youtu.be/JIMWOOlR_9g

Note: If you would prefer to view the full play therapy session,       see the Walden Library: Landreth, G. (Producer). (2012). Child-centered play therapy: A clinical sessionLinks to an external site. [Video]. Center       for Play Therapy.  

Parker, M. M., Hergenrather, K., Smelser, Q.,      & Kelly, C. T. (2021). Exploring child-centered play      therapy and trauma: A systematic review of literatureLinks to an external site.. International      Journal of Play Therapy, 30(1), 2–13.      https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000136.supp 

Thomas, D. (n.d). Play therapy across the lifespanLinks to an external site..      https://www.playtherapypodcast.org/