Game therapy for children

A Great Misunderstanding

Parents and children are often unable to understand each other. This is due to the fact that adults communicate through speaking, while children do the same through playing. This communication gap can take place because a parent is forcing his/her child to understand the way adults communicate, while the child prefers his/her own way of dealing with problems and issues – through playing games.

This is where the game therapy comes in handy. Namely, through games, both parents and children can establish a language of their own, communicating freely and being capable of dealing with any problems in the area with significantly lessdifficulties.

The Game Therapy

During the game therapy, the therapist is capable of getting into contact with the child's way of thinking and conduct, only through wisely letting him/her play. Through playing with toys aggressively, by tossing them around and destroying them, the therapist may observe aggression problems dwelling within a child. The same method is used for perceiving all other types of emotions. Joy, sadness, frustration, content and many other things can all come to the surface during these sessions.

Therefore, game therapy allows the child to feel secure, in his/her own environment cluttered with toys, free to choose any of them. This choice process is important for the behavioral analysis as well. The therapist, on the other hand, needs to adjust him/herself to the level of the child, being capable of understanding all the important data the child sends through mere playing and talking.

All the problems which a child may have are better to be treated in this part of his/her life, than to be left alone and to evolve into something far more serious later. Therefore, child game therapists are all skilled people who are educated and experienced in this field, having a master degree in psychology, sociology or child counseling.

Therefore, game therapy is conducted by people experienced in the subject, knowing exactly what they are doing and how to help the child in an adequate way. By being in a playful environment, the child is bound to feel safe and relaxed. Then, he/she is more likely to open up, when stimulated to do so, and share all the problems he/she might have, leaving the therapist to analyze these and help the child overcome the difficulties which may be burdening him/her.