"Children are our finest teachers. They already know how to grow, how to develop, how to learn, how to expand and discover, how to feel, laugh and cry and get mad, what is right for them and what is not right for them, what they need. They already know how to love and be joyful and to live life to its fullest, to work and to be strong and full of energy. All they need is the space to do it."       — Violet Oaklander

Children see the world from a very different perspective than adults do. The power of imagination and symbolism is strong, and play is the rich and metaphorical language which they use to express their inner thoughts and feelings to those around them. It is the natural way for children to communicate, just as adults use their words to share thoughts, feelings, and ideas.

Developmental psychologists support the use of play as a way to communicate with young children, who do not yet have the emotional or intellectual sophistication to participate in traditional verbally-based therapies. Play therapy can be used as the primary form of treatment, or may be used adjunctively along with other modalities such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.

Through the use of toys, books, and play activities, children are provided the necessary tools and therapeutic environment to allow them to safely express themselves. They can begin to explore new ways to look at their problems, try out different solutions, and learn a variety of effective coping skills. Play allows children to explore emotions in a safe and non-threatening way that is appropriate to their current developmental level.

Research supports the effectiveness of play therapy to address a wide variety of emotional and behavioral challenges that may present in childhood, such as Anxiety, aggression, Depression, ADHD, low-self esteem, social difficulties, trauma, nightmares, and sleep issues.

Play therapy has also proven to be effective with children who are having difficulty adjusting to life stressors, such as those due to grief and loss, health and medical issues, family conflict, domestic violence, and natural disasters. While many childhood upsets can be healed without therapeutic intervention, play therapy offers a natural, safe, and gentle method to foster and nurture recovery from common distressing events as well as major traumas.

"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