I am a huge fan of Play Therapy when working with children in the counseling setting. I believe clinicians who want to work with children should invest in a solid foundation of education and seek out the Registered Play Therapist credential.
The Association for Play Therapy’s website describes child play therapy as a way of being with the child that honors their unique developmental level and looks for ways of helping in the “language” of the child – play.
“The toys are their words and play is their language.” If a child is willing to participate in psychotherapy, they can communicate to an attuned play therapist all about their world. The toys in the play therapy room are carefully selected and there is much attention paid to how the child interacts within the room.
If you are interested in learning more about the therapeutic powers of play, check out the Association for Play Therapy’s website at http://www.a4pt.org