For children, play is one of the main tools for development in life. With its help, they learn to interact with other people, develop intellectually and physically, explore the world, and broaden their horizons. And most importantly, they do it all in an interesting way without coercion. Game therapy (IT) is a psychological tool aimed at working with mental disorders in people of all ages through participation in a certain game.
What is "play therapy"? A little history
Back in 1913, Sigmund Freud decided to use this technique to work with children. He was guided by the fact that a child shows his activity through play and thereby reveals passive sources of experiences.
Then, almost 20 years later, his example was followed by Melanie Klein, who preferred to take the role of an observer in this type of therapy. In her work, she practiced bringing awareness to children of their own behavior and state through play.
Anna Freud went against her in 1946, who believed that in play therapy the doctor should occupy a dominant position, in principle, like the patient’s parents, whom she actively involved. In addition, she used dolls that interpreted the people around the child, and through them she resolved conflict situations, behavioral problems and life relationships.
Play therapy began to gain momentum in the forties. Various techniques, varieties and directions of this method of treatment have appeared. And since then, IT has only improved because it has good practice.
Gardenotherapy
Garden therapy
is a direction of psychosocial, professional rehabilitation through working with plants.
Older people enjoy growing and caring for plants. The special emotional mood associated with performing the necessary work is mentally calming.
Garden therapy is used to correct behavioral and emotional disorders, to improve the psycho-emotional state of people.
Garden therapy is used with elements of other sociocultural technologies - music, art, bibliotherapy, photography, design, origami.
Goals of play therapy
- Development. In this vein, classes can be conducted not only with children who have any psychological disabilities, but also with healthy ones. Using this type of therapy, a psychologist will help you unlock your potential and develop certain skills.
- Correction. Game therapy in this case is again not aimed at treating a disease, but at eliminating some small behavioral barrier.
- Psychotherapy. Elimination of anxiety, fears, assistance in overcoming severe psycho-emotional problems, for example, parental divorce, the birth of a younger child.
It’s more fun, interesting, and easier for children to perceive information in a playful way. A doctor who provides child psychotherapy through play is a specially trained play therapist. During a therapeutic session, the child brings a lot of personality into the playing field, so it is very important for the therapist to be able to see those situations that concern the child. And it is also equally important to be able to play out disturbing moments during the lesson so that the patient’s feelings go away.
The fact is that a child does not always know how to independently recognize an internal conflict, much less come to the doctor, sit in a chair and talk about it. As a rule, this problem manifests itself through disobedience, aggressive behavior, anxiety and other disorders. But on the other hand, a child can demonstrate all his anxieties during play, since it is his leading activity. Therefore, a lot depends on the play therapist. He must be able to “read” and evaluate situations during the game, and help the patient find mental balance.
Direction use
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Indications for the use of play therapy and when is play therapy effective?
For children, especially young children, everything that happens around them is a game. Therefore, it cannot be said that there should be some indications for it, since for children this is the main form of leisure. It is during the game that children are always in a good mood, open to interaction and do not regard such pastime as something unpleasant for themselves. But from the point of view of psychological deviations, IT will help in the following cases:
- isolation and unsociability;
- the presence of hidden and obsessive phobias;
- disobedience or superobedience;
- bad habits (nose picking and others);
- establishing relationships (with parents, with brother, etc.);
- aggressive behavior;
- self-harm (pulling out hair, eyelashes, biting lips, etc.);
- retarded speech development;
- stressful situations;
- problems with reading, as well as academic performance in general.
Types and methods of play therapy
In order for the game to take place, rules for its conduct and toys, if necessary, are necessary.
Depending on the psychological principles on which the rules of the game are based, the following types of play therapy are distinguished :
- IT in psychoanalysis;
- game therapy in domestic psychological science;
- primitive IT;
- play therapy for relationship building;
- IT response;
- play therapy with unstructured material;
- individual IT;
- group play therapy.
IT methods depend on toys or additional props that are used during therapy. Since there are many options, it turns out that there are many methods, but we will highlight the main ones.
- Sand
- Fairy tale therapy
- Active
- Passive
- Puppet therapy
- Liberating
- Structured
- Relationship therapy
- Chess
- Musical
According to some names, their essence becomes obvious. But I would like to clarify that the meaning of the active method is that the game therapist plays the game along with the patient or is its leader. In passive mode, he takes on the role of observer. In the liberating and structured methods, the goal is to play out the situation that is gnawing at the child, as well as the release of emotions. Relationship therapy places the emphasis on what is happening here and now in the office, rather than on the patient's past. There are various play therapy programs for this purpose.
Game therapy products
In IT there must be a leader - an adult. As a rule, this is either a play therapist or a parent. They provide the means that allow the patient to open up. They are selected based on medical history and individual characteristics, and can be as follows:
- dancing;
- modeling;
- outdoor games;
- drawing;
- games with dolls;
- sand games;
- design;
- role-playing games.
In addition to the means described above, there may be any others that allow you to liberate the child and open his inner world. Their task is to model situations in which the child can resolve an internal conflict. Therefore, the use of toys and other objects helps to bring the model closer to reality and thereby identify the problem during the game.
We also recommend reading: Isotherapy - healing through creativity
Dramatherapy
Drama therapy is a targeted method of influencing the patient, with the help of which the psychotherapist achieves the manifestation of any emotions in order to normalize and restore his emotional state. This technique is based on invented dramatic plots. By participating in the enacted story, without noticing to himself, the patient gets used to the role offered to him and thereby pushes himself to solve the psychological problem that has arisen. Drama therapy has found its application in the treatment of such disorders as:
various unresolved psychological problems; minor psychological deviations; intra-family conflicts; psychological disorders.
Drama therapy also includes the resource technique of art therapy and involves the implementation of several sessions, with the help of which the psychotherapist helps the patient to establish contact with the outside world and solve his personal problems. When using this technique, for most patients the result of stabilization of the psychological state occurs in the shortest possible time.
Play therapy for preschool children
The time when children start going to kindergarten is always a stressful period in their lives: a change of permanent residence, an increase in the number of people around, prolonged separation from parents, early rises and other moments unsettle the child. All this can provoke aggressive behavior, increased anxiety, disobedience, protest and other behavioral deviations. In such situations, the use of play therapy is more necessary than ever.
Starting from the age of two, you can begin to correct the baby’s behavior. During the game:
- emotional balance is achieved;
- behavior is corrected;
- social skills develop;
- gaps created by the family are eliminated.
A very important point is that the child should be comfortable and interested during the game, then the result will not be long in coming, and he will learn:
- make friends with other children;
- be aware of your “I”;
- respect others and their selves.
When visiting the kindergarten, every day the baby is in the same conditions, which give rise to fears and complexes. IT is aimed at working through them, understanding them and getting rid of them.
Bottom line
Play therapy is the leading method when working with children. Parents can also participate if they wish to establish positive relationships with their children. The result of play therapy will be the transformation of a person, the elimination of fears and complexes, the solution of problems and the release of internal potential.
Play therapy can be used when working with adults. Here, various roles are often played out, where the client plays himself, and the means of play therapy act as circumstances and other people.
Game therapy is the immersion of a psychologist into the world of preschoolers. Observing children during play allows us to identify problems and possible causes of their occurrence. Play therapy is designed to help a young patient overcome developmental difficulties, eliminate behavioral problems, and figure out what is really bothering them. A well-conducted session of such a game will allow him to understand how he feels and how to behave better.
The result of the therapy: the child’s self-esteem should increase, communication skills should develop, and the level of anxiety should decrease. It is better if the process takes place in a specially equipped room with a psychologist in a kindergarten.
Functions of play therapy
Play activities perform three functions that are important for the successful work of a specialist with a preschooler in kindergarten:
- Diagnostics. Play therapy helps clarify the characteristics of a child’s personality, his relationships with the outside world and people in particular. Just talking with a child who withdraws for various reasons, it is difficult to understand something, whereas in an informal setting the child at the sensorimotor level shows what he has ever experienced. Spontaneous action will allow the preschooler to express himself most fully, and completely involuntarily.
- Education. Game therapy allows you to learn how to rebuild relationships and expand your horizons during one or several sessions. Thanks to her, the baby goes through a painless process of readaptation and socialization, learns about how everything is organized in the world around him.
- Therapeutic function. The preschooler is not yet interested in the result of the game; what is much more important to him is the process itself, during which he plays out his experiences, fears, awkwardness in communicating with others, and finds a solution to his conflicts and problems. As a result, he not only develops, but also significantly strengthens the necessary mental processes, gradually
Indications for the use of play therapy
The work of a psychologist in a kindergarten with preschoolers is very important. He must promptly determine the need for play therapy sessions with individual children or groups
- isolation and reluctance, inability to communicate;
- phobias and infantilism;
- bad habits and antisocial behavior;
- over-obedience with over-conformity, etc.
The psychologist’s task is to get to know the child and select all the necessary methods that will be useful to him.
Sand play therapy
Sand play works in several ways and eliminates many problems. Such a pastime seems simple, but in this simplicity lies the effect.
- Irritability, tearfulness, and aggressiveness are relieved.
- Fantasy develops.
- Social connections are being built.
- Coordination improves.
- Fine motor skills are stimulated.
- The mood lifts.
Thanks to modern technologies, you can play not only in the classic sandbox, but also in special backlit sand tables. Such therapeutic leisure allows you to create in real three-dimensional space. A child, playing with sand, feels like the creator of the whole world.
Who is better for a child to play with?
It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. It all depends on the goals described above. If it is necessary to reveal potential or slightly correct behavior, then it will be comfortable and adaptive to do this with parents. After all, they are the ones who know their baby better than anyone else and will find an approach to him. And the child will be more comfortable playing with relatives. Regular trips to the office with a “Psychologist” sign can themselves cause stress, which is unnecessary if the baby is just a little capricious, for example.
Parents cannot always cope with psychological disorders on their own due to many factors: subjectivity, lack of appropriate education, time, desire, and others. Therefore, in such cases, it is better to contact a play therapist who, if necessary, will involve both mom and dad in the game or teach them how to play at home.
Home play therapy
Parents are concerned about whether it is possible to carry out play therapy work at home, without the participation of a professional psychologist. Experts advise that you definitely consult with a psychologist in each specific case so that the psychologist can select the necessary exercises for a particular child and solve his problems.
You can complete the entire session of such treatment in a specialist’s office or attend several classes to learn how to properly perform the exercises of the prescribed treatment. Psychologists believe that the best results come from activities with the presence of significant adults for the child - parents, as well as grandparents. The foolish child, feeling his parents nearby, behaves more relaxed.
The maximum benefit from play therapy, as well as a strong psychological impact on a preschooler, is provided by games in which relatives and loved ones act together with the child. Such treatment sessions are also useful for parents, because joint activities help to better understand their own child, establish trusting contact with the baby, and strengthen relationships within the family.
Different games for different purposes
Unfortunately, there is no one universal game that would allow you to get rid of childhood problems. The choice of game depends on the source of the disorder and its depth. It is best if a psychologist selects suitable leisure time. But there is no harm from games, so you can use the recommendations described below.
Several conditions must be met for the game to be successful.
- Such a pastime should be interesting not only for a child, but also for an adult. Children always sense insincerity. And if they know that their parents play with them because they have to, and not because they want to, then the entire therapeutic effect may come to naught. The sincere pleasure of all participants is the key to success.
- The game should be spontaneous. For kids this is of particular importance. If a child plays according to some schedule, then for him it will not be entertainment, but work.
- The game must be voluntary. In general, this is obvious from the previous paragraphs. Entertainment under pressure is no longer such.
Games to improve psychological well-being
Children feel calm when they know that someone needs them and is interesting. The easiest way to show this is through the following well-known games:
- blind man's buff;
- tag;
- hide and seek;
- obstacle course.
In all games, it is important to give in a little, if it is clear that the baby is not coping, to encourage and praise for success.
Games that help correct aggression
For children who show aggression, it is important to show in contrast that there is another model of behavior, and also that any dispute should end on a positive note. These games can be played from the age of two.
- War game. A child and an adult throw various safe objects at each other: pillows, wads of paper, plush toys, using shields and shelters. And they end the fight with a draw and hugs.
- Cats. The baby and the adult take turns turning together, either into kind, purring and caressing cats, or into angry and hissing ones. Instead of cats there can be dogs, hedgehogs and any other animals.
Games aimed at relieving tension and relaxation
The main goal of eliminating these parameters is a change in brain activity and physical calm.
- The sea is agitated once. The well-known game works great for distraction and relaxation. The adult says: the sea worries once, the sea worries two, the sea worries three, the sea (terrestrial, vegetable, any other) figure freeze! While voicing the phrase, the child sways as if on the waves and freezes at the last word in some position until the presenter guesses what kind of figure it is. Then the players change roles, or do the same thing again. This entertainment is suitable for children from three years old.
- Doll. The presenter tells the child to imagine that he is turning into a doll. Lists all the parts of the body that should become stiff, while pressing on them. The child freezes in one position, trying to tense all his muscles until the adult says that the baby has become a human again. He becomes glorified and softens. This game can be played from the age of four.
Games that help correct fears
If a child is worried about internal experiences and fears, it is important to show him that in any situation you can find a way out and be saved.
- Cat and mouse. An adult and a child take turns taking on the role of a cat or a mouse. The cat is sleeping, and the mouse is running around him and squeaking. He wakes up, starts hunting for the mouse, she runs away and saves herself in her hole. This game can be played from two years old.
- Bringing. One of the players puts on a sheet and becomes a ghost. With a frightening “UUU” sound, he begins to run after the other participant and if he catches them, they change roles. This type of entertainment can be used from the age of three.
Music therapy
Music therapy
is a technology of sociocultural rehabilitation that uses diverse musical means for psychological, pedagogical and therapeutic correction, development of creative abilities, and activation of social adaptive abilities.
When listening to a piece of music, tension goes away and many negative feelings are relieved.
The main criteria for selecting musical works:
- calm pace;
- absence of dissonances and tense climaxes in the development of the musical theme;
- melody and harmony.
For rehabilitation purposes, music of different genres is used, which sometimes acts not only as an independent means, but also as a complementary element to other creativity - modeling, drawing, theater. Music often matches an existing mood or can change it in a positive way.
Physical activity to music regulates nervous activity, enhances metabolism in the body, increases overall tone, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, and develops physical abilities. Therefore, musical education is considered as an important factor in the social adaptation of people with memory impairments.
Singing enriches people with new impressions, develops initiative, independence and at the same time corrects the activity of mental processes. Listening to music and singing require mental, physical and mental stress.
