Uses for Play Therapy

Play Therapy
Image: playtherapy.org

Dr. Miriam Galindo works in child psychology in a private practice in Irvine, California. One area of child psychology in which Dr. Miriam Galindo specializes is play therapy, a process for children to express complex emotions and explore their psychological wellness through play.

In play therapy, mental health practitioners watch children play in a controlled setting and observe their skills and behaviors. By mastering social, coping, and problem-solving skills in the play context, children can learn broadly applicable skills that may help them deal with unresolved issues. While play therapy can be appropriate for patients of any age, it is mostly used for young children.

One area in which play therapy excels, whether as a primary intervention method or a form of adjunctive therapy, is the management of social, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Issues such as anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and compulsive disorders have been treated with play therapy. Play therapy can also assist young people who are in the midst of a crisis or who have undergone a traumatic event such as a divorce or a death in the family.

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