🧸 Why Play Therapy Works

Because kids don’t need more words—they need to be seen, heard, and understood through their language: play.

As adults, we tend to process our world with words. We talk through problems, journal our thoughts, or vent to a friend. But for children, play is their primary language—and that’s exactly why play therapy works.

What Is Play Therapy?

Play therapy is a developmentally appropriate approach to therapy that gives children the tools they naturally use to express themselves. Rather than asking them to sit and explain complex emotions (which most kids simply can’t do), we meet them where they are—on the floor, in the playroom, with toys that speak for their feelings.

Why It’s Effective

Children express what they feel and experience through symbolic play. A doll might represent fear. A tower of blocks might symbolize a child’s need for control or stability. Play therapy allows them to process trauma, anxiety, grief, and behavioral challenges safely and creatively—without needing to “have the words.”

As the therapist, my role is to follow the child’s lead, offer connection and co-regulation, and gently guide them through their emotional world. Sometimes we use directive activities like structured games or books, but often the most healing happens when children are given permission to just be—without pressure, performance, or expectations.

What Parents Need to Know

If you’ve ever wondered, “All they do is play—how is this helping?” — you’re not alone. But here’s the truth:

“Play is the language of children, and toys are their words.” – Garry Landreth“Play is the work of childhood.” – Jean Piaget

When we honor a child’s language of play, we validate their inner world. And that’s where the real healing begins.