Child (Play) Therapy
Unlike an adult, a child generally processes experiences with their unconscious mind, which tends to be non-evaluative, creative, indirect, and spontaneous.
Much of a child’s experience and learning is outside of direct, conscious awareness and involves creative play.
Therefore, to help a child who is experiencing a difficult or painful situation, the therapist engages with them through a process of guided, creative play together, for instance, teddy bear therapy.
Being with a therapist who listens, who understands, who cares, and who offers counsel, the child is able to better understand themselves or the situation, albeit mostly unconsciously, and thereby deal with it more easily and satisfactorily.
Once the child has overcome their difficulty, through for example teddy bear therapy, it is time for them to say goodbye to their trusted teddy and also their companion, their therapist, and to continue their childhood journey.