"So often trauma happens in relationships, but it is also in relationships that healing occurs."
Bruce Perry
Play Therapy Stories
"The therapist recognises that growth is a slow process, not to be pushed, prodded, and hurried along. This is a time when the child can relax, a place where growth takes place naturally without being forced."
Garry Landreth.
Colin's story
Colin is four years old and lives with his mum. Mum found it hard to help him calm down. He was always moving, could not listen well, and found it hard to play with others at nursery. People judged his mum because she was young, and she felt sad and alone.
In therapy, Colin moved a lot and talked fast. The therapist played games with him to help him slow down safely. Tipping things out helped him clear his head. He learned to play with one toy for 20 minutes, instead of just a few.
Now, Colin plays with his mum for one whole hour calmly. He can name his feelings like "mad" or "sad," instead of having a tantrum. He is learning to take deep breaths to calm himself down. His mum is happy because someone finally listened to her and helped Colin.
Susie is ten years old
She felt very sad and found it hard to pay attention in class. She thought about hurting herself and felt confused a lot.
Many hard things happened to Susie. Her mum got very sick. Susie had to move suddenly to live with her grandparents and go to a new school. She missed saying goodbye to her friends. Her grandparents also separated later.
Susie went to play therapy every week for two years. Playing helped her to talk about her feelings and understand her grief. She learned how to be a better friend and not worry about people leaving her.
After therapy, Susie felt much better and less worried. She became more confident and happy in school and at home. Her teacher said she engaged more in class and even got a big part in the school play. Her grandparents were happy too, saying Susie is confident and can now talk about her feelings.
