"Play is a child's language and toys are their words"

Garry Landreth - counselor, author, and founder of the world's largest play therapy center

 

Our therapists that work with children have been trained or have experience utilizing research-supported, age-appropriate, language of ‘play’ during therapy.  ‘Play’ gives children an indirect way to express their emotions because their brain development has not made the necessary language-processing connections that adult brains have.  We then translate a child’s play to actively and more effectively guide a young client through his or her issues and toward improved behaviors and emotional outcomes.

​

Popular techniques of play therapy include using art, sand, figurines, puppets, dolls, or action-figures as metaphors for children to communicate about their world and struggles. 

​

At Pathways Family Counseling we are professionally trained to work with the child's language of play to achieve therapy goals.  We include parents on a regular basis as teammates in the therapy process.

​

The process begins by meeting with the parents to establish counseling goals for your child. We'll guide you through your concerns about your child, the therapy process, and common questions about parenting in general.

 

The therapist will then schedule an appointment with your child and develop a plan for treatment.  Recognizing the full ‘system’ of influence on your child's behavior, we also work effectively with schools and other caregivers the child might be in contact with.

​

View the video below to see first-hand how children REALLY communicate!

​

​