Frequently asked questions about child therapy in Littleton, CO

You have been looking for a therapist for your child/family and have noticed that the most therapists who work with children reference play therapy as the most developmentally appropriate modality of intervention for children age 2-12. In addition to all the questions you have about getting your child started in therapy, now you have a ton of questions about play therapy- exhale- that is completely normal.

Is Play Therapy the right fit for my child or family?

Once again your child has had a meltdown of epic proportions. Just when you think you are on the right track to help them figure out what they are feeling and why even the smallest stressor tips them over the edge, it happens again! Just as there are hundreds of reasons that you’re child could be having more difficulty that some in handling life’s ups/downs, there are a lot of different modalities that mental health professionals are trained in to help children and families overcome difficulties, develop social/emotional skills, and increase regulation. Figuring out what type of help your child needs can be overwhelming. Here are a few common questions I answer when parents are first reaching out to me for support or during the first few weeks of therapy.

Is play therapy just for young children?

Play therapy is an effective modality for children and teens (and some adults). Play is how we as humans learn, explore, and manipulate experiences. Through play there is a natural curiosity and engagement that is less threatening and more developmentally appropriate than talk therapy for children and teens. Their brains are still developing and the part of the brain that helps humans with “talking through” problems, using insight, empathy, and abstract thought is the last to develop (well into our mid 20’s).

If my child is playing are you going to be teaching them skills for coping with their emotions or changing their behaviors?

Play therapists are trained to engage in play with the child as a way to explore areas of challenge and growth. It is in the play that the therapist can do things like: name emotions, regulate the intensity of a situation, model problem solving and engage the child in trying on new ways of thinking and behaving when under stress. It has been my experience that when children are allowed to play as a way to explore these stressors and I can model the naming of emotion and regulation of the intensity it is much more effective than if I try to engage in “teaching” a skill directly to the child.

Will my child “act out” or “play” what happened to them or a specific situation/challenge.

Very rarely is the play that the child engages in a direct reenactment of a specific situation or challenge. What children do most often in their play is use the toys, art, games, sand, or other materials in the play room to explore the emotions, relationships, and environments that are difficult for them giving the therapist a felt sense or experience of what it is like to be the child. The therapist can use different parts of the play to explore emotions, relationships or situations as well as model options for how to respond to the stressors that are present in the play itself.

Will I (the parent) be part of the play therapy?

Most children actual do amazing work in the play room with just the therapist there because they need a space to feel safe to explore challenges without a bunch of expectations from adults. IF your child invites you into the play room with them then yes you will be part of the play therapy. Sometimes this invitation is a few moments to show you something they have been working on, other times you may be invited in to play with us. IF you are invited in then you become an active participant in the play (not an observer on the couch or in the corner).

Will you tell me what my child played with?

If your child is being seen individually and doing the session with only the therapist in the room, the therapist will have regular communication with you about the progress towards the identified goals. The play room, the content of the play (ie: what toys were used, how, what your child did or did not talk about) is a protected space. It is important for your child to know that what they play with and how they work with their therapist is sacred and private. There are many ways for me to communicate with you the progress your child is making towards goals without sharing specifically what and how they played.

When will we know that my child is ready to be done in play therapy?

We will set agreed upon goals at the beginning of therapy to help us track progress and monitor where your child is at in the play therapy process. One of my favorite things about play therapy is that there is an easy way to track a child’s progress using those identified goals as well as several other markers that we will agree upon to decide when we begin the process of saying goodbye/termination.

What if what I want my child to work on is their relationships with others in the family?

In these situations it might make the most sense to talk about family play therapy. This might mean that every session is a session with the entire family or how to integrate family sessions into the plan for services.

Reach out if you have other questions about child therapy, play therapy, family therapy or parent support in Littleton, CO.

I hope this answered some of your questions about play therapy for children and families. If you are still feeling stuck, schedule your FREE 20 minute video consultation.

Finding a child therapist in Littleton, CO

Littleton is a fun, family friendly suburb nestled south of Denver and has lots of great open spaces, parks, and places to explore. A high scoring school system and active recreational district draws many young professionals to the area to raise their children.

However just because you have access to plenty of family friendly activities and a growing community of other families with children doesn’t mean that family life is always easy! Sometimes you do not want to be in a place where everybody knows your name when your child is having an epic meltdown or moment of flat out disobedience! If you have found yourself in one of those moments when the small community feels too small but finding a mental health professional to help feels too difficult, I would like to help you navigate our small community to find the right person to help you make BIG change for your child and your family.

Which mental health professional is the right type of child therapist for my child in Littleton, CO?

Finding the right mental health professional to help you navigate the day to day challenges of raising children can be a bit overwhelming. Often it is hard to know if your child’s behaviors are typical and just part of growing up or if there is something else going on for your child that effects their mood, relationships, and learning. There are so many different types of professionals to choose from! Finding the right fit for your child and your family depends on the type of challenges you are facing and the outcomes you want to achieve. Here is a brief description of some of the common mental health professionals you might find in your search:

Counselor (LPCC, LPC): Typically this is an individual who has a masters in counseling and they work with individuals, groups, or families. Counselors help people cope with their problems, and develop skills to address challenges. Counselors are trained in a variety of therapy modalities as well as to assess for mental health disorders. Many counselors who work specifically with children obtain additional training and pursue becoming registered play therapists. Counselors do not provide diagnostic testing or medication evaluation/monitoring. For these specific needs counselors refer to Psychologists, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), or Psychiatrists .

Therapist (LCSW, PsyD, LMFT, PMHNP, MD): Therapists provide support and guidance. Therapists have a range of educational backgrounds and experience in the types of interventions they use to support clients in working towards the decrease of mental health concerns and increase of day to day functioning. You may find a therapist with masters degree in social work (LCSW), psychology (PsyD) marriage and family counseling (LMFT), Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)and psychiatry (MD). Many therapists who specialize in working with children obtain additional training to become Registered Play Therapists or Registered Play Therapy Supervisors. All of these professionals are trained in the identification, assessment and treatment of common mental health disorders. Some may do formal diagnostic assessment or testing. Only a few such as PMHNP or Psychiatrists are able to perform medication evaluations, and then prescribe/monitor medications.

Registered Play Therapist (RPT) /Registered Play Therapy Supervisor (RPTS): A registered play therapist is a licensed mental health professional who has pursued additional training and certification in play therapy theory, child development, assessment, and intervention. While it may seem like play therapists only work with children, the training to become a play therapist includes extensive learning about working with parents, care givers, and families as a whole unit. A registered play therapy supervisor has completed the training and hours to become a RPT, practiced as an RPT for a period of time and now is certified to supervise other therapists who are in the process of obtaining RPT credentials.

Psychologist (PsyD): Psychologists are not medical doctors. They have education in psychology ranging from bachelors to doctoral degrees. Psychologists provide counseling/therapy to support mental health and well being. In addition, clinical psychologists are also trained to complete diagnostic testing, evaluations, (ranging from IQ tests, learning disabilities, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and other areas of mental health functioning), and research. Psychologists are not able to prescribe medications and would refer clients to either a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatric and coordinate care.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: PMHNP’s provide a range of services that can include assessment, diagnosis, treatment of mental health concerns. PMHNP’s may provide therapy services as well as medication evaluation and monitoring.

Psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who pursued specialization in psychiatry (the study of mental health and mental disorders) and is able to prescribe /monitor medications. Some psychiatrists also engage in providing therapy however it is more common for them to coordinate with therapists for the social/emotional, behavioral, and coping skills intervention and support their patients need.

Child Therapy Consultation in Littleton, CO

 I hope this helps you find the right mental health professional in Littleton, CO. If you are still feeling stuck, I encourage you to schedule a 20 minute video consultation today. As a social worker at heart, I thrive when I am listening to caregivers describe the current challenges they are facing, and then connecting them to the appropriate resources to bring some hope and ease into the day to day experience of raising kids. If you are looking for help with your child’s challenging behaviors or BIG emotions, you can read more about how I help .