MCP’s Play Station

Here at MCP Counseling, play therapy is used in combination with other techniques to guide children and adolescents toward processing emotions and problems, emotional regulation, and learning problem solving skills.

Play therapy might help children and adolescents:

* take responsibility for behavior

* develop empathy and perspective taking skills

*develop problem solving skills

*develop social skills

*develop language to express emotions

* develop skills for emotional regulation

Play therapy with other techniques is communication based, with the child’s main communication being play. Play is individual to each child, so therapy will look different depending upon needs and situations.

Children and adolescents with special needs also benefit from using play therapy techniques. Our clinicians have several years’ experience with children with special needs, including Autism, ADHD, Behavior difficulties, and motoric difficulties. Play therapy can be adapted to all skill levels.

Adolescents have their ups and downs just as adults do. Sometimes it is difficult to separate the typical developmental & transitional angst that children and adolescents go through with more persistent and serious issues. If you are concerned about your child or adolescent’s mental well-being please seek support from your physician and a qualified therapist.

Listed below are some signs that your child or adolescent (10yrs-21 & beyond) may be in need of support:

• Persistent feeling of hopelessness, sadness, irritability, anxiety, worry or fearfulness
• A loss of interest in activities that they once enjoyed and/or being reclusive
• Obsessive over physical appearance
• A sudden drop in grades or any other unexplained concerns at school
• Expressing thoughts of suicide
• Alcohol or drug use
• An inability to sit still, concentrate, make decisions or think clearly at school
• Constant anger and tendencies to overreact to situations
• Experienced a loss and/or trauma