In spite of our best efforts as parents, many children do not think well of themselves. Young children do not blame the outside world for their problems. Instead, they imagine that they are bad, that they have done something wrong, that they are not pretty enough, or smart enough, or “cool” enough. If children do not separate themselves from these outside evaluations, they will carry them into adulthood.

Children often find ways to protect themselves that do not fit our adult ideal of appropriate child behavior. They may:

• Withdraw to keep from getting hurt
• Conjure up fantasies to entertain themselves and to make their lives more livable
• Act as if nothing is wrong, while shutting out what is painful
• Strike out in some way—often getting attention which reinforces the behavior

Children, especially younger ones, are unable to think through their problems and discuss them intellectually. Play therapy seeks to maximize a children’s abilities to engage in behavior that is fun, oriented to their needs, and flows naturally. Through age-appropriate forms of play therapy, children can:

• Become aware of themselves and their existence in the world
• Get feelings out in the open through artistic expression or game-play
• Express themselves as they need to and want to so they can feel heard
• Separate themselves from the characteristics and descriptions that they have taken in from others, and rediscover their own being

If your child is experiencing difficulty, or just doesn’t seem like himself or herself, gives us a call –we may be able to help.