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Taking A Closer Look At Play Therapy

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Play is an exceptionally important part of a human’s life and well-being. Many do not believe this as they respond that play is not as important of a factor. Play possesses countless things that impact on a person’s life, whether it be through emotional development or the treatment of a physical illness. Play is also capable of motivating a person in the school or work setting and can encourage them to do better. Play helps shape the brain. No matter what the play activity is, whether it be through a sport, or an art, or a hobby, or even if it is something as small as playing with cute animals, play has a large impact on a person.

Play alleviates physical, mental, and emotional health. Studies show that as humans, play is hardwired into …show more content…

One form of such a link is a form of psychotherapy, also called play therapy. Play therapy is used to treat mental disorders such obsessive compulsive disorder (ODD), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and depression in children between the ages of 3 to 12 (kidsmentalhealth.org). This therapy involves a non-threatening form of communication in which various objects, like toys, represent words. Such concepts such as displacement (redirecting feelings from an original target to someone else) and projection (attributing one’s own thoughts and feelings toward someone else) are explored during games. Specifically, children engage in storytelling followed by identifying the feelings of the characters in the story; role-playing with puppets as a form of feeling projection; and blowing bubbles to improve deep and controlled breathing. The therapist observes feelings and recurring themes, while challenging the child with more effective alternatives to replace disturbing …show more content…

Throughout life, imagination remains a key to emotional resilience and creativity. Deprivation studies demonstrate that fantasizing-- imagining the inner life of others and comparing it to one’s own-- is one of the keys to developing empathy, understanding, and trust of others, as well as personal coping skills (Brown 87). Humans are social animals, and play is the central energy of social competence.

Play in the school setting and the workplace can better motivate employees to do better. Adults who “play” can get away from everyday stresses such as work. Overstudying is not healthy. Normal humans need a take a break and play for a few minutes to an hour depending on the duration of the schoolwork. Play allows society to function and allows individual relationships among many to flourish.

Play is one of many key factors in human development. The play driven-pleasures associated with exploratory body movements, rhythmic early speech (moving vocal chords), locomotor and rotational activity in young children and babies are done for their own sake; they are pleasurable and intrinsically

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