What Is Play Therapy?
Play therapy originated as a tool in providing help to young people coping with tauma, anxiety and mental illness. Play was utilized as a way to act out feelings and to assist in facilitating a way for an individual to cope.
When interacting with individuals with autism, "play therapy" is used in a different manner. Most specialists offering play therapy to children with autism providing Floortime Therapy. Floortime is a play-based technique which builds on the autistic child's own interests and/or obsessions to develop relationships and social/communication skills.
Why See a Play Therapist?
Since autism is partly a social/communication disorder, many children with autism find it extremely different to relate to others, especially their peers. Instead of a playing with a toy in a fun and imaginative way, a child with autism will perseverate with a toy and use it in a self-stimulatory manner and not for the purpose of play for which the toy was designed.
A play therapist shows the child how to play. For example, the therapist might set out a number of toys and allow the child to decide what he is interested in, if anything. If the child picks up a toy train and runs it back and forth, airmlessly, the therapist might pick up another train and place it in front of the child's train, blocking its path. If the child responds, verbally or non-verbally, then a relationship has begin. If the child doesn't respond, the therapist might look for high-interest, high-energy options to engage the child, such as blowing bubbles.
It takes times to shape behavior but over time a variety of skills will begin to emerge and develop, such as:
1. reciprocal skills (sharing, turn-taking),
2. imaginative skills (pretending to feed a baby doll), and
3. abstract thinking skills (putting together puzzles, solving problems).
As skills develop and the child begins to relate to other people, additional children can be added and a playgroup created, thus more complex social skills are developed.
What Is A Playgroup?
Playgroups offer social, developmental, and educational skills through modeling, direct teaching, and a positive small group atmosphere. With a variety of toys and sensory activities your child will be gently encouraged to participate, play, and learn.
Where Are Playgroups Offered in TN?
Davidson County
Mariposa Behavioral Health Services
Jenne Nesbitt-Decker
208 Dockside Court
Hermitage, TN 37076
Phone: 615-519-1160
Hamilton County
Chattanooga Autism Center
1000 East 3rd Street
Chattanooga, TN 37404
Phone: 423-622-0500
Email: kweigle@teamcenters.org
For dates, times and location of playgroups,
contact 423-622-0500 or email kweigle@teamcenters.org
Sumner County
Special Kids With Special Needs
For dates, times and locations of playgroups, contact Krystale
Phone: 931-349-9314
Email: krystale.willet@hotmail.com
Visit one of the following website for future meetups:
Meetup Site: http://www.meetup.com/Special-Kids-with-Special-Needs/
Website: http://www.specialkidswithspecialneeds.tk/
Web Links
Association for Play Therapy
Interdisciplinary Council of Developmental and Learning Disorders (ICDL)
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