Play therapy serves as a valuable approach, particularly for children facing various behavioral, cognitive, and mental health issues. This method respects a child’s developmental stage, cultural background, and other factors influencing their capacity to participate in conventional talk therapy. According to the Association for Play Therapy, this technique is predominantly utilized for children aged 3 to 12. Continue reading to discover essential tips for formulating a Play Therapy Treatment Plan, complete with an example.
Play therapy is based on a secure and inviting therapeutic relationship, helping children feel at ease during sessions. It may function as either the primary treatment method or a supplementary option for children affected by:
Through play therapy, children express their thoughts, emotions, needs, and desires in a way that diverges from traditional communication. Therapists engage with children in their world, utilizing play to help them confront their emotions, boost their imaginative skills, and nurture their creativity.
Common play therapy elements incorporate construction toys, role-playing, imaginative play, and toys designed to develop fine motor skills. Active play forms may involve exploratory activities and structured games, such as sports.
Explore our Collection of Play Therapy Worksheets
Establishing Goals and Objectives in a Play Therapy Treatment Plan
When creating a play therapy treatment plan, it’s essential to consider your client’s developmental level, abilities, and any emotional or behavioral challenges they may face. Additionally, take into account your client’s support systems and most pressing issues.
Worksheets can be a helpful resource to encourage participation and communication during sessions. Therapy By Pro offers a variety of therapeutic worksheets tailored for mental health professionals. Examples of worksheets that can be integrated into play therapy sessions for children include:
Components of a Play Therapy Treatment Plan
Now, let’s focus on developing a play therapy treatment plan. We will reference the TherapyByPro editable treatment plan as we detail each stage of crafting a personalized treatment plan. Read on for John’s story:
John’s story:
John is a seven-year-old boy whose school counselor recommended outpatient treatment for him. His mother expressed a desire to seek help for John due to difficulties he has been experiencing at home and school following his grandfather’s death. His grandfather lived with them, allowing John’s mother to care for him during his illness. Although the passing was anticipated, John shared a close bond with his grandfather.
After their meeting, John’s school counselor believed that individual therapy would be more beneficial for him rather than group services. In her referral documents, she noted that his teacher had observed a drop in John’s attention, focus, participation, and grades in the month since the loss. He has also been less engaging with his peers, often preferring solitary play instead of joining others as he typically would.
These observations were corroborated by his mother, who mentioned that John has become quieter and less interactive with his siblings. She acknowledged that he is grieving and wants to ensure he receives proper support to navigate his feelings at such a young age. She also mentioned a change in family dynamics, as she can now dedicate more attention to her children without the caregiving responsibilities previously placed on her.
The mother reported no previous concerns regarding John’s development, cognition, or behavior, affirming that he has achieved all relevant milestones for his age. John has never undergone mental health treatment and is not currently on any medication. She is not seeking medication management at this time but mentioned that she would consider it if therapy alone does not yield improvements.
Involved Agencies and Care Coordination Plans
This segment of your treatment plan enables documentation regarding care collaboration. In this instance, coordinating with John’s referring school counselor would be appropriate since he is not receiving assistance from other mental health professionals.
Example for John:
Care Coordination: School Counselor, Mrs. Smith (123)456-7890
Clinical Diagnoses
In John’s case, it appears he is dealing with the stress stemming from his grandfather’s passing. Although grief is a natural response to loss, John is encountering notable challenges at home and school. His symptoms suggest elements of depression, including a low mood, social withdrawal, and a lack of enjoyment. His situation fits an adjustment disorder diagnosis since his symptoms emerged within three months of his grandfather’s death.
Example for John:
Clinical Diagnosis: Adjustment Disorder (309.0) with depressed mood (F43.21)
Current Medications and Responses
John is not currently receiving psychiatric treatment or medication. His mother prefers to concentrate on counseling and therapy before considering medication as part of his treatment plan.
Example for John:
Current Medications: None at present
Presenting Problem and Associated Symptoms
This section of your treatment plan permits a thorough conceptualization of the client’s case. The information should summarize the situation, including current symptoms, functioning level, and treatment objectives.
Example for John:
John, a 7-year-old boy, was referred to outpatient therapy by his school counselor due to challenges he faced at home and school after his grandfather’s death. His grandfather lived with the family and shared a special bond with John. Following the loss, his teachers and mother have noted a decline in his attention, focus, grades, and participation. Lately, John shows more interest in solitary play rather than interacting with his peers. At home, he is quieter and tends to engage less with his siblings.
His mother emphasized that John has no prior issues related to development, cognition, or behavior. He has met all milestones for his age and has not had any mental health treatment before. Currently, he is not on any medications, but his mother is willing to reconsider the possibility if therapy fails to alleviate his symptoms.
Signs observed include emotional detachment, a decline in academic achievements, and withdrawal from social interactions. Treatment aims should concentrate on helping him to process his grief, manage his emotions better, reconnect socially, and boost his involvement in academic activities.
Goals and Objectives
In this section of your treatment plan, you should clearly define the goals and objectives for John. Consider this your guide for the therapy sessions, detailing the priorities for your time together. It’s essential that the goals are achievable considering his abilities and the timeline you decide on.
Example for John:
Goal 1: Process Grief
- Objective 1: Foster emotional expression through story-telling and role-playing activities.
- Objective 2: Implement creative tasks to help articulate his loss.
- Objective 3: Recognize and affirm his emotions through reflective play scenarios.
Goal 2: Enhance Socialization
- Objective 1: Engage in role-playing to develop social skills.
- Objective 2: Facilitate group therapy with siblings to practice social interaction.
- Objective 3: Promote teamwork and social skills through family games at home.
Goal 3: Improve Academic Performance
- Objective 1: Structure play sessions to enhance his focus and attention.
- Objective 2: Utilize play to aid in transitioning between tasks.
- Objective 3: Collaborate with the school counselor to reflect classroom activities during sessions.
Specific Interventions to Be Used
In this section, you will list the specific interventions designed to help achieve his treatment plan goals and objectives.
Example for John:
Intervention 1:
Utilize sand tray therapy for grief expression.
Responsible person: Counselor and John.
Intervention 2:
Engage in role-playing using figurines.
Responsible person: Counselor and John.
Intervention 3:
Implement structured group play activities.
Responsible person: Counselor and John.
Intervention 4:
Use therapeutic storytelling to help articulate his grief.
Responsible person: Counselor and John.
Intervention 5:
Facilitate a memory box activity to communicate grief through tangible items.
Responsible person: Counselor and John.
Family Involvement
Given the gathered insights, it is advisable to involve his family in the treatment process. Initially, this could include his mother, followed by the inclusion of his siblings to foster social skills and teamwork.
Example for John:
Family Involvement: None at this moment
Additional Services and Interventions
Further services could be added to his treatment plan in the future if required. This might encompass group therapy or psychiatric support if his condition does not improve.
Example for John:
Additional Services: None at this moment
Estimation for Completion
You can adjust this section of the treatment plan as needed. Here, you can provide an estimate of when John’s treatment will be completed, which may change based on his progress or ongoing challenges.
Example for John:
Estimated Time for Completion: 12 weeks of weekly individual therapy focusing on Play Therapy.
Aftercare Plans
The aftercare part can include guidance for ongoing support should John be discharged from treatment. This can help his mom understand how to continue providing him with the mental health resources he requires for overall well-being.
Example for John:
Aftercare Plans: Meet with the primary care physician and ask about a referral to a local children’s play therapist.
Final Thoughts On Creating a Treatment Plan for Play Therapy
Thank you for your time in discussing the creation of a Play Therapy treatment plan! Play therapy is an effective approach for children facing various emotional, social, and behavioral difficulties. Due to developmental and environmental influences, children might find it challenging to participate in traditional talk therapy like adults. Play therapy provides them with a means to process their feelings, learn coping mechanisms that suit them, and build stronger relationships, thereby enhancing their self-esteem.
To further your understanding of play therapy application in your practice, we encourage you to pursue training and continuing education opportunities relevant to your field.
TherapyByPro is an online mental health directory that connects mental health professionals with clients seeking assistance. If you are a practitioner in the mental health space, consider joining our community and adding your practice details here. We offer assessments, practice forms, and templates that mental health professionals can utilize to streamline their practice. Explore our collection of mental health worksheets here.
View all of our Play Therapy Worksheets
Resources:
- Koukourikos K, Tsaloglidou A, Tzeha L, Iliadis C, Frantzana A, Katsimbeli A, Kourkouta L. An Overview of Play Therapy. Mater Sociomed. 2021 Dec;33(4):293-297. doi: 10.5455/msm.2021.33.293-297. PMID: 35210953; PMCID: PMC8812369.
- Why play therapy? – association for play therapy. Association for Play Therapy. (n.d.). https://www.a4pt.org/page/WhyPlayTherapy“`html
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