Welcome to Playful Minds Play Therapy
Play Therapist: Jean Borg
About Me
Welcome to Playful Minds! My name is Jean Borg, I’m a registered Play Therapist with APPTA (Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association). I have a background in early childhood teaching and early intervention. As a teacher and early intervention professional, I have witnessed how play based learning creates the essential building blocks for children’s health, development and well-being. In my experience PLAY is imperative for the future development of all children so they can become happy and healthy humans.
I decided to investigate the healing ability of play for children experiencing emotional, social and behavioral difficulties. To support my learning, I began studying the Masters of Child Play Therapy at Deakin University. During my learning journey, I realised that Play Therapy allows adults to enter into the child’s world and speak the language of childhood, which is PLAY!
‘Play is the answer to how anything new comes about’
J. Piaget
What is Play Therapy?
“Toys are used like words by children, and play is their language”
~Gary Landreth
Play Therapy is an evidence-based approach to heal, develop, or prevent emotional, social and behavioral difficulties in childhood. A trained play therapist uses the therapeutic powers of play, a safe and secure environment and a trusting therapeutic relationship to support the child’s healing, learning, or self-discovery process. Play is the vehicle and change agent that supports children to work through and communicate their inner thoughts and feelings.
Play Therapy can provide children with the opportunity to share and communicate to adults their thoughts, feelings, needs and experiences when they don’t have the words. Children have the opportunity make sense of their worries and thoughts through play. Play Therapy for children is like what counseling is for adults.
A Play Therapist completes intensive postgraduate training to learn how to provide safe, developmentally appropriate and ethical therapy for children.There is lots of current research of how play is essential for children's development.
1. Information on how play therapy is an evidenced based approach to support children and families:
http://evidencebasedchildtherapy.com/about-us/
2. Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA) website:
Services
Learn to Play Therapy
Learn to Play is a program that supports children who are eight years or younger with developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, find playing difficult or need help playing with friends. During the Learn to Play sessions your child will have time to develop pretend play skills that are expected for their development. The skills learnt in Learn to Play supports children's social-emotional and language development.
Please visit Learn to Play Events for more information:
https://www.learntoplayevents.com/for-parents/
Forms
Referral Form
This referral form can be completed by Teachers, Allied Health Professionals, Doctors, Paediatricians or Parents. Please send the completed form to: playfulminds@outlook.com.au
Contact Me
Please contact Jean Borg to make a referral or to find out more about Play Therapy :)
TBC
0449 005 257