Virtual Play Therapy in Houston: What is it and How Does it Work?
About five weeks ago, things changed dramatically for kids and families in Houston. As restaurants, schools, churches, and other public places began to close so families could stay home and limit their exposure to the COVID 19 virus, other businesses followed suit. Virtual therapy sessions are not uncommon for adults, but in Houston, play therapy has typically been offered in-person.
So how does a virtual play therapy session work?
Play therapists and their clients meet via a secure online platform accessed with the consent of and assisted by their parents. Kids see their therapist on their computer or iPad screen and can talk and play, each on their own side. Therapists guide parents in how virtual play therapy can help their children--sometimes it’s to continue the work they’ve already started to help their child maintain an important relationship in their lives.
Parents know exactly what to expect so they can communicate that to their children. Play therapists let parents know how to set up for the play session including letting their kids have privacy and all the supplies they need for the activities the therapist has in mind. Parents also get help knowing how to be close enough to help if their child needs it during the virtual play therapy session. Sometimes, parents are involved directly in the session, playing with their kids and/or getting updates from their child’s counselor.
What We’re Seeing
Many kids are experiencing new difficulties, or are regressing to old ways after the stressors of the past weeks have taken their toll. This time is an unprecedented one for people of all ages. Houston is used to disruptions, especially those caused by hurricanes or flooding, but COVID 19 has taken stress to a new level.
Children are out of their routines, they miss the structure they’re used to. Parents are balancing working, teaching and parenting without much of a break— and they’re exhausted and worried about the future, too.
Even very young kids who are not articulating their fears openly are having nightmares, talking about “the virus,” missing their friends and teachers, asking questions about death, and acting out in ways that get them attention. They are showing us they are sad, afraid and stressed.
How Can Virtual Play Therapy Help?
If your family feels like you could use some support, play therapy might be a good option for you right now. What we know is that play therapy helps children adjust to difficult circumstances by helping them play out the concerns they have and express feelings that are hard to understand. Play therapists are trained in children’s behaviors and language and can help parents respond to difficult situations.
Virtual play therapy is providing play therapists with the tools to help families through safe, telehealth methods. They are present with kids in real-time, using toys, books, activities, and empathic skills to help them express themselves and to let kids know that their feelings matter. This way of working with kids is proving to be powerful in this time--we’ve heard stories from all over about kids finding refuge in blanket forts, drawing out their feelings, sharing their world (including their rooms, pets, and favorite toys), and asking questions about the coronavirus— all with their play therapists in telehealth sessions.
Let us know what you’re seeing in your kids.
If you’d like some support, call us at 713-936-0633 to schedule a free phone consultation and get some answers about how virtual play therapy might be a resource for your child.