Our goal at the Horwitz-Zusman Child & Family Center is to empower people to manage their internal world to the best of their ability; for kids, this happens most effectively through the modality of play therapy. We spoke with Lauren Green, MA, LPC, to learn more.
“Play is the first language of children,” said Lauren. “It’s how they express themselves and process their world. Expecting a young child to sit down in a chair for 50 minutes to tell you exactly how they are feeling and why is not likely to happen; play therapy helps address their feelings and concerns in a way that is natural and organic for them.”
Lauren has been a clinician with JF&CS for a year and has previous counseling experience working in high acuity settings with all ages. She is also an early childhood educator with over 10 years of preschool teaching experience and incorporated many of her counseling skills into her teaching style. During the past school year, Lauren facilitated social and emotional learning play therapy groups at the MJCCA’s Weinstein school through a Jewish Federation grant. For the 24-25 school year, the group will continue at the Weinstein School and will expand to the Temple Mount Sinai preschool.
“Play therapy is used to teach kids how to identify and recognize their emotions,” Lauren explains. “For example, if a child is going through divorce, they may be drawn to playing with a dollhouse, where they can act out some of the themes that are going on in their life. Or, if a child is dealing with lots of changes in their life and that’s coming out as anger, I might notice that they are smashing the toys together and I’ll say, ‘I wonder how those dolls are feeling,’ giving the child a space to talk. It’s a great way to tap into their unconscious and encourage them to express themselves without them having to narrate the whole time.”
Not only does play therapy help kids identify the emotion, but it also helps to facilitate an actual understanding of that emotion. “If a kid is acting angry, we can teach them about anger itself- how does it feel, where do you feel it in your body, what does an angry face look like,” said Lauren. This knowledge helps lay a solid emotional foundation for kids, empowering them to build resilience over time.
Of course, the benefits of play aren’t limited to the clinical space; Lauren also spends time teaching parents how to utilize these methods at home. “They are in our adult world much of the day,” she said. “They are so happy when we choose to enter theirs, and it really facilitates the parent/child attachment bond and helps kids to feel seen, appreciated and loved.”
For parents who want to play more with their kids, Lauren offers three simple tips: “One, be fully present- try to not be on your phone and be fully immersed in the playing. Two, follow their lead-it’s empowering for kids to have time and space to lead after being led all day. And three,” she laughs, “don’t be afraid to get dirty!”
“Play therapy is for anyone and everyone,” concludes Lauren. “It’s adaptable and can be adjusted based on age, clinical needs, and it makes children feel really seen and understood in a powerful way.”
To learn more about play therapy and see if it’s a good fit for your child, visit our website and reach out here!