Healing Childhood Trauma: The Power of Play Therapy (Part 2)

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August 1, 2025

August 2025: Healing Childhood Trauma: The Power of Play Therapy (Part 2)

In our last blog post, we explored how EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can help children process traumatic memories and begin their healing journey. This month, we’re diving into another therapeutic approach that is crucial for supporting children who have experienced trauma: Play Therapy. In this post, we’ll explore how play therapy offers unique benefits for helping children process their emotions, rebuild trust, and regain a sense of safety and control.

What is Play Therapy?

Play therapy is a therapeutic technique that uses play to help children express their emotions, understand their experiences, and navigate their world. It is based on the idea that play is a natural language for children, one that allows them to communicate feelings and experiences they might not have the words for. Whether through toys, games, or art, play therapy helps children express themselves and make sense of their emotions in a safe and supportive environment.

Why Play Therapy?

Children who have experienced trauma may have difficulty processing complex emotions or expressing what they’ve been through. As a result, they might rely on behaviors like aggression, withdrawal, or acting out in order to get feedback and navigate the world.. Traditional talk therapy can be challenging for younger children who don’t yet have the verbal skills to fully express themselves. Play therapy for children overcomes this barrier by providing a medium through which children can “speak” about their emotions through play rather than words.

How Play Therapy Supports Trauma Recovery

  • Creating a Safe Space for Expression
    For a child who has experienced trauma, trust is key. Play therapy provides a non-threatening environment where children can explore their feelings and experiences through toys, role-playing, and art. By allowing children to play out difficult scenarios, therapists can help them work through feelings of fear, anger, or sadness, without the need to recount traumatic events directly.
  • Rebuilding a Sense of Control and Safety
    One of the most powerful aspects of play therapy is the opportunity it gives children to regain control. Trauma often strips away a child’s sense of safety and autonomy. In the therapeutic playroom, children are in charge. They can control the narrative through play, choose the toys or games, and decide how to process their feelings. This autonomy helps children feel empowered and builds a foundation of safety and trust.
  • Understanding and Processing Emotions
    Trauma can overwhelm a child’s ability to process emotions. Play therapy helps children identify, understand, and manage these emotions by engaging them in activities that mirror their inner experiences. For instance, a child might use dolls or action figures to act out feelings of helplessness or frustration, helping them understand those emotions and eventually release them.
  • Building Resilience
    Play therapy helps children learn coping strategies and build resilience in the face of adversity. By using play to explore difficult feelings and situations, children can practice problem-solving, social skills, and emotional regulation. This process helps them feel more confident in their ability to handle challenges as they arise.

How Common is Childhood Trauma?

Childhood trauma is more prevalent than many realize. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), over two-thirds of children report experiencing at least one traumatic event by age 16. Additionally, at least 1 in 7 children experience abuse or neglect annually in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also reports that nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction, before the age of 18.

The Play Therapy Process

The process of play therapy typically involves creating a safe, welcoming space where children feel free to explore their feelings and experiences. The therapist may guide the child to express themselves through a variety of playful mediums, including:

  • Role-play: Children can act out scenarios with dolls, puppets, or action figures to work through traumatic experiences.
  • Art and Drawing: Using drawing materials, children can express their emotions visually, allowing them to explore feelings in a non-verbal way.
  • Games and Toys: Simple games, such as board games or pretend play with toys, help children process feelings of control, frustration, or excitement.
  • Sand Play: Sand trays with miniature figurines allow children to recreate scenes that help them make sense of past events and their emotions.

Throughout this process, the therapist observes the child’s behavior, providing insights and gentle guidance when necessary. The goal of play therapy is not only to support emotional expression but also to provide strategies for healthy coping, emotional regulation, and rebuilding a sense of security.

How Play Therapy Benefits Children Who Have Experienced Trauma

  • Fostering Emotional Regulation
    Many children who experience trauma struggle with emotional regulation, often reacting impulsively or with extreme emotions. Play therapy for trauma recovery helps children learn how to regulate their emotions in a healthy way. Through engaging in structured play activities, children gain practice in handling frustration, disappointment, and anger—key skills for emotional well-being.
  • Restoring Trust and Connection
    Trauma can often result in a breakdown of trust, both with others and within themselves. Through the therapeutic relationship and the playful nature of therapy, children are given the chance to re-establish trust in others and rebuild their capacity for healthy relationships. By learning to express their emotions and be seen by their therapist, children can regain a sense of connection and trust in themselves.
  • Helping Children Make Sense of Their Experiences
    Play therapy allows children to externalize their inner world and explore difficult feelings and experiences. Whether they are reenacting a scary event or drawing their fears, children begin to understand their trauma and its impact. This process helps them reduce feelings of shame or confusion, allowing them to heal and regain a sense of empowerment.
  • Promoting Healthy Coping Skills
    Play therapy isn’t just about processing emotions, it also helps children develop healthy coping mechanisms. Whether it’s learning how to calm themselves when feeling overwhelmed or how to express themselves without resorting to violence or withdrawal, play therapy equips children with the emotional tools they need to navigate life’s challenges.

The Importance of Parent Involvement

Just like EMDR therapy, play therapy is most effective when parents are involved in the process. While the child may work through their emotions in the playroom, parents can learn valuable insights and strategies to support their child’s healing at home. This may involve incorporating play-based activities or fostering an emotionally supportive environment in the home. Parent consultations can help ensure that the entire family is equipped to support the child’s emotional recovery. It is also important to note that while parent consultations are essential, parents are generally not in the sessions with the children during most play therapy approaches.

How We Can Help

At Be A Problem Solver Services, we are committed to providing trauma-informed care that supports not only children but their families as well. Many of our therapists specialize in EMDR or play therapy or combine methods from both, offering a holistic approach to healing. By offering these powerful therapeutic methods, we can help children process trauma at their own pace and in a way that feels safe and empowering.

If your child has experienced trauma, or if you suspect they may be struggling with its effects, play therapy for children can be a transformative tool in their healing journey. Reach out today to learn more about how play therapy, along with EMDR and other trauma-informed approaches, can support your child’s emotional recovery.

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Free Emotional Wheel: A Helpful Tool for Trauma Recovery

A Wheel of Emotions is a visual tool that helps individuals identify and understand their feelings by categorizing emotions into broader sections, with more specific emotions listed within each category.

 
For children who have experienced trauma or are in therapy, it can be especially helpful in pinpointing and expressing complex emotions that may be hard to articulate. Trauma often leaves children feeling overwhelmed, and the emotional wheel provides a simple way to recognize and name their feelings. By using this tool, children can build emotional literacy, which is crucial for processing trauma and improving communication. It empowers them to better understand and manage their emotions, supporting their healing journey. We've created our own Wheel of Emotions for you to download and print, free of charge, so you can start using it at home to support your child's emotional growth.


Offices in Cary, Chapel Hill, and Fuquay Varina, NC

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