Play therapy is an empirically supported intervention used to address a number of developmental issues faced in childhood. Through the natural language of play, children and adolescents communicate feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Schools provide an ideal setting for play therapy in many ways; however, several challenges exist in implementing play therapy as a preventative or responsive intervention in the school setting. This article presents a brief overview of play therapy as a component of a comprehensive developmental school counseling program. The authors present a case study outlining how child-centered play therapy as a theoretical approach to play therapy can be used to effectively work with a child experiencing emotional and academic issues in the school setting.
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