During one session, after noticing how the client appeared to be especially disheartened and shut down, the therapist recalled a scavenger hunt idea that had been circulating in various virtual play therapy forums and decided to adapt it. She asked the client to collect a handful of things that she noticed during their walk. Helene’s posture softened. She became more alert as she scanned her surroundings on the forest trail. She marveled over stones, pointed to gnarly, twisted sticks, and newly fallen pinecones. She pondered picking things up, sometimes agonized over her choices, and at times would release a 


Although the amplest amount of research about the use of play


therapy exists for children, extensive research in neuroscience, as well as recent studies of its use with other


populations, indicate that play therapy can be an effective treatment for  appear to apply throughout the human lifespan and across various cultures.


Near the end of the walk, Helene and her therapist stopped under a large pine tree. The therapist asked the client to open her hands and  carefully arranged them at the base of the tree. Helene asked to repeat this activity several other times, as it seemed to invigorate her during  and other times she would hold on to some.


 session, Helene stated, “I am going to carry this with me. Life might be rough and I’m not a perfect mom, but I am strong, and I’m doing my best.”


Play Therapy with Older Adults  continues to mount. Older adults, particularly those in nursing home  experienced during play. A Korean study showed that using animal assisted therapy and integrated play therapy with eldercare residents reduced depression levels, improved self-esteem, and increased  showed that a 10-week group Exergame intervention helped older adults with severe mental illnesses experience increased feelings of 


using a virtual whole-body, interactive game, participants worked with one another to solve problems and experienced increased rates of physical activity. Playfulness was credited as an important factor to these achieving these positive outcomes. And most recently, Keisari  their life experiences by creating and performing plays. At the end of the experience, the older adults showed improved mental health and reported higher levels of life meaning and satisfaction.


Case Example  care facility. He was grieving, missed his busy adult children, and felt lost. “Retirement was supposed to be different than this,” he shared tearfully. Raymond was questioning his purpose and reported that he  glanced around at several playful options that were intentionally visible in the adult therapy room. He spotted a shelf with classic board games and a deck of cards. “I recognize some of those from when my kids were growing up!” he smiled.


“I have things to play with in here, not only in the child therapy room that we walked past. Play is good for all of us, no matter our age,” the therapist shared. Raymond chuckled.


Before the next session, the therapist placed the stack of games on the coffee table. Midway through the session, during a pause, Raymond glanced down at the pile and asked if the therapist knew how to play a particular card game. When the therapist said no, his eyes lit up. Raymond seemed happy as he taught her the rules and showed her the game. They talked about his wife and children and some of their times  a soothing rhythm in the background as they conversed.


Over time, the therapist invited Raymond to try other forms of play if  to see which ones seemed to be most pleasing to his nervous system, coloring in adult coloring books as they talked, and reading children’s books together. Raymond then began creating stories based on his  the end of therapy, Raymond stated that therapy had helped awaken his creativity and curiosity about the future. Although some things in his life still felt sad, he had hope.


Conclusion Although the amplest amount of research about the use of play therapy exists for children, extensive research in neuroscience, as well as recent studies of its use with other populations, indicate that play  therapy appear to apply throughout the human lifespan and across various cultures. As a beloved mentor of mine once stated, “It is never too early or too late to start using play. The language of play can be helpful for everyone.”


www.a4pt.org | December 2022 | PLAYTHERAPY | 27


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