Whole Body Play: Inviting More Movement Into Play Therapy


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| JAYNE DEAN, LMFT, LADC, RPT-S™


lay therapists accept that “Play is the child’s language… toys are 


therapy reveal what is held below the toys and the symbolic tale: the somatic narrative. The story held and expressed by the child’s body gives important clues about their internal experiences and the state of their nervous system. A play therapist trained in somatic therapies can enhance the therapeutic powers of play by including methods that invite the child’s whole body to move and play.


20 | PLAYTHERAPY March 2025 | www.a4pt.org


  interventions. A somatic intervention


uses movement-based


activity to amplify internal sensations, helping the child improve body awareness, which is the foundation for regulation. Successful somatic interventions depend on the therapist's skill in reading the physical indicators of the child’s nervous system state and arousal level. Equally important is the therapist’s ability to make  child, facilitating mindfulness and self-awareness.


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