If your child has been diagnosed with a learning disorder, or even if they’re just starting to struggle with reading, writing, or mathematics at school, your first thought is likely going to be finding a way to “teach” them more. From special education services to tutoring, you want to fix the learning gap! This is a very important part of supporting your child, but child psychologists in Highlands Ranch know that support for a child with a learning disorder doesn’t have to stop at academics. Keep reading to see how your child may benefit from play therapy for learning disorders.
“Acting Out” Behaviors: Is it Depression, Anxiety, or Learning Challenges?
Kids don’t always know “what’s wrong” or even that there is something not going well. But when something is going wrong, they need to express that—often, that comes in the form of “acting out” behaviors. The child who is always goofing off during writing practice, who finds a way to get sent to the principal’s office every day in math class, or who just comes home angry and irritable after a full day of school may be having learning challenges. Many parents come in knowing there is a challenge, but not knowing what is making their child “act up” in this manner. Through play therapy, your child will have the chance to explore feelings and frustrations, both verbally, and through expressive play. Children with learning challenges frequently show patterns of frustration, failure, and endless unreachable goals in their play (often putting the therapist in the very frustrating “learner” role while the child gets to play “teacher” or “coach”). This helps to point your child’s support team toward the issue—maybe your daughter isn’t irritable and mean in general, maybe she’s exhausted by having to do work she can’t understand! Psychologists in Highlands Ranch can evaluate emotions, perform formal learning disorder assessments, or work with the schools, to get an effective diagnosis and plan for success.
Express Feelings in Play Therapy Even without “Knowing the Words”
How do play therapists in Colorado have success with such a “symbolic” treatment? Keep in mind, play therapy will not teach your child to read or do math. What it will do is help your child express feelings—even if they struggle to have the vocabulary, attention, or insight into what the issue is. Instead of many “talk” therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, that require kids to learn even more new stuff, play therapy meets the child where he is at and allows him to “show” his feelings—whether that’s feeling crushed, small, and sad, or feeling powerful and strong. Just expressing feelings and having a trusted adult hear those feelings can help to reduce the everyday stress of learning disorders.
Play Therapists in Highlands Ranch Focus on The “Other” Things
Kids diagnosed with learning disorders (particularly dyslexia, or learning disorder in reading and writing) have it hard at school! Learning is the main goal of school, and for those with reading difficulties, these challenges get in the way of everything from reading time, to reading the menu at lunch, to reading the science and social studies books. Even math will get hard once the “story problems” arrive! Support might involve extra reading help, special classes… more learning! On the other hand, when your child participates in play therapy, the “other” parts of them can shine through. Your child can capture the feelings of pride and mastery through a craft project, feel confident in her body through interactive games and sports, and can have at least one person who won’t pressure them to “sound it out” all the time. By paying attention to the whole child, and allowing their interests and strengths shine through, your child will feel less hindered by the learning disorder. Of course, if and when your child is ready, play therapists are still psychologists, and we can provide age-appropriate psychoeducation about your child’s learning differences.
Learning disorders are some of the most common diagnoses in childhood. If you think your child is struggling with reading, writing, math, or just “acting out,” consider working with a child psychologist in Highlands Ranch. Alongside the academic team, you can set your child up for success in every way!
