Play Therapy is a well-established therapy modality that allows children who often have a limited ability to express themselves verbally to be able to speak with adults about their problems and concerns. Developmentally children use play and action as their primary methods of communication, making play therapy a more natural therapy medium for children, especially children under the age of about 9 years. Play therapy has been used by mental health professionals for nearly 100 years to assist children. It has been found effective and documented by research to use with children who have serious emotional and behavioral issues as well as use with normally developing children who need to express their feelings and thoughts about everyday issues.
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Services Offered
The Play Therapy Center training facility at Wichita State is currently housed in the WISE Clinic and contains an array of standard play therapy toys, art materials, a doll house, and other materials. It can also be used to facilitate healthy parent and child interactions to promote better family relationships and attachments. The counseling rooms in the WISE Clinic allow for remote observation in an observation room due to each counseling room being equipped with a video camera, sound and recording equipment. The training facility features a “bug in the ear” technological capability so students or parents can receive play therapy feedback and direction from colleagues and instructors while they are engaged in a play session with a child.
Services Offered To: Adults Children
Payment: Sliding Scale
Online Counseling: Yes
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A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.