activity therapy

What is activity therapy?

Activity therapy is just what it sounds like- using various activities in the sessions to support emotional expression and processing experiences. This steps outside of traditional "talk" therapy approach and is helpful for clients who struggle with expressing emotions, intellectualizing emotions, or get caught in overthinking loops.

Activity therapy is typically used with children and teens, but this is utilized with clients of all ages due to its effectiveness of addressing things traditional talk therapy may struggle to address.

How does it work?

Activity therapy uses play, expressive arts, therapeutic games, movement, sensory-focused items, and music to support clients in processing experiences, building awareness, expressing emotions, and increasing distress tolerance. Utilizing activites allows clients to build safety and decreases hestiation and resistance to therapy.

Younger children and teens also may not have the emotional vocabulary to describe their experiences, and these activities help access the brain in a more age-appropriate way. Creative activities activates the brain in a different way, which allows clients to practice problem solving skills, practice emotion regulation, and build emotional resilience in real time.

What does activity therapy treat?

• Anger & aggression

• Anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, & Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Attachment concerns

• Behavioral concerns

• Bullying

• Eating disorders

• General life stressors

• Grief & loss

• Life transitions, such as divorce, moves, school transitions, etc.

• Low self-esteem and low self-worth

• Social anxiety

• Social struggles

• Trauma, PTSD, and other stress-related concerns

What are the possible benefits of activity therapy?

• Increases ability to identify and express feelings

• Supports development of problem solving skills and coping skills

• Improves social and relational skills

• Increases ability to manage stress and tolerate discomfort

• Improves self-esteem and self-efficacy

• Cultivates empathy, respect for others, and perspective-taking skills

• Supports mastery of developmental milestones

• Increases distress tolerance

• Decreases behavioral issues and anger outbursts

• Supports processing life transitions, such as divorce, moves, school transitions, etc.

• Improves emotion regulation

• Decreases nervous system activation