Interview with Kattya Coral-Bianculli, LCSW
Play therapy makes sense - and works - for children
“Behavior is how [kids] communicate - what is that behavior telling us?”
What attracted you to social work?
Originally, I wanted to go into nursing. Working in a doctor’s office, they often asked me to translate between doctors and patients since I am bilingual. I enjoyed being in a helpful role, but more and more realized I wanted to interact with people in a different way.
Initially, I had no intention of working with children. In the early part of my training, I worked with migrant families, specifically children, separated from famlies at the border. Then it clicked.
When you have a child in front of you, you can’t talk with that child the way you would with an adult and say, “let’s talk about your trauma.” Instead, we use play. Not everyday play. It’s a therapeutic approach. Play therapy is a modality that makes sense – and works - for children.
What does play therapy look like in practice?
We use play in a way that’s calculated, planned, and appropriate to the child’s developmental stage. My goal is to present a space and to present myself to the child as “safe.” A lot in the beginning is about engagement. What is the child going to do? The activity allows us to understand what is on the child’s mind. We understand they may not have the capacity to make complex thoughts yet. Behavior is how they communicate so what is that behavior telling us? They may not be able to verbalize, “I am sad because something happened,” but they do process through play. In those first interactions, I am assessing, not judging. I am watching and learning. Depending on the reason they come in, I select the toys in the room, predetermining the space to foster an environment that feels accepting to them.
With games, you have structured moments with a child and with caregivers and children together working as a team - it’s an opportunity to interact in ways that can rebuild and restore confidence in their day-to-day.
What does play therapy look like in a group or school setting?
For example, in my work at Princeton Nursery School, I introduced “group Theraplay circles” - or Tiger Circles - with the students instilling the four elements of Theraplay, a significant theory of play therapy: 1) structure - adults set the tone because if children know who is in charge, they feel safe to be a kid; 2) engagement – children need to feel connected and part of the group; 3) challenge - we put out activities that are age appropriate and gradually add new and more complicated games so they can build mastery. They feel, “I can do this! You are helping me do this!” And, 4) nurture - includes how we interact, embrace, and nurture children when they feel challenged or are in pain.
We have a protocol and follow the steps in the same order. Routines are critical and create a safe environment. We have an introduction song. We review the rules which are simple, and include “no hurts outside or inside.” We are a group and look out for each other, and we have fun. They are so good at remembering the rules!
We teach through doing. Teachers and administration share with us that they notice tools practiced in the group circles play out throughout the school day. For example, when a child falls on the playground, a fellow classmate often helps them up. Nurture, kindness, and respect flow through these moments. The best way for children to learn kindness and respect is through practice.
I love this work. With children, seeing the slightest shift in behavior is gratifying and reminds me why I show up every day. When a child comes in guarded at first and then cracks a smile, it’s beyond rewarding.
