ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of how group play therapy can work in practice, to support the normalisation of experiences, develop socialising techniques with peers and encourage emotional catharsis. It discusses some of the challenges and practice considerations when setting up group play therapy interventions. The benefits of group play therapy for the school include improved educational and social behaviour, as well as improved personal confidence in the children. Group play therapy provides a social setting in which children can explore effective ways to relate to their peers and test new insights within their group relationships. Children may be more comfortable with other children who have gone through similar experiences, rather than with an adult therapist in individual therapy. The children make sense of their experiences through narrative integration, and process those events via the stories, memories, sensations and feelings that they integrate within the group narrative, while supporting the individual’s brain development.
