For a Child Who Doesn't Speak

[Derec December 29, 2025 at 2:12 pm Post count: 0]

#89858 Reply |

My nephew is 6 and hasn’t spoken a word since his parents’ divorce. We’re all heartbroken and traditional talk therapy has been a failure because he just shuts down. I keep reading about play being a child’s language. Can you explain how play therapy might help a non-verbal child express and process such big feelings?

[Klod December 29, 2025 at 3:56 pm Post count: 0]

#89862 Reply |

That silence is so hard. Play therapy speaks their language when words can’t. A child I know processed his dad’s deployment not by talking, but by having toy soldiers “protect” a dollhouse for weeks. The therapist followed his lead, naming the feelings in the play. It’s about creating a safe space where big emotions can be acted out, not articulated. For finding a therapist skilled in this, the approach in this guide was really helpful, even though it’s framed for teens: signs your teen may need counseling . It emphasizes matching the method to the child’s world.

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