Abstract
Exposure to interpersonal trauma impacts nearly one million children across the United States each year. Interpersonal trauma has shown to have a negative effect on childhood functioning. Research suggests that play therapy is a developmentally appropriate intervention for treating children. Through play, practitioners can build a trusting relationship with children. This is especially powerful when working with children who have been victimized because they often receive the message that the world is an unsafe place and interpersonal relationships are harmful. It is argued that children can guide their own healing process if given the opportunity through play-based therapy. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of play therapy in treating children who experience interpersonal trauma.
