Play and toys become the world and words where children can express their thoughts and feelings and when words aren't enough.  Through play, a parent and therapist gets to learn what is going on in the life of the child.  Play allows children to find solutions to their problems, to develop effective coping skills and to improve the relationships with the adults in their lives. Play therapy helps children with different mental health issues such as ADHD, behavioral problems, anxiety, depression and others. In play therapy, children can learn social emotional skills, coping skills, and more. 
In the case of abuse, a child’s sense of safety becomes highly distorted when overwhelming events have been intense and/or repeated.  This affects deeper structures of the brain, especially with simple reminders of the frightening event. Through play therapy and other modalities, a child can heal from this experience and develop healthy coping skills. Play is the safe environment a child needs to heal.