The "Magic Wand" in Play Therapy

In our blog post, Intro to Play Therapy, we learned about how play can help us communicate our emotions, desires, stressors, and more.

The magic wand activity starts with a simple question: "If you had a magic wand that could change three things about you, the people around you, or your life, what would you change?"

Magic is the important aspect of this activity because it allows us to set aside logic or resources. There's no, "But my mom would never do that" or "I don't have enough money to." Whatever answers come up may give us insight into our unmet needs, our hidden emotions, and our hopes for our lives.

For example, someone might wish that they were beautiful, that they were rich, and that their mom stayed healthy. What needs do these wishes convey?

• Wishing for beauty may convey a desire for confidence in ourselves, so we can explore ways to build self-esteem and reduce insecurity.

• Wishing they were rich might show that they lack the financial resources to feel safe or to pursue their goals. Maybe your client is experiencing food insecurity or maybe they want to pursue a hobby outside of their budget. Are there resources we can connect them with? Are there other ways we can explore their creativity and autonomy?

• What do you think wishing for their mom's health might show? What could help this person?

Even if magic isn't real, this activity can still be valuable in asking what our desires and values might be. We might not be able to actually make these changes happen, but maybe we can explore what needs aren't being met and how we might be able to realistically and sustainable get closer to those goals.