Toys are Children’s words and play is their language.
Garry Landreth
What results have you seen from Play Therapy?
This Data Represents 40 Clients. Is measured using the Goodman's Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire.
Blue - pro social strengths
Green - Emotional difficulties
Red - Hyperactivity difficulties
Orange - Conduct difficulties
Yellow - Peer difficulties
Each category can score a maximum of 10 points per person. In the hyperactivity category of the 40 young people I have seen, they scored a total of 353.
Over the course of the Play Therapy Intervention there has been a dramatic decrease in all areas of difficulties with the biggest drop in the hyperactivity category. Dropping from 353 to 93 a difference of 260
WHAT CHANGES ARE OBSERVED AT SCHOOL AND HOME FOLLOWING PLAY THERAPY?
Teachers remark on the profound behavioural differences within the classroom. The children and young people are coming into class ready to learn and are spending less time disrupting the lesson. If a young person needs support, they can ask for this in a meaningful and appropriate way. Explosive behaviour within the classroom towards children and staff was dramatically reduced and therefore a more relaxed and calm learning environment was established.
Children and pre-adolescents when first attending sessions had no friends, noted a change within the peer relationships at school. All children attending play therapy sessions had at least one good friend after the intervention.
Parents and caregivers noted family relationships at home were under less strain. The communication between members had increased and a positive home life balance was established. The sleeping patterns of young people had a positive change which had a huge impact on family life.
FAQs
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Sessions are 40 minutes in length and are child-led. This means that a child has the choice to select the resources they would like to use in the session. I use different non-directive techniques (Mirroring, reflecting and shuttling) to support the child in gaining a deeper understanding of themselves which in turn leads to a higher probability of lasting change.
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No. I use reflective language. If a young person says "I am so angry I'm smacking the clay." My reflection may sound like "you are feeling angry and are smacking the clay."
Reflective language can provide a way of viewing our inner selves.
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The beauty of play and creative arts therapy is that a session can be therapeutic even without words. These sessions may look like me reflecting the energy and movements within the session and paying close attention to body language.
These techniques are also used in speaking sessions.
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I have a large variety of resources that can be used within the therapeutic sessions. The toolkit stays the same week after week. This provides security and reliability to sessions. Introducing a new toy can evoke discomfort and can evoke memories that a child is not ready to process. It is for these reasons I ask no additional toys are brought into the sessions.
Note: There are times when this is needed, transitional objects for example and these will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
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Parts of the tool kit are in their nature messy. Messy play, painting and clay. Aprons are provided to contain the mess within a session. There maybe at times where hands, feet or even elbows end in the messy play tray. There may be elements of this process on their clothing.
Clay once dried can be dusted off and aprons are provided to keep clothing clean.
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Sessions are confidential and although a young person may chose to talk about what has happened within the session, please avoid starting the conversation.
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At the beginning of every play therapy cycle, a young person will be provided with a bag/box to contain all of their creative process. This may be pictures, paintings, clay work or even foraged items. These items will remain in the bag until the play therapy cycle has been completed. Your child will then be allowed to look through all the items they have made and bring home any they wish.