Supporting the Child.
As their parent or carer
You have a key role in helping the process along. You can help by passing on as much information as possible about your child’s past and present circumstances. This will enable me to know how best to help your child. When your child first comes to play therapy, you will be asked to fill in a questionnaire highlighting the strengths and difficulties you feel your child encounters. You will be asked to complete a similar form when your child finishes therapy. Although it is intended that sessions be enjoyable for your child it is likely they will face some important issues and emotions during their sessions, even if they are not entirely aware of it. This can be quite unsettling for your child, and sometimes things get worse before they get better.
Play therapy is a special time for your child, and for the most part the specific content of the sessions will remain confidential. Should the child speak of anything that may put them or someone else in danger, confidentiality will be broken. In such circumstances your child will be informed that this will happen.
- Resist the urge to ask your child what they did, as this will put pressure on them to comment on something they may have difficulty understanding themselves.
- Please don’t ask your child to ‘be good’ or check they have been. Therapy is not about being ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and your child must feel free to express ‘bad’ feelings in an uncensored way.
- Don't insist that your child tell certain things; it is their time and they must feel free to express themselves at their own pace.
As their teacher
Good communication between all of the adults involved in the child’s life is essential to achieve the best results. If you are unsure about anything, have concerns or questions, or would like more information, please do not hesitate to ask. When a child first comes to play therapy you will be asked to fill in a referral form and a questionnaire highlighting the strengths and difficulties you feel the child encounters. This helps to gather appropriate information. You will be asked to complete similar forms when the child finishes therapy.
Although it is intended that the sessions will be enjoyable for the child, it is likely they will face some important issues and emotions during their sessions, even if they are not entirely aware of it. This may be quite unsettling for the child, and it may take a while for the child to adjust back to the classroom setting. You can help by welcoming the child back into the room and by letting them know you are there without asking too many questions.
- Children need to feel secure in the knowledge that their ‘space’ is there for them each week and is not contingent on behaviour.
- Please don’t interrupt a play therapy session. Only a consistent ‘secure’ space enables children to feel safe enough to express themselves.
Louise Pye - Play Therapist in Herts and Cambs.
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