For Parents
Do you feel that your child or young person:
- Finds it difficult to manage or understand feelings – worries, fears, anger, sadness, anxiety?
- Shows difficulty expressing these feelings, leading to behaviours such as outbursts, hitting, fighting, temper tantrums, constant crying, or shutting themselves off completely?
- Has difficulty with routines, boundaries, oppositional behaviour, ignoring you?
- Is finding it difficult to adjust to recent change such as starting school, moving house, separation/divorce, a new baby sibling, a family bereavement?
- Has become generally unhappy, not himself/herself, perhaps has grown more distant from you?
- Is having difficulties with friends, classmates or others, and may be at risk of being excluded or bullied?
- Has experienced major problems or trauma, and is trying to cope with these?
Please contact us if you feel that any of these apply to your child/young person and your family. Often parents are unsure if their child’s difficulties are ‘bad enough’ to need play therapy.
Contacting the play therapist is the first step in the process and from here you will be able to meet in person to discuss your child.
When, Where, How Often?
A child can be referred to play therapy by parents, teachers, school Principals, childcare staff, GP’s, Public Health Nurses or other professionals involved in the child’s life. Following referral, the play therapist will meet with parents/carers to discuss the reasons for referring the child. This meeting usually takes one hour. Once a regular day and time has been arranged, the play therapist will then meet with the child, where he/she will be able to get to know the play therapist and the play room. Therapy sessions are weekly and last 45 minutes. Once a child begins to attend weekly sessions, the play therapist will meet with parents/carers regularly to discuss how the child is doing. Additional phone discussions, where necessary, can take place outside the child’s session time.
It is important to note that the number of play therapy sessions varies for each child depending on the complexity of difficulties and family circumstances. This will be discussed during the first meeting with parents and reviewed regularly. For example, children experiencing mild issues may attend 10-12 sessions, while children with moderate to severe difficulties may attend approximately 30 sessions. The play therapist will carefully assess and monitor each child and family’s needs on a case by case basis. Allow at least 6 initial sessions to allow your child to build a rapport with the therapist and adapt to the playroom. The therapist will meet with parents/carers at this point to discuss progress and regularly thereafter.
It is important to remember that as this type of therapy is mainly non-directive, children work through their troubles at their own pace and the therapist supports and respects how each child responds to the process. For children who have experienced trauma, it is very important to build safety and trust with the play therapist and this can take time. It is also important to note that it may take time for children to integrate new ways of thinking and feelings into their ‘normal’ life. During their time in therapy, changes in behaviours may occur as the child is learning and growing in awareness. This will be reviewed and discussed regularly.
It is important to note that the number of play therapy sessions varies for each child depending on the complexity of difficulties and family circumstances. This will be discussed during the first meeting with parents and reviewed regularly. For example, children experiencing mild issues may attend 10-12 sessions, while children with moderate to severe difficulties may attend approximately 30 sessions. The play therapist will carefully assess and monitor each child and family’s needs on a case by case basis. Allow at least 6 initial sessions to allow your child to build a rapport with the therapist and adapt to the playroom. The therapist will meet with parents/carers at this point to discuss progress and regularly thereafter.
It is important to remember that as this type of therapy is mainly non-directive, children work through their troubles at their own pace and the therapist supports and respects how each child responds to the process. For children who have experienced trauma, it is very important to build safety and trust with the play therapist and this can take time. It is also important to note that it may take time for children to integrate new ways of thinking and feelings into their ‘normal’ life. During their time in therapy, changes in behaviours may occur as the child is learning and growing in awareness. This will be reviewed and discussed regularly.