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Therapy for Children
Who would benefit from Art and Play Therapy?
Anyone with:
- Behavioural difficulties
- Learning difficulties
- Emotional problems
- Trauma
- Sexual Abuse
- Rape
- Bullying
- Illness
- Bereavement
- Psychosomatic illness
- Family difficulties
- Difficulties forming relationships
- Low self esteem
- Depression
Age Group: From 5 years upwards
What is Child Art Psychotherapy?
Art psychotherapy is not about drawing skill or creating pretty pictures. Children use drawing as a means of expressing what they are unable to in words because they do not have the vocabulary or emotional maturity to do so. This way of working in turn gives the therapist the tool to understand their thoughts, feelings, fantasies, conflicts and worries as well as their perceptions of how they view the world. Creating images helps to communicate relevant issues and problems quickly and also allows an alternative way for the therapist to interact with children in treating them.
The therapist provides a a safe environment in which the child can safely explore their problems. They are enabled to overcome their fears, concerns and difficulties by assisting them to integrate their feelings with their thinking and by also learning strategies that they will be able to use in a constructive manner.
What is Play Therapy?
Through play therapy, children are able to safely communicate their innermost thoughts and fears. Pretend play permits the child to express concerns that would be difficult to express under normal circumstances. Play allows they child to ‘remove’ themselves from painful or threatening feelings and use the play to symbolize their reality.
The therapist plays an important role in creating a safe environment and establishing a feeling of permissiveness within the relationship that allows the child the freedom to express their feelings completely. This is accomplished by establishing a warm and friendly relationship with the child, unconditionally accepting them and offering them the necessary empathy.
Play is a cathartic way of working through their issues and positive interventions can be made to give a different perspective of the situation as well as offer helpful strategies to deal with difficult situations. |
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