What is Play Therapy?
Play Therapy helps children express what is worrying them when they are unable to verbalise in words. Through play, children are able to work through what is worrying them. Through play therapy sessions children learn healthier and more adaptive behaviours.
The relationship that emerges between the child and the play therapist during the weekly sessions provides a reparative emotional experience leading to strengthening the child’s sense of self, building resilience and healing past traumas . As part of this process we offer regular parental reviews with parents to share their child’s progress.
Child Art Psychotherapy
Child Art Psychotherapy is a form of psychotherapy which uses the medium of art as its primary mode of communication. Child Art Psychotherapy is useful for children and young people who find it difficult to express their feelings verbally.
The medium of art is used as a bridge to a verbal dialogue. This non-threatening method allows the child to explore their feelings through art in a safe place. It is not necessary that the child has experience or skill in art. The image is used to contain and give meaning to the child’s experience. The overall aim is to allow the child to accomplish personal growth and change by using the art materials in a safe environment.
The relationship that emerges between the child and the play therapist during the weekly sessions provides a reparative emotional experience leading to strengthening the child’s sense of self, building resilience and healing past traumas. As part of this process we offer regular parental reviews with parents to share their child’s progress.
Children for whom this form of therapy may be particularly beneficial are those suffering from:
- Attachment Disorders;
- Communication Difficulties;
- Family Separation/Loss;
- Psychosomatic Problems;
- Anxiety Disorders;
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder;
- Difficulties relating to the expression of emotions and self-image;
- Group Work for Children and Adolescent
Group Work tailored in the following areas for children and adolescents:
- Building Self-Esteem through creative arts.
- Group work for children /adolescent presenting with anxiety.
- Group Work to develop social skills.
- Group Work to build resilience and coping skills.
- Group work for children/adolescent who have experienced separation.
- Group work for children who have experienced bereavement.
- Group work to help children to make the transition from primary to secondary school.
- The groups are small to ensure there is enough time and space for everyone and run over a minimum of a six -week period.
All groups have a creative arts approach and will incorporate music, art, drama, clay works to assist children and adolescence to build their social skills and confidence
Individual Sessions and Group work sessions for parents
Kildare Play Therapy & Art Psychotherapy are very committed to offering support to parents. We strongly believe that Parents are the agents for change for their children (Landreth 1995).
At Kildare Play Therapy & Art Psychotherapy we offer support to parents to assist them to parent positively. Parents can avail of one to one sessions with a Counselling Psychologist to explore behavioural difficulties and anxiety issues that their children may be presenting with.
Cooperative Parenting Pre and Post separation:
We also offer support to parents who are separating and wish to shield their child/children from conflict as they are going through this process. Individual or couple sessions can be offered by a Counselling Psychologist who is very experienced in working in this area.
Workshops tailored for parents:
Workshops for parents are offered for three- hour morning slots by a counselling psychologist and child therapist. Workshops are tailored to meet in the needs of the parents attending. The next workshop will be run in the Autumn and will explore Anxiety and helping parents to find solutions to help their children cope with their anxiety.
Further workshops can be facilitated on the power of play in strengthening parent/child relationship and positive parenting strategies to help the parent build the child parent relationship.
Group Work tailored in the following areas for children and adolescent:
Building Self-Esteem through creative arts.
Group work for children /adolescent presenting with anxiety.
Group Work to develop social skills. Group Work to build resilience and coping skills.
Group work for children/adolescent who have experienced separation.
Group work for children who have experienced bereavement
Group work to help children to make the transition from primary to secondary school.