Let’s play: An Introduction to Working Therapeutically with Children

LET’S PLAY: AN INTRODUCTION TO WORKING
THERAPEUTICALLY WITH CHILDREN
©Stephanie Jeans 2014 www.indabacounselling.co.uk

“Before becoming a counsellor
for children it is important to
have an understanding of the
nature and purpose of
counselling children.”
(Geldard 2008)

Mental health statistics
• 1 in 10 children and young people aged 5 - 16
suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder
- that is around three children in every class
• More than half of all adults with mental health
problems were diagnosed in childhood. Less than
half were treated appropriately at the time
• Over 8,000 children aged under 10 years old
suffer from severe depression
• 7.7% or nearly 340,000 children aged 5-10 years
have a mental disorder

• 2.2% or about 96,000 children have an anxiety
disorder
• 0.2% or about 8,700 aged 5-10 year-olds are
seriously depressed.
• 4.9% or nearly 215,000 children have a conduct
disorder
• 1.6% or about 70,000 children have severe
ADHD
(Green, H., McGinnity, A., Meltzer, H., et al., 2005)

CHILDREN’S NEEDS
• Basic physical care
• Protection
• Security, guidance,
support & control
• Love, affection & respect
• Stimulation to learn & access
to schooling
• Autonomy & responsibility

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS
THE CHILDREN’S ACT (HMSO, 1989)
Child’s welfare is paramount & adults
must ascertain wishes & feelings of child.
Legally, courts to consider emotional
needs. Local authority agencies required to
protect children.
UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON RIGHTS OF A CHILD (1991)
Concerned with rights to life itself & to a reasonable quality
of life. Categorized as protection, provision & participation
BACP
“The rights of the child need to be respected, a sense of self &
identity fostered & the personal efficacy of the child increased.”
©Steph Jeans 2014 www.indabacounselling.co.uk

DISTRESS:
Anguish or affliction affecting the body,
spirit or community; to subject to
severe pain or pressure; to afflict or
exhaust; to cause pain or anxiety to.
(Oxford English Dictionary, 1983)

SOURCES OF STRESS (OR ‘WORRIES’) CAN BE
CATERGORISED INTO FIVE MAIN GROUPINGS:
1. Loss
2. Chronically disturbed relationships
3. Events that change the family status quo
4. Events which require social adaptation
5. Acute negative events such as trauma
Unhappiness can fall along a dual continuum of
persistency & intensity.
(Garmezy & Rutter, 1983)

POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF EXTREME
STRESS
Sharpe & Cowie, 1998

• When people (children) have nowhere to express,
explore or learn about their feelings, they often
decided to remain silent, bottle up or swallow
their feelings
• This leads to a constant state of unease which
can damage psychologically or physically
• Alternatively they may ‘act out’ their feelings
in destructive ways
(Sunderland & Engleheart, 1993)

“Tom tied a kettle to the tail of a cat,
Jill put a stone in a blind man’s hat,
Bob threw his grandmother down the
stairs:
And they all grew up ugly and nobody
cares.” (Cattanach
1994)

MISUNDERSTOOD
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMMFkX7
iZfA
The other side of the story…
… so how can we help?

WHY PLAY?
“In the process (of play) we change ourselves and
our view of the world. We dare to change because
our autonomy is not challenged or threatened….
children’s needs to play are greater since their
autonomy is less.” (McMahon, 1992)
“Play therapy can be helpful in reducing anxiety &
improving self-esteem & cognitive skills.” (Sherr & Sterne, 1999)

• Play is the language of a child as they do not
have cognitive or language skills to verbally
express themselves
• Play is vital to a child’s development as it’s how
they make sense of their world
• Is how children first develop a sense of self & the
world around them
• Play is a dynamic process in which a child can
explore, grow & change both as an individual & in
relation to experience

• Children can ‘play out’ their feelings & problems
& process their experiences
• Can take risks, try new roles, dare to be someone
else
• Grapple with new experiences & ideas which
increases their power & autonomy
• Gives children freedom as they can choose to
think or talk however they want
(Place2Be, 2008)

There are three stages in the development
of play: (Cattanach, 1995)
Embodiment Play
This is solitary & is about playing through
the senses & the body

Projective Play
Project meaning into objects & people
around them, & tend to play this way
in parallel play, alongside others

Dramatic Play
Is co-operative & social as different
roles are played

THE PLAY
THERAPY
ROOM
(Geldard 2008)

MEDIUMS TO FACILTIATE PLAY
• Counselling skills combined with media help the child
to tell their story, directly or indirectly
• Telling their story raises the child’s awareness of both
current & past unresolved issues
• Media, such as toys, sand tray, and stories provide an
activity to hold interest and help the child stay
focused
• Media may allow children to connect with their
emotions & may act as a vehicle through which they
can express them

“In all creativity, we destroy & rebuild the
world, & at the same time we inevitably
rebuild & reform ourselves.” (Rollo May, 1985)
http://kids.nationalgeographic.co.uk/kids/st
ories/peopleplaces/playpumps/

ATTRIBUTES OF THE CHILD-COUNSELLOR
RELATIONSHIP (Geldard, 2008)
1. A connective link between the child’s world and
the counsellor
2.Exclusive
3.Safe
4.Authentic
5.Purposeful
6.Non-intrusive
7. Confidential (subject to limits)

THE MOTHERLY ELEPHANT
There was once a kindly elephant who
accidentally stood upon a hen. She was much
distressed, especially when she looked down
and saw all the little chickens, running around
cheeping.
“Poor little creatures. I will be a
mother to them.”
And gathering the chickens
tenderly underneath her, she
sat down upon them.

“The therapist does not attempt to direct the child’s
actions or conversation in any manner. The child
leads the way. The therapist follows.” (Axline, 1947)
• Be permissive, so the child is fully free to express
feelings uninhibited
• Be alert to recognize expressed feelings in order
to reflect these back
• Maintain a deep respect for the child’s ability to
solve their own problem
• Avoid attempting to hurry therapy along

POINTS TO CONSIDER
• Contracting: as important as with adult clients
• It establishes necessary boundaries to anchor the
therapy in the world of reality so child is aware of
their responsibility in the relationship
• Supervision: Choose a supervisor who has
experience working with children
• Supervision provides space to untangle the
complexities of a session, the child’s world &
keeps work safe
• Touch: Ask yourself if the physical contact is
necessary, appropriate & reasonable?

CHILD PROTECTION
• A therapist cannot call themselves a Play
Therapist unless qualified and registered
with the Professional Standards Authority
http://professionalstandards.org.uk/
• This is one branch of counselling that is
statutorily (government) regulated and is
subject to a fine of up to £5000

INFORMING ADULT PRACTICE
• Thinking creatively can help adults ‘tell their story’
• Children do not have an adults’ social awareness & so one can
learn to be more comfortable with silence. There can be a
reduced self consciousness about ‘getting it right’ with adult
clients as children seem less judgmental
• The temptation to ‘work too hard’ instead of letting the client
do the work increasingly comes into awareness as it is less
easy to interpret and make assumptions when counselling
children
• Instinctive responses, such as to be a parent, a teacher, a
fixer, or just plain curious, are heightened, and as such more
evident to consciousness.

• Patience improves, especially when working
with the ‘not knowing’
• Any unfinished mental and
emotional issues as a child can
lead to anxiety, confusion, fear,
emptiness and unhappiness,
reasons for which are not
apparent to the adult (Whitfield, 1987)
• Thus can help adult clients recognise, heal &
nurture their inner child as ‘repressed traumatic
experiences in childhood are stored up in the
body and, although remaining unconscious, exert
their influence even in adulthood.’ (Miller, 1983)

STORY IDEAS

RECOMMENDED READING

SUPPORT
www.theplace2be.org.uk The Place2Be
http://www.youngminds.org.uk/ Young Minds
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/ NSPCC
http://www.everychildmatters.co.uk/
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/help-and-advice/for-parents-and-carers/guides-for-parents/
listening-to-children/listening-to-children-pdf_
wdf90723.pdf?utm_source=download&utm_medium=guide&utm_campai
gn=listening
Guide for Parents: Listening to Children
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/help-and-advice/for-parents-and-carers/guides-for-parents/
keeping-your-cool/keeping-your-cool-pdf_wdf90721.PDF
Guide for Parents: Keeping your Cool

REFERENCES
Axline, V. M. , 1969. Play therapy. New York: Ballentine Books.
Bruner, J., 1983. Child’s talk: learning to use language. New York: Norton
Cattanach, A. , 1994. Play Therapy: where the sky meets the underworld. London: Jessica
Kingsley Publishers.
Cattanach, A., 1995. Drama & Play Therapy with Young Children. The Arts in Psychology, 22,
(3), p 223-228.
Geldard, K. & Geldard, D., 1997. Counselling Children . London: Sage.
Gibbons, A., 2002. The Edge . Great Britain: Dolphin.
Hayden, T., 1995. Tiger’s Child . London: HarperCollins.
Ironside, V., 1996. The Huge Bag of Worries . Great Britain: H odder.
Miller, A., 1987. The drama of being a child: the search for the true self. Great Britain: Clays
Ltd.
Green, H., McGinnity, A., Meltzer, H., et al. (2005). Mental health of children and young people
in Great Britain 2004. London: Palgrave
Prever, M., 2010. Counselling & supporting children & young people. London: Sage.
Sharpe, S. & Cowie, H., 1998. Counselling & Supporting Children in Distress . London: Sage.
Smyth, D., 2013. Person-Centred therapy with children & young people. London: Sage.
Sunderland, M., & Engleheart, P., 1993. Draw on your emotions: Creative ways to explore,
express & understand important feelings. Milton Keynes: Speechmark Publishing Ltd.
Whitfield, C., 1987. healing the child within: discovery & recovery for adult children of
dysfunctional families. Florida: Health Communications Inc.

Let’s play: An Introduction to Working Therapeutically with Children

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