From party frocks to invites and Christmas cocktails, we've got everything you need to throw a fabulous party
Play away problems
Children – and particularly young children – don’t have the vocabulary to be able to express themselves and say what they really mean and feel; but, through play, they can often show us.
Play gives children autonomy: they set the rules. And some children in foster care find that special help through play therapy enables them to develop a sense of self-esteem and an awareness of themselves.
What therapists call ‘non-directive play therapy’ centres solely on the child, helping them to make connections between events in their life and to understand these events. The therapy is non-directive in that the child leads and the therapist follows.
In the same way that a mother watches and understands her child’s behaviour, and learns to respond to his or her needs, so the therapist enters the child’s world. The therapist watches what the child does and interprets its actions in terms of their knowledge of that child. At no time must the child feel he or she is being judged, evaluated or interrogated in any way. The therapist must respect and accept the child unconditionally.
Interpreting play
Play therapy focuses on the child as a person, rather than on any specific problem or behavioural difficulty the child may have. The skill of the therapist is in interpreting the underlying meaning or symbolism behind a child’s play. If, for example, a child is using building blocks, building one on top of another and then knocking them down, the therapist has to decide whether this is a form of anger and frustration or an exhibition of mastery and control. There are many different interpretations that can be attached to any one action. The therapist has to test each one and see where it leads.
The playroom
Usually the therapist works with the child away from its home. The playroom where the therapy takes place is carefully designed to provide a safe environment and surroundings – furnished with a range of toys – which put the child at ease. Each week the therapist will want to spend time here with the child, for as many weeks as the work needs to continue.
1 | 2 | next
printer friendly
send to a friend
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Horoscopes| Message Boards | Quizzes | Newsletters | Join
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB
