Child Centered Play Therapy Case Study

Haslam, D., Harris, S. (2011). Integrating Play and Family Therapy Methods: A Survey of Play

The paper topic is focused on how play therapy can help children develop their behavioral and emotional structures. The primary research question for the paper is Can Play Therapy help children with emotional and behavioral issues get better? The primary hypotheses for this paper are: If play therapy can help a child overcome his self-esteem issues, then it can help the child grow emotionally and if play therapy can help a child overcome his self-esteem issues, then it can help the child grow a strong behavioral structure. The paper is divided into an introduction which gives a brief background of the topic, literature review which focuses on the results of 10 recent studies with familiar topics, the methods section, and the results sections which provides the primary results of the study and the discussions section which illustrates the lessons learnt from conducting this study as well as the differences and limitations of the study alongside the new directions that similar researches in the future could look to explore.

He has the potential risk of following in his father’s footsteps and being violent and/or alcoholic. He has also been socially affected from the depression as he finds it hard to fit in at school (School of Nursing and Midwifery, 2014). Jesse is suffering asthma and is very ill. This illness could be impacted by her father’s violence as it causes stress on her and also her mum who cares for her. ‘Stress has been shown to predict the onset of asthma in children’, (Sandberg et al. 2000, p. 982).

After careful consideration, I decided that I am resigning from my position with PlayWorks Therapy, Inc on October 13, 2017 because after the past two weeks, I don't feel welcomed anymore to the facility to the point I have so much anxiety before arriving to work. I understand why and acknowledge of my mistakes, and I gave my full effort to work this out but still felt like that wasn't enough. I understand now that this place isn't right for me, and I am not right person for you.

A structured, play-based approach therapy was used throughout this semester. Therapy was conducted on Monday and Wednesdays for 30-minute sessions. Therapy sessions were broken up into four different activities or more that provided many opportunities for XX to produce verbal “yes” and production of the targeted phonemes. XX independently answered with "ya" but when the clinician modeled "yes" he would repeat "yes" with the correct production of "yes" including a final /s/ in the word. All activities were strategically planned to capture his interest and attention so he would not become frustrated and lose motivation. An example of therapy that XX enjoyed was the articulation fishing game where the clinicians would tape different phoneme photos on the back of a fish for him to produce once a fish was caught. Clinicians founds success in therapy games when turn taking and withholding objects were put into place. Due to XX’s attention span and energy, it was best if one of the activities included a movement activity to get him moving instead of sitting for the remainder of therapy. Clinicians consistently used verbal reinforcement after every correct production. A visual schedule was also incorporated for XX to stay focused followed by putting a

This model provides flexibility to a semi-structured concept to encourage creativity among counseling professionals. As a future Marriage and Family Therapist, I have a strong connection with using theories encompassing the family dynamics and culture. As a proponent of Play Therapy interventions, I enjoy teaching clients emotion regulation and relaxation techniques through creative activities in the best interest of the client. Furthermore, conjoining parent-child sessions not only provides growth of the child but unites the family and increases skill building for all individuals attending sessions. Conversely, unlike other trauma models, TF-CBT provides clients with multiple phases of cognitive coping and processing to explore and correct negative distortions through building confidence and skills. Teaching the child and parent’s relaxation breathing, effective emotion expression, and cognitive coping skills prepare the family for modules deemed difficult because sharing the traumatic experience involves painful emotions. Consequently, processing the child’s trauma nearing the end of treatment allows the counselor and family to build a strong therapeutic relationship in multiple sessions prior to the trauma narrative and processing the traumatic experience. This trauma model provides hope for traumatized individuals to take back the

Play is a way for children to learn about their environment and how interaction occurs within. It is through trial and error that children are able to create options; follow their own interests and show “independence in thought and actions” using their knowledge and understanding (Moyles, 2005, p.3). Children develop resilience though play. However for a number of children can experience stressful occurrences during their lives and play can often be restricted. Therefore the play worker’s role in supporting children’s play is a crucial measure towards children's development. For those that work with children require the dexterity to prompt and contribute to children’s play, which can be seen as a principle aspect of therapeutic alliance.

Therapeutic play, (including play therapy) , is a well established discipline predicated upon a number of psychological theories. Research, both qualitative and quantitative shows that it is highly efficacious in many cases. Recent research by PTUK, an organisation affiliated to PTI, suggests that 71% of the children referred to play therapy will show a positive change. A safe, confidential and caring environment is engendered which sanctions the child to play with as few limits as possible but as many as indispensable (for physical and emotional safety). This sanctions rejuvenating to occur on many calibers following our natural inner trend towards health. Play and ingeniousness operate on impulses from outside our cognizance - the insensate.

The interventions are developed by the therapist and are based on the therapist’s interpretation of the child’s understanding of the current environment as well as historical traumatic events (Foa, 2009). One of the main goals of psychodynamic therapy is to strengthen and support the parent-child relationship. The caregiver is helped to gain insight into his/her own illogical self-thoughts and behaviours, which creates a healthier environment for the child (Foa, 2009). Parker and Turner (2013) describe the therapeutic process as an exploration of early experiences and their effect on current thoughts, feelings, behaviours and relationships. They reiterate the importance of play, talking and the therapeutic relationship when treating children. As traumatized children express their internal conflicts through play and art, they begin to develop a new understanding of self which becomes internalized resulting in modifications to neural networks (Parker & Turner,

Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy takes into account interactions between cognitions, emotions, behavior, and environment. The therapist looks to modify attitudes, beliefs, and expectations, they aim to identify and modify maladaptive thoughts. ( Knell 2009) The emphasis of therapy is placed on the child, issues of control, master, and responsibility are addressed as well as responsibility for one’s own behavior change. A child’s perception of events rather than the event themselves is assumed as the cause for behavior in cognitive therapy. (O’Conner & Braverman 2009)

Domestic violence is a horrific circumstance that is an ongoing issue to the public health of the world. Affecting the lives of millions annually by psychologically crippling the minds of the affected through chronic exposure to abuse. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (2014), 1.3 million women are subjected to this devastating situation. “No such global estimate was applicable for men” (Trevillion, Oram, Feder, & Howard, 2012). Stated by (Trevillion, Oram, Feder, & Howard, 2012) that prolonged duration of an abusive relationship marks the onset and duration of mental disorders such as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. Women affected by continuous abuse by their partner are three to five times more likely to experience PTSD symptoms than the general population. (Rose et al., 2010). With time an abused women level of depression decrease with lessened abuse, but PTSD continues long after the abuse has stopped. According to Rose et al. (2010) “66% of the abused women continued to have symptoms of PTSD despite being absent from the abusive relationship for an average of nine years (range 2-23)”. Individuals particularly women affected by domestic violence indicate a high correlation of diagnosed PTSD clients. Justifying the need to give support to the victims of domestic violence and continue to seek further understanding of PTSD. By identifying children being exposed

DSM -5 Diagnosis Nicholas has Adjustment Disorder with mixed disturbance of emotion and conduct. 309. 4. He has developed emotional and behavioral symptoms in response to the birth of his sister three months ago. This has caused him significant impairment at home and at preschool as evidenced by throwing temper tantrums at home, hitting other children at school when he doesn’t get his way, taking other children’s toys, and not sitting still for circle time. This stress-related disturbance does not meet the criteria for another mental disorder and is not merely an exacerbation of a preexisting mental disorder.

The following study explores the efficacy of using play therapy with children exposed to childhood trauma to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Childhood trauma can be defined as, “an actual or perceived threat of danger which overwhelms a child’s ability to self regulate emotional reactions and coping abilities” (Jordan, Perryman, Anderson, 2013, p. 219). These symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, aggressiveness, sleeplessness, withdraw, generalized fears, and disturbing thoughts. Prior research suggests that child-centered play therapy significantly decreases symptoms of trauma in contrast to those receiving other traditional therapies. Reasoning for this is that children at a young age do not have

The kids in the shelter are typically there with their mothers, who are victims of abuse. Most often, they need that love and attention they are not normally given. After being trained in trauma-informed practices, I was able to work with the kids every week. The goal of this program is that through play therapy, the counselors and I can judge how the child is doing mentally. While they may not want to open up to adults, their behaviors and attitudes during play reveal a lot about the child. For example, ….

Gestalt therapy is a type of therapy used to deepen our awareness of ourselves. According to O’Connor and Braverman, (2009) “Gestalt" implies wholeness. Gestalt can also be considered as the essence, or shape of a complete form. A theoretical opposite of structuralism, the entity constitutes more than the sum of its parts. Gestalt therapy is comprised of a complex psychological system that stresses the development of client self-awareness and personal responsibility through a process-oriented, experiential and phenomenological modality that addresses the totality of an individual in terms of senses, body, emotions and intellect.” In an active process, suppressed feelings can be explored in depth and through understanding of the how