Counselling children Counselling children

Art, sand tray and play therapy Art, sand tray and play therapy

Art therapy with children Art therapy with children

Sand tray therapy with Sand tray therapy with children children

Session with parents or Session with parents or parentparent

Session with parents Session with parents

Initial session with Initial session with parents or parent parents or parent

First session with the parents or parent to First session with the parents or parent to get information about the situation that get information about the situation that doesn't need to be talked about in front of doesn't need to be talked about in front of the childthe child

Parents – initial session Parents – initial session

What works well? What works well? What doesn't work What doesn't work

well? well? Family backgroundFamily background Are parents together Are parents together Are parents separated Are parents separated Are they re-partnered Are they re-partnered Step parenting issues Step parenting issues Parenting disagreements Parenting disagreements BoundariesBoundaries

Strengths and talents Strengths and talents of the childof the child

Hobbies Hobbies Issues with siblings Issues with siblings Issues that brings child Issues that brings child

to counselling: to counselling: emotional emotional behavioural behavioural

Who will benefit from Who will benefit from counselling? The parent (s) counselling? The parent (s)

child / whole family child / whole family Assessment of who Assessment of who

will benefit most. will benefit most. What are the What are the

issues?-issues?- Do they relate to the Do they relate to the

parenting or parenting or surrounding surrounding situations between situations between parents parents

Child’s issuesChild’s issues BehaviouralBehavioural EmotionalEmotional At homeAt home At schoolAt school With friendsWith friends With separation from With separation from

parent ? parent ?

Child’s emotional signsChild’s emotional signs

Fears:Fears: fear of monsters fear of monsters NightmaresNightmares Fear of new things, fear of going to school, fear of visits Fear of new things, fear of going to school, fear of visits

etcetc General anxietyGeneral anxiety Sadness:Sadness: crying a lot, being clingy at separation of crying a lot, being clingy at separation of

parents, after moving house – loss of friendsparents, after moving house – loss of friends Anger and aggression:Anger and aggression: throwing things, generally throwing things, generally

angry after certain events, towards certain people, angry after certain events, towards certain people, acting out, destroying toys, hurting siblings, pets etcacting out, destroying toys, hurting siblings, pets etc

Child’s behaviour Child’s behaviour

Aggressive behaviour: kicking things, destroying things Aggressive behaviour: kicking things, destroying things like toys, like toys,

hitting or kicking others, siblings friends etchitting or kicking others, siblings friends etc Bullying others , Bullying others , acting out at schoolacting out at school Not listeningNot listening Not obeying, being disrespectful to othersNot obeying, being disrespectful to others Back chatting to parent (s)Back chatting to parent (s) Not wanting to go to school: being bullied by other kids, Not wanting to go to school: being bullied by other kids, Shyness and feeling anxious about going to school, Shyness and feeling anxious about going to school,

Play is therapeutic in Play is therapeutic in itself itself

What is play and sand tray What is play and sand tray therapy and how does it therapy and how does it work?work?

Sand tray therapy has been developed by a Sand tray therapy has been developed by a Jungian therapist over 50 years ago. Jungian therapist over 50 years ago.

She found that this kind of therapy is a non – She found that this kind of therapy is a non – intrusive, non-judgemental approach to help intrusive, non-judgemental approach to help the child express itselfthe child express itself

Play is the natural language of a childPlay is the natural language of a child It works often on a symbolic level and lets It works often on a symbolic level and lets

children work inner and outer conflicts out in a children work inner and outer conflicts out in a non threatening waynon threatening way

Self directed play Self directed play – story telling – story telling

Figurines are placed in the sand trayFigurines are placed in the sand tray The child either talks or is silently placing The child either talks or is silently placing

figures in the sand and moving them figures in the sand and moving them aroundaround

I ask about the story and who is in the I ask about the story and who is in the storystory

How it works How it works

Fears can be externalised as a dragon or Fears can be externalised as a dragon or monster in the sand traymonster in the sand tray

Sadness can be expressed by choosing Sadness can be expressed by choosing a figurine that looks sad – or by isolating a figurine that looks sad – or by isolating a figurea figure

Anger can safely be expressed Anger can safely be expressed (motorbikes or warrior figures often help) (motorbikes or warrior figures often help)

Kids skills Kids skills

Kids skills Kids skills Learning to have courage Learning to have courage Learning to challenge fearsLearning to challenge fears Turning fears into challenged that can be Turning fears into challenged that can be

overcomeovercome Creating support to help challenge fearsCreating support to help challenge fears Reward system Reward system