Play Therapist.

[fiorelli]

Does anyone know anything about play therapists?

 

Basically, there is one that comes into Louis's special school and works with some of the children. Louis is one of them.

 

Does anyone know how much information on these sessions I am entitled to know? Is he entitled to full secrecy (wrong word - can't think of the right one!)? Or am I, because he is a minor at only 9 years old, allowed to know about everything that goes on?

[Karen A]

Hi fiorelli.

I think that how much information the playtherapist will provide for you will depend on the individual therapist and the policy of the organisation that they work with.You are perfectly entitled to ask the individual therapist what level of information they will provide and to ask about the system for communicating between the therapist and yourself.

I know more about child psychotherapy than play therapy.When a child has psychotherapy with Camhs then another psychotherapist works with the parents and acts as a link with the child's therapist.The therapist may communicate regarding the general things that the child is working on but not specific details.Regular reviews also take place to review how therapy is going and to discuss any concerns the parents have.

It is worth finding out whether there is a system for communicating information to the therapist....it may be that your child is upsett because of a change of routine at home and it would be helpful for the playtherapist to know.Karen.

[Corcaigh]

Hi Fiorelli

I would like to share my story with you,as we had a wonderful experience with play therapy when my son was about your son's age. He went regularly to see a play therapist (weekly sessions) for more than two years, until about 9 1/2. The play therapist was private, strongly recommended by the psychologist who was giving us a hand at the time (we were going through a bad crisis with the educational system). It was the best therapy my son ever had, in fact this person (who was, among other things, just a good person who loved the kids she was working with) was the first who ever suspected that my son might be in the spectrum. My son bonded with her very well and loved her to bits.

 

At the beginning of the therapy, my son would go in the play therapy room alone, but I was asked to wait outside for the full hour in case of a crisis (which never occurred). After a year, little by little the therapist included me in the therapy session, which I found very interesting and helpful. Basically, it had emerged that me and my son hadn't bonded very well, due to the extreme lack of support (of any kind, family, social etc) that my husband and I encountered during his infancy (literally, up to the moment he started therapy) and to my personal circumstances. Doing play therapy with my son helped me tremendously too. Ad the very end of the therapy, when unfortunately she had to discontinue it because she was moving out of our city, she actually came at home with us to carry on the last sessions in a "special" room we had equipped with toys, paints, etc.

 

This seem to be quite a standard procedure for play therapist so, I would say, yes, you are entitled to be present during your son's sessions, in fact it might be quite a beneficial thing.

 

There is quite a seminal book by Virginia M. Axline, "Play Therapy" (Ballantine books) that might help you to understand the whole process. Moreover, you should ask the therapist to brief you extensively on the methods used (paints, toys, pretend play, dressing up etc), as it is your right. In fact I was encouraged to do some of this work at home, as well, with my son.

 

As I told you, our play therapist was (I am sure still is!) a very good,dedicated person who helped us, as a family in distress, immensely.

I am sure your therapist will be very willing to listen to you as well. No, there is no secrecy, in fact I recommend you get in touch with her in order to have a good chat about the work she's doing with your son.

 

Take care, I hope this helped

 

Martina from Ireland