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Therapy for Children

Considering therapy for your child may seem daunting.

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However, with the guidance of a caring, warm and understanding therapist, therapy can be a collaborative and positive experience.

Top Child

Concern for Your Child

Are you concerned that there has been a noticeable change in your child's mood, behaviour or both?

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Have you noticed that their eating or sleeping patterns have changed or changes in how they relate to family and friends?

 

You may be unsure what is causing your child to be sad, disruptive, rebellious, unable to cope or inattentive.

Concern for Your Child

Significant life events such as:

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  • the death of a family member, friend or pet

  • divorce

  • moving house

  • trauma

  • major illness in the family

 

can cause stress and lead a child to becoming withdrawn, worried, stressed, moody, angry or tearful.

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Sometimes a child can be triggered by a reminder of something that happened to them in their past.

 

They may not be aware of the cause of their distress –

just how they are feeling.

Play & Art Therapy

Play therapy and Art therapy combine:

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  • the opportunity to express emotions through play and creativity

  • the safe relationship in which to do it freely

  • the expertise of the therapist to deeply listen

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For children, play therapy is self-directed play; creating artwork provides the opportunity to grow and develop self-awareness through self-expression.

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Children naturally express their innermost desires, joys, fears, insecurities, traumas and imaginations through the symbols in play and artwork.

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There is no pressure to talk directly about an experience. Using the objects in the room, children are able to communicate at their own level and at their own pace.

Play & Art Therapy

The Benefits of Play & Art Therapy

​Play therapy and art therapy can help a child to:

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  • Develop their communication skills - express their feelings and thoughts

  • Process traumatic experiences

  • Regulate their feelings more effectively

  • Develop resilience

  • Deal with conflicts in more appropriate ways

  • Build self-worth and self-esteem

My Approach

I offer child-centered play and art therapy, as I feels it is a respectful and sensitive model that is developmentally appropriate for children.

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My therapy room is equipped with a range of toys, objects and art materials. Child-centered therapy involves being alongside a child whilst they play or create artwork. The child chooses and leads the activity and how much they wish me to be involved.

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​I work closely with parents and caregivers. This includes keeping you informed and involved at each stage of therapy, providing support to understand your child’s feelings and motivations and how this might be expressed through behaviour.

My Approach

The information that you share with me about your child is a vital part of this process. I will be holding this in my mind, as I develop a sense of their inner world, expressed through their play and/or creative artwork.

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A recurring theme in therapy, shows us that a child is busy processing something. They may need to revisit this until they are done.

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Example:

Thomas nearly always chooses to play with dinosaurs. During their adventures, one dinosaur always dies and gets buried in the sand - until one day something different happens...

Thomas' Dad had previously told me that his best friend had recently moved away. Thomas had been processing and exploring feelings about loss through therapeutic storytelling.

The Therapy Room

At Summer House Therapy your child will be welcomed into a room equipped with a range of toys, objects and art materials which encourage the imagination.

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I offer the opportunity to work with:

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  • Arts and craft materials

  • Finger paints

  • Play-doh and clay

  • Sand tray

  • Small figures and animals

  • Soft toys and dolls

  • Cars, planes

  • Music and movement

  • Puppets

  • Games

  • Books and stories

Therapy Room

Activities

I can offer children the chance to work with:

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  • Creating images with paint, pastels and crayons

  • Creating collage and 3D artwork

  • Clay and Play-Doh

  • Sand tray work – figures & objects are used with sand box to make a picture or tell a story

  • Puppets

  • Dolls and soft toys

  • Music and movement

  • Toys and games

  • Dressing up and role play

  • Creative writing

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