Play Therapy
with Jacinta Maher at Glosna
Play Therapy
Children may experience problems with feelings or behaviours that cause disruption to their lives and the lives of those around them. Play Therapy provides a child with an opportunity to ‘play out’ their thoughts, feelings and problems just as, in certain types of adult therapy, an individual ‘talks out’ their difficulties. Trained Play Therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help children prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development. Play permits the child to communicate with adults nonverbally, symbolically, and in an action-oriented manner. Play Therapists use approaches, interventions, media, and activities that are appropriate to the age and developmental stage of the client.
During the play therapy process, children enter into a dynamic therapeutic relationship with the therapist that enables them to express themselves, explore and make sense of the world in which they live, and resolve any difficult or painful experiences through the medium of play.
Any child can benefit from play therapy. It promotes self-confidence, imagination, creativity, concentration, communication, problem-solving skills, self-esteem and most importantly happiness in the child. Play Therapy is suitable for children as young as three years old and there is no upper age limit. Play therapy is relationship based – the power of the therapy comes from the strength of the relationship between the Play Therapist and the child.
More about the process of play therapy
Play is vitally important to enable children achieve developmental milestones, acquire an emotional vocabulary, develop secure attachments, and negotiate the normal ups and downs of everyday living. “Play is vital to every child’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical, creative and language development” (BAPT 2005). It is through play that children best express themselves, therefore children with poor play skills will be hampered in their relationships and ability to make sense of their world and their experiences. All children, and most especially those with identified extra needs, will benefit from a systematic approach that ensures that they are provided with extensive opportunities, and assistance, to develop play skills and to engage in playful activities. Play is not a luxury or a pastime for children – it is the very means through which they develop and grow to reach their potential and realise their capacity to engage in meaningful relationships with others. Developmental and therapeutic play includes the use of play-based activities to assist children, including those with special needs, in the development of skills, personal resources, positive self-esteem, and holistic development.
Children may experience problems with feelings or behaviours that cause disruption to their lives and the lives of those around them. Play Therapy provides a child with an opportunity to ‘play out’ their thoughts, feelings and problems just as, in certain types of adult therapy, an individual ‘talks out’ their difficulties. Trained Play Therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help children prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development. Play permits the child to communicate with adults nonverbally, symbolically, and in an action-oriented manner. Play Therapists use approaches, interventions, media, and activities that are appropriate to the age and developmental stage of the client. During the play therapy process, children enter into a dynamic therapeutic relationship with the therapist that enables them to express themselves, explore and make sense of the world in which they live, and resolve any difficult or painful experiences through the medium of play. Any child can benefit from play therapy. It promotes self-confidence, imagination, creativity, concentration, communication, problem-solving skills, self-esteem and most importantly happiness in the child. Play Therapy is suitable for children as young as three years old and there is no upper age limit. Play therapy is relationship based – the power of the therapy comes from the strength of the relationship between the Play Therapist and the child.
“Children must be approached and understood from a developmental perspective. They must not be viewed as miniature adults. Their world is one of concrete realities and their experiences are often communicated through play. Unlike adults whose natural medium of communication is verbalization, the natural medium of communication for children is play activity. (Landreth, 1991)
Consent
Before the play therapy can start, it is important that appropriate information is shared and consent forms are signed. The therapist will meet with the child’s parent/s or carer/s for up to two intake sessions before play therapy commences. The client will also be involved in making an agreement with the therapist in relation to their sessions.
Confidentiality
Play therapists are required to maintain a strict level of privacy in relation to the content of their client’s sessions. Without this, trust will not be fostered and the development of a therapeutic relationship will be hampered. This reliance on confidentiality can be frustrating for adults caring for the child. However, the therapist will be able to share information in relation to the child’s progress and will aim to work in partnership with the child’s parent/s / carers as appropriate. The child’s parent/s or carer/s are advised that it is inappropriate to ask children to share the content of their therapy sessions. It is up to the child to say as much or as little about the session as they wish, and to choose if or when to share any information about their use of the session and space.
Therapy Sessions
Clients generally attend a minimum of 12 – 20 therapy sessions although some clients will require a longer process. Sessions are for a duration of 50 minutes and scheduled at weekly intervals. 48 hours cancellation notice is required, to avoid a cancellation fee.
Review Sessions
The therapist will schedule review sessions with parent/s or carer/s to provide support, give or receive updates and to facilitate a working-in-partnership approach. If the therapist or child’s parent/s or carer/s have worries about the child, it is generally useful to discuss this concern so that both can work together to ensure the young client’s wellbeing. Regular reviews (usually every 6 weeks) ensure that both the child and their family are best supported throughout the process and where important information is shared
Record Keeping
The therapist may keep brief notes for their own use while working with a client and will usually maintain a summary sheet, recording factual information, when the sessions come to an end. Parents and carers do not have access to any notes or files in relation to the child’s therapy sessions. The therapist will also store securely any material produced by the client in sessions (e.g. art, stories, photos of scenes created). Please note: any material used by the therapist in case studies or supervision/training sessions, will be adequately disguised to ensure the child’s identity is protected. Sessions may be recorded (audio or video) for training and supervision purposes (e.g. to record and monitor the therapy process). Such records are securely stored and are only maintained until no longer needed.
Termination
Termination of therapy needs to be carefully planned and it is generally in the client’s best interest to have a series of closing sessions rather than a sudden ending. Closing therapy is a process rather than an event. The longer a client has attended therapy, the more closing sessions they will need.
Child Protection Legislation
Child and adolescent Play Therapists and Psychotherapists operate in accordance with the Children First Act (2015) and the Code of Ethics of the professional body that they are members of (e.g. Irish Association for Play Therapy and Psychotherapy, and/or Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy).
In Summary
• Children between the ages of 3 to 12 years can currently avail of this service.
• Intakes with parents/carers can take up to two sessions in most cases, before therapy with the child begins.
• Parents are given pre-therapy information and consent form.
• Sessions are a minimum of 12 to 20 weeks and for some children, it will take longer.
• Sessions are 50 mins in duration.
• Parent reviews are usually every 6 to 8 weeks.
• Child Sessions are €60
Parent Sessions are €80.
Sessions are paid for weekly in advance.
• Cancellation 48 hours prior to avoid cancellation fee
Jacinta Maher
Jacinta is a qualified Humanistic and Integrative Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist with a specialisation in Play Therapy, following training with the renowned Children’s Therapy Centre (CTC). She is a fully accredited member of The Irish Association of Play Therapy and Psychotherapy (IAPTP)
Jacinta’s background is in social care and early years.
After graduating with a first-class honours degree in Applied Social Studies & Professional Social Care, Jacinta worked with adults and children with mental health diagnosis, intellectual disability and autism. She draws on her many years’ experience of working from a person / child-centered approach. Jacinta uses play-based approaches, interventions, media, and activities that are appropriate to the age and developmental stage of each child. The therapeutic powers of play incorporate change agents and specific components that improve a client's attachment formation, self-expression, emotion regulation, resiliency, self-esteem, and stress management, among other things.
Jacinta is passionate and dedicated in supporting children and families so that they may flourish and reach their full potential. Jacinta works in accordance with Children First National Guidelines for the protection and welfare of children and the Code of Ethics set out by IAPTP.
