SO WHY PLAY THERAPY?
Helps you SHOW others what's going on inside
Helps you MANAGE and EXPRESS big and small hurts
Helps you go from passive to ACTIVE role (be in control)
Helps you PROCESS terrifying things that leave you speechless/frozen
Helps you physically REBUILD what feels destroyed
Helps you COMPENSATE for losses
Helps you OVERCOME hardships
Helps you establish RELATIONSHIPS with others
Helps you REGULATE your emotions
It is COMFORTING and NURTURING
Eliana Gil
Extracts from Kara Carnes-Holt Research
Creating healthy and secure relationships for parents and adopted children is an essential therapeutic need for adoptive families.
Children in adoptive and foster placements are at particular risk for forming insecure attachments due to a variety of factors including changes in primary caregivers as well as exposure to repeated traumas such as neglect, abandonment, and abuse.
CPRT is a relationship-based therapeutic model with the philosophy that the parent-child relationship is the structure for change. The findings of the study are noteworthy as results indicate that CPRT can significantly decrease parent-child relationship stress, reduce children’s problem behaviors, and increase parental empathy.
The findings of the study are noteworthy as results indicate that CPRT can significantly decrease parent-child relationship stress, reduce children’s problem behaviors, and increase parental empathy.
Basics of home parent-child play sessions
1. 1 parent with 1 child. Do weekly for 30 minutes. Only use toys for this special time.
2. Parent sets stage by structuring an atmosphere. No interruptions.
3. Have a blanket or closed-in area, set toys along outside edge, have room in middle for both of you to set and to play.
4. Parent alone sets up and clean up toys.
5. Child feels free to determine how to use the time. The child leads and parent follows. Grant in fantasy what child cannot do in reality.
6. The parent does not make suggestions nor ask questions. It is up to child to make their own decisions and find their own solutions. Never do for a child what they can do for themself.
7. Parent’s major task is to empathize with child – understand the child’s thoughts, feelings, and intent. Praise the effort, not the product.
8. Parent should verbally describe what the child is doing/playing. Verbally reflect what child is doing and feeling.
9. Parent sets a few limits such as time limit, not breaking toys, stay in play area, do not physically hurt anyone. Ex: “Guns are not for shooting people”, “Toys stay on the rug”.
10. Sit on ground with your child and face them.
11. Show “I am here”, “I see you”, I understand”, “I care”.
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