0428 926 474
Play Therapy for children aged 3 - 12 years
A warm welcome from Shauna, an experienced Play Therapist who offers weekly child centred play therapy sessions for children aged 3 – 12 years in a non-clinical setting in leafy Buderim.
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Most children not only thrive in the play therapy environment, but go to higher levels of maturity and adjustment as a result of this therapy.
As a Neurodiversity Affirming practice the identity and strengths of the individual are honoured and embraced.
What is Play Therapy?
Child Centred Play Therapy (CCPT) uses the creative and non-verbal capacities of children to engage and work therapeutically with them. In this non-directive play therapy approach, the therapist enters the world of the child, following the child’s lead and developing a safe place and a relationship of trust. CCPT fosters the child’s innate potential and encourages the unique development and emotional growth of the child.
Why is resilience important?
Resilience is the ability to cope and bounce back after encountering difficult situations or negative events. When children develop coping skills it is more likely that they will be able to respond effectively and manage emotional stress in times of adversity. Coping skills, or resilience, provide them with cognitions, behaviours and attitudes for making their lives less distressing, happier, and more productive.
What will the process look like?
When you first make contact the therapist will ask a few questions to make sure that what is offered is the best fit for your child. You are also encouraged to ask about the play therapy process.
Remember that most children face challenges or difficulties at some point in their lives, many of which can be solved at home, but sometimes a child’s ability to thrive is enhanced by play therapy.
First Session
The first face to face session will be with parents only in order to ascertain the issues of concern and what you would hope the outcome of the process would be.
A Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire may also be completed. From this information a case management plan is created. Once you have given your consent for the therapy to start, then your child will attend one session a week, with me.
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I will invite you to meet with me again after approximately 7 sessions, in order to talk about how your child is and what changes you or their teacher have noticed. This review ensures that we are working together to help your child.
What happens in the session?
Your child will be able to play with a wide range of resources which include art materials, clay, sand and water, puppets, miniature figures, and construction toys. Your child will be able to choose freely what they would like to use, and the therapist will enter into their play, following their lead.
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Your child will be able to work at their own pace and explore narratives and experiences in the metaphor of the play, without being asked to explain it verbally.
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Within a few sessions your child will develop a relationship with their therapist through the consistency of the session and its predictable boundaries. This will enable them to use the time and the therapist’s knowledge to express themselves in their own way.
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If your child makes any artwork during their session, it will be stored safely by the therapist until the therapy ends, at which point your child can choose if they would like to take it home.
What is my role as a parent in this process?
Your role as parent is central to your child's experience of play therapy. The content of play therapy sessions is generally confidential but your child may be happy to discuss what they did during the session. If they choose to keep what they do in sessions private please do not be worried or feel offended by this, it may well be that they do not have the words to explain it to you yet.
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The Play Therapist will keep the exact details of what happens in the sessions confidential, but can share with you the general themes of the play and talk to you about patterns they notice or topics that come up, so that you can help your child at home.
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Just as it helps not to ask for details about their sessions, it helps not to ask children to behave in a certain way when they are there. The Play Therapist does not expect or need ‘good’ behaviour in the sessions. Instead, we hope that each child comes to trust that they can express themselves freely, without judgement, in their sessions. As a therapist, I am trained to understand and manage all types of behaviour, and to recognise and work with the reasons behind it.
Qualifications
JCU
Master of Guidance and Counselling
CQU
Bachelor of Science (Psychology)
APAC (prac)
Post Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play
KGCAE
Diploma of Teaching
ACA
Member of the Australian Counselling Association (Level 3)
AMEB
A Mus A (piano, piano accompaniment)
Get in Touch
“Play turns out to be so stunningly essential to childhood; it’s like love, sunshine, and broccoli all juiced together."