What is Play Therapy?

Just as adults can experience huge emotions, children do too and Play Therapy is the best way to help them to express themselves and to make sense of their life experiences.

“Play is a child’s natural medium for self-expression” 
- Virginia Axline

'Birds fly, fish swim and children play'
Landreth (1991)

Play Therapy with Play Therapy Northumberland is one of the most effective ways in helping children to deal with the difficult experiences in their lives. It is to children what talking therapies are to adults. 


Children usually do not have the language skills to describe what has happened in their lives, nor the ability to understand how this has affected their emotional world. 


As a therapist I am trained to help children to understand their feelings and behaviours and can help children heal from the impact of negative experiences through the use of play.

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'Since the child's world is a world of action and activity, play therapy provides the therapist with an opportunity to enter the child's world ' (Landreth, 1991).


Using play materials such as art, sand, role play, music and clay, children working with Play Therapy Northumberland  can explore and play out any experiences or difficulties they a may be facing. Within the  play room a puppet could be a bully, super heroes can fight evil, a tank can represent internal battles or a doll can transport them back to a missed developmental stage.


Play is the language through which children tell their own stories, stories that they may have difficulties putting into words. Telling these stories through play can reshape their experiences and allow emotional healing.


My dogs do love to help me to help the children and can be included in a variety of different ways, as appropriate for the child. This can vary from simple greetings and being around the play room to a session that fully involves the dogs to allow me to utilise my skills gained on the Level 1 Animal Assisted Play Therapy® training .

When to ask for help from Play Therapy Northumberland 

When children are troubled, we see it as adults most often through their behaviour.

There are many reasons a child may be referred to Play Therapy Northumberland  including:
  • Anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, loss of confidence, withdrawn, continued unhappiness
  • Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
  • Difficulties making friends , bullying or being bullied
  • Sleep disturbances, night terrors, bed wetting
  • Bereavement or loss
  • Childhood or family illness or disabilities
  • Behavioural changes 
  • Family breakdown or separation
  • Children who are care-experienced, such as those in foster care, kinship care or adoptive families, who may benefit from additional emotional support
  • Experience of domestic abuse, substance or alcohol abuse within the home.
  • Physical, emotional or sexual abuse
'The highest form of research is essentially play.' N. Scarfe 1962

Data Compliance 

The ICO upholds data protection in the UK. They have  extensive information about the Data Protection Act and, in particular, GDPR. 
I am registered with the ICO as a data controller for Play Therapy Northumberland.
Check my ICO registration

DBS 

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) was established in 2012 and carries out the functions previously undertaken by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).
They help to prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children.

I have a full Enhanced DBS certificate and am signed up to the 'Update Service'

Insurance 

Play Therapy Northumberland is  covered by a specialist therapy insurance cover, which includes the following :

 

  • Malpractice and Professional Liability Public/Products Liability
  • Legal Expenses
  • Legal Advice Helpline
  • Confidential Counselling Service 
  • Business equipment insurance Employers’ Liability 
  • Level 1 Animal Assisted Play Therapy®