Creative Interventions
What are creative interventions?
Traditional talk therapy allows individuals to process challenging experiences and work towards personal growth verbally. However, there are times when words are not enough (or are beyond developmental abilities). Creative interventions consist of various alternatives to talking, including art, sand tray, movement, and play therapies. Many of these expressive modalities allows individuals, especially children, to use symbols instead of words to describe their internal experiences and discover new meaning.
Children have feelings, both good and bad, that they are unable to address verbally.
It is critical to choose a therapist who is skilled in interacting with children at the child’s level. Children are not miniature adults, and counselors must adjust any counseling intervention to the child’s current level of development. When counseling a child, it is imperative that the therapist approach each child holistically by assessing the child’s thoughts, observable behavior, family systems and social/peer systems.
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Through self-directed play, children are able to choose what toys (or “words”) best reflect their internal experience. Allowing children to choose what materials to use in the playroom also conveys the message that their needs matter, that they are capable of making healthy choices, and that they can trust their own abilities. It is the goal of the play therapist to help the child feel understood, accepted, valued, and safe. It is through the safety of the therapeutic relationship that the child is then able to create positive change by developing new beliefs, trying new behaviors, and accepting new emotions.
Play therapy can benefit children and families in a number of ways, including increasing emotional awareness, improving self-control, boosting self-confidence, and enhancing decision-making skills. Research has found play therapy to benefit children presenting with various issues including adjusting to family change, grief & loss, post-traumatic symptoms, oppositional & defiant behaviors, social difficulties, and neuro-developmental disorders. Through this relational, developmentally-informed treatment approach your child can process past events, find ways to cope with current challenges, and develop the resources needed for future success.
Landreth, G. (2012). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship. New York, NY: Routledge.
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