Parents & Carers

Parents

If you are reading this, it probably means that you are worried about one or more of your children. As a parent of three children myself, I understand how precious our children are and how we want the very best for them.

Recent research has shown that mental health problems affect about one in ten children and young people

Throughout their lives, most children go through difficult times and some children need more help than others to get through the challenges they face.

You might have talked to family and friends about the problem or looked on the internet and be feeling overwhelmed with different advice or not sure which thing to try first. You may just feel you need some support and reassurance with a chosen pathway, or you may feel at your wits end having tried everything.

Creative Arts & Play Therapy is a child-friendly way to help children of all ages and it can help with a wide range of issues. Children often find talking in adult terms difficult and play is a much more natural way for them to communicate. My training and skills in Play Therapy will help children work through unprocessed or confused feelings, which may be at the root of troubling behaviours, and because the children are having fun with an impartial person, they feel less self-conscious as the change is happening.

The young developing brain is a complex thing and each brain, each personality, interacts with its environment in a unique way. I track and observe the child closely and work with you when needs be to ensure the methods I use within the child’s play is tailored to their individual needs.

Family illness or bereavement, separation/divorce, sleep problems, nightmares, fears and anxieties, perfectionist traits, OCD traits, and temper tantrums can all be helped by play therapy. Any kind of worrying behaviour such as sadness or aggression, whether it has an obvious cause or not, can be soothed and calmed using integrated Play Therapy.

CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services)

Sometimes children’s behaviour is extreme, they may be hurting themselves or you may be worried that they will do so in the future. Children can feel very depressed and be withdrawn or act out and get themselves involved with criminal activities. If this is where you are at, if you haven’t already done so, you need to contact your GP who will refer you to Early years services or CAMHS depending on the age of your child.

The waiting list for these services can be long though and the wait unbearable for parents watching their children go through crises in mood and behaviour. Play therapy can be a useful interim intervention while you wait to be seen or after treatment as an extra support. Please contact me to discuss.

Carers

You may be the grandparents or relatives of a child with special guardianship, or you may have adopted a child and have concerns. You may be a foster carer, struggling with a child’s behaviour and not getting the support you need. I have worked with all the special conditions these situations create. The child may have suffered from any number of adversities, which affects attachment behaviours and the ability to self- regulate their emotions. Play therapy is a perfect modality for the kind of behaviours which arise in these circumstances.

Please feel free to call for a chat and see if Play therapy might be something to try for your child.

As well as professional expertise, I have a great deal of life experience, so as well being able to assure you of complete confidentially* I am non -judgemental and not easy to shock. We can discuss whatever situation you and/or your child find yourself in.

Play Therapy can take place in my private practice in Levenshulme or possibly, at the child’s school. You can fund the sessions, or, in some cases, the school may be able to help. However, Schools have very few spare funds these days for extra interventions, but I can help advocate for your child, especially if the child’s issues are affecting their classroom learning.

I strongly believe in equal opportunities for all, so I operate a sliding fee scale. See more about this in the fees section.

The content of the therapy sessions and family meetings/phone conversations will be kept as confidential as possible unless a child/young person discloses that they, or someone else, are at risk of significant harm. I will discuss this in detail during our first parent meeting and then with the child or young person when they begin therapy.

How many sessions might my child need?

I would not recommend less than 6 sessions, usually it is 12 -16. Depending on the severity of the case, up to 24.

How long do the sessions last?

1:1 individual children’s sessions

Each session usually lasts for about 45-50 minutes. Consistency is important so therapy sessions usually take place at the same time on a weekly basis or fortnightly basis.

If the therapy is taking place at my private practice, the parent or carer needs to be close in case the child decides they want to go home. Play Therapy can only work if the child is fully willing for the process. I have a waiting room or parent/carers can sit in their cars if they prefer.

Please make sure the child is in clothes you or they do not mind getting messy, as there is the possibility of paint or messy materials getting on them. I do have aprons, but they are not failproof.

Fees

Initial consultations: £40

Thereafter, I operate a sliding scale and we can discuss this during the initial consultation as services will be tailored.

Fees need to be paid before the session takes place and I accept all methods of payment.

You will still be charged if less than 24 hours’ notice is given for cancellation.