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Sand tray - child and young people's therapy

COUNSELLING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Therapeutic approach with children and young people

Children and young people do not communicate as adults do, so I use different therapeutic approaches when working with them. 

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I use the same creative techniques that I use with adults - art, sand tray, and play. 

Using P.A.C.E (play, acceptance, curiosity and empathy) with creative techniques 

helps the children and young people to make sense of what they are feeling and work on the causes for these feelings that are troubling them and develop coping strategies to feel better. By learning strategies your child will be able to recognise when their feelings and anxieties are being triggered and use ways to keep them focused. I have 24 years experience of working with children of all abilities, ages, and diversities.

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The length of a session is 30 minutes for 12 year olds. Older children will have a 50 minute session. 

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can't always find the words to express how you feel

“I found I could say things with colour and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for.”

Georgia O'Keefe

Creative counselling really helps when words cannot be used to express how you feel.

DO ANY OF THESE FEELINGS OR BEHAVIOURS SOUND FAMILIAR?

If so, I can help.

how are you feeling today?

HAVE YOU NOTICED YOUR CHILD FEELING THESE?

  • Frustrated

  • Angry

  • Sad or/and worried

  • Anxious 

  • Confused about many things, why do they feel different? Why is my family different? Why am I always being told off or removed from the classroom? Why am I being bullied? Why am I different?

  • Lonely & isolated

  • Withdrawn from family and friends and/or feel isolated at home

  • Hopeless

  • That they aren’t being heard

  • That they always being criticised 

  • Grief and loss of loved one, friend or something/one special

  • Low self-worth, low confidence, feel bad about self

  • Dissociated 

  • Ill with somatic pains, tummy aches, headaches

what is stopping you from reaching your full potential

ARE ANY OF THESE AFFECTING YOUR CHILD?

  • Struggling to stay in their lessons or not wanting to go to school

  • Are they being bullied?

  • OCD

  • They have regressed – separation anxiety, temper tantrums, bedwetting, excessive anxiety and fearfulness, language regression

  • Talking about self-harming and engaging in it

  • Talking negatively about themselves – nobody cares about me, nobody would miss me

  • Significant change in eating/sleeping habits

  • Demonstrating negative and/or self-destructive behaviour more frequently

  • Talking about suicide

  • Fears & phobias

  • Constantly seeking information

  • Being clingy

  • Depression

  • Being increasingly irritable

  • Have a loss of interest in usual favourite activities

  • Have noticeable changes in hygiene and eating

  • Not knowing how to deal with their behaviour 

  • Experiencing family problems

  • Have health problems that they can’t understand

  • Presenting a sudden shift in behaviours and interests

  • Consequences of Covid

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If you can relate to these or notice these in your child, then I can help.

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