Counseling for Early Childhood (Age 4 to 8)
Young children respond to and process emotional experiences and traumatic events in ways that are very different from adults and older children. Play therapy is an effective way for children experiencing difficulty identifying, communicating, and regulating their emotions.
"Play is your child's most natural form of expression."
Some Potential Benefits of Play Therapy:
- Taking more responsibility for certain behaviors
- Developing coping strategies and creative problem-solving skills
- Self-respect
- Empathy and respect for others
- Alleviation of anxiety
- Learning to fully experience and express feelings
- Stronger social skills
- Stronger family relationships
- Expanding self-expression
- Increasing knowledge of self
- Transferring ideas into real life
- Problem-solving
- Relieving stress
- Making connections with other people
How Does Play Therapy Work?
Children learn to understand the world and their place in it through play. It’s where they’re free to act out their inner feelings and deepest emotions. Since the child can’t adequately express themselves in the adult world, the therapist joins the child in their world, on their level. As they play, the child may become less guarded and more apt to share their feelings. But they aren’t pressured. They’re allowed to do so in their own time and with their own method of communication.
About play therapy
Play therapy utilizes play, which is a child's natural medium of expression, to help them express their feelings more easily through toys instead of words.
Before your child attends play therapy, please take him/her to use the restroom. Participating in play therapy can be emotionally freeing, causing your child to sometimes need to use the restroom.
We also ask that you give your child a snack before therapy starts, in case they are hungry after attending school or aftercare. We keep snacks handy in the office in the event your child needs it.
Your child may participate in some messy activities (e.g. painting, sand, water, slime, Play-Dough, etc). Please dress your child in clothes that may allow for stains. If your child is allergic to any of these substances, please let us know so we can note and take precautions.
Children in the playroom are not expected to clean the room. Since play is a child's natural medium of expression, having a child clean up the playroom following the session (or during) would be comparable to asking the child to clean up his/her emotional world. Oftentimes, children utilize play to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
We kindly ask that you as a parent/guardian do not ask questions, such as "Did you have fun?" or "What did you talk about?" Please remember that this is your child's time and we want to give them grace to communicate in their own time. Furthermore, your child may respond by saying, "We played." This is similar if you were asked this question after therapy and responded by saying, "We talked."
As a parent/guardian, you will join privately for the last 15-minutes of the session. Kamryn will provide you with feedback on your child. To protect your child's confidentiality, the feedback will be specific play themes, play behaviors, and what this may mean. We will provide you with helpful tips to utilize within your home.
MORE INFORMATION
You may be frustrated with your child's behaviors, emotional reactions, or want to develop a stronger relationship with your child. This is where therapy comes in to play. Attending therapy at a young age has been shown to improve self-confidence, overall mood, and social skills. Your child will learn to strengthen vital skills such as emotional regulation, effective communication, assertiveness, empathy, and self-awareness. I will provide praise and support along the way, as I will help your child believe in themselves and build upon their strengths.
An individual or family counseling session at Spreading Your Wings lasts for 55 minutes, although some sessions may be longer or shorter depending on your needs and preferences.
You will be invited to the initial intake session to provide insight and aid in the beginning of the therapeutic relationship. You will be involved throughout the counseling process, so please let me know if any new behaviors, concerns, or change in the home have occurred. The therapeutic relationship is important, so unless there are safety concerns or your child has given me permission to share with you, I will respect their confidentiality. However, I will share what tools we are working on or ask for input on what you would like us to focus on. I believe receiving counseling as a parent is important, as well.
Besides images of ourselves or our office, all photos on this site are stock photos posed by models.
2454 N McMullen Booth Rd, Suite 608 Clearwater, FL
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