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Archive for child therapy

October Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· November 5, 2018 
· No Comments

Articles

In today’s fast-paced society, social media is king. It can be difficult for young people to understand that what they see online isn’t always as it seems. Social media can cause young people to feel pressured to perform at a higher level and strive for unrealistic goals. Stephanie Samar, PsyD, has some tips on how you can help your child or teen to unplug, and understand that social media only shows one side of every story. Read full article here.

According to a research study performed by two University of Arkansas professors, at-risk elementary school children benefit from child-centered play therapy. Kristi Perryman and Lisa Bowers have spent three years screening children who may benefit from play therapy. They strive to identify the participants before intervention is critical when school and social competence are effected. Read full article here. 

In their pre-teen and early teen years, girls experience a  dramatic drop in self-confidence. During this time they can find it difficult to try new things, take risks, and may even feel intimidated by activities they previously enjoyed. It can be difficult as a parent to watch as a thriving young woman suddenly feels inadequate by Stephanie DeAngelis has some tips to help. Read full article here.

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Categories : Monthly Wrap-Up, Wrap Up
Tags : child development, child play therapy toys, child therapy, childhood stress, Play Therapy, play therapy intervention, teens

Identifying and Expressing Feelings

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· August 21, 2018 
· No Comments

Therapists and counselors are often concerned about a child’s emotional literacy. Emotionally literate children can manage their feelings and their reactions to those feelings. They can recognize and respond to other people’s feelings, which is a significant advantage in life. Many of our clients are not emotionally literate and our work with those children includes developing and enhancing the child’s ability to identify and express their feelings. Feelings are the most basic building blocks of social skills. Without the ability to recognize feelings in themselves and others, children are not able to master social interactions. Children adept at identifying and expressing their feelings are likely to display increased empathy which is crucial for social competence, social relatedness, and pro-social behavior.  Children with deficits in their ability to identify and express their feelings may display excessive anger and frustration, and have more troubled interpersonal relationships with peers, teachers, and family members.

Since the development of The Talking, Feeling, and Doing board game in the 70’s, there have been hundreds of games developed to promote feeling identification and expression. Below is a brief survey of six of the most popular games currently on the market.

Feeling’s Detective is a matching game and is especially helpful with children who have difficulty picking up on social cues. It is suitable for children in grades 1-6. Feelings Detective helps children understand their own feelings as well as the feelings of others. It is especially helpful for children who tend to misread social cues, including those who have been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome or are at any other position on the Autism Spectrum. Specific examples help players link specific situations and thoughts with specific feelings.

The Emotions Mania Thumball is a great ice breaker for children, families, and groups.  Thumballs are a soft, stuffed ball that is safe for indoor use. Game play is simple. Simply throw, roll, pass or catch the thumball. Look under your thumb and react to the feeling word found there. Each panel has a different word. The Emotion Mania Thumball includes words such as happy, sad worried, curious, silly, proud and lonely. It is suitable for children, teens, and adults.

Go Fish: Fishing for Feelings teaches the skills needed to successfully deal with feelings, recognize feelings in others, and identify appropriate feelings. Players practice talking about their feelings in a non-threatening way. Players answer open-ended questions before receiving a requested card. Each question prompts a discussion about successfully dealing with feelings, recognizing other people’s feelings, or identifying appropriate feelings. The game plays like classic Go Fish. There are two decks of 50 cards in each game. One for children ages 5 to 8 years old, and the other for children ages 8 to 11 years old.

 

Emotional Bingo for Children (Spanish & English) is a great game for groups, class rooms, and individual sessions. In this bingo game players identify feelings rather than numbers on their Bingo cards. Emotional Bingo helps children learn to recognize various feelings and make empathetic responses. The game rules provide opportunities for children to discuss their own feelings and to respond with empathy to the feelings of others. The children’s version is suitable for children ages 6-12 and there is a version available for Teens.

 

The Yes I Can! Talk About Feelings cards are designed to facilitate conversation, insight, expressive skills, and increase an individual’s feeling word vocabulary. It is suitable for families, classrooms, counselors, & therapists and improves feeling identification and the expression of emotions. The Yes I Can Talk About Feelings game is great for enhancing self-awareness and the impact of one’s behavior. The instructions include several fun activities and suggestions for using the cards. This game is suitable for ages 5 and up, 2-6 players.

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Categories : Asperger's, Autism, Behavior, Child Development, Communication, Feelings, Play Therapy, Play Therapy Games
Tags : board games, child development, child therapy, counseling games, feelings, Play Therapy, play therapy gams, therapeutic games for children, therapeutic games for teens, therapy games, thumball

Rights, Responsibilities, Privileges, Rewards: Coaching Strategies by Donna Hammontree, LCSW, RPT-S

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· July 17, 2018 
· No Comments

Helping children learn to manage and regulate their behavior can be a challenge.  My colleague Mandy Miller, LCSW, shared her insights with me, and I use her system regularly when coaching parents, teens, and children. To start, everyone should be clear about what is a right, a responsibility, a privilege, and a reward.

Basic definitions
Rights:  food, shelter, clothes, love
Responsibilities:  respectfulness, completion of school and homework, doing chores, following adult directions
Privileges:  video games, cell phone access, television, crafts, time with friends, name brand clothes
Rewards:  ice cream outings, a trip to the toy store, having a friend over, trip to the park, choosing and playing a family game

After we are clear about our definitions, the next step is to shift from a negative approach, to a positive approach.  We want caregivers and parents to understand the benefits of focusing on earning privileges, rather than losing them. As an adult, if I drive my car responsibly, I earn and keep my privilege to drive.  If I choose to speed or run red lights, I may have to take city transportation or ride my bike.

Basic Guidelines
Consistency:  If 2 or more adults are involved in the home, everyone needs to be communicating and working together.
Short-term loss of privileges:  Privileges can be re-earned by changing the behavior quickly or by staying calm while engaging in or with something else.  Long-term loss of privileges can lead to hopelessness and increased defiance and oppositional behaviors.
Non-punitive:  The child either chooses to earn a privilege or not.  
Calm, caring and firm caregivers:  Adults need to stay emotionally untangled with any tantrums.  This means that the adult needs to remain calm, positive, and pleasant while not taking on the child’s emotions.  Parents should be coached in active listening: “I hear you are upset, and I’m sorry you lost your privilege … You feel really angry at me right now and are upset you lost your privilege.”  Parents should remain empathic and loving.

Additional Suggestions
Caregivers and parents may use this program exclusively within the home or the program may include activities outside of the home.  Children struggling outside of the home may benefit from having some of their privileges at home being made contingent on success at school or camp. For example, if the child has a green day, the child gets 1 hour of video games.  If the child has a “yellow” day, the child has to wait 15 minutes to start playing the video games for 45 minutes. Finally, if the child has a red day, the child has no video game time. The child can do anything else like play outside, read books, or play board games with the parent.  Time frames should match the child’s chronological or developmental age. If the school or camp day is included, teachers and parents will need to work closely together daily. Several days of success may be followed by additional privileges or reward activities.

Some children, especially younger ones, may need for the day to be divided into shorter parts, such as 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., 10 a.m. to noon, noon to 2 p.m. and so on.  Children with self-regulation and impulse control issues may benefit from even shorter periods of feedback.

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Categories : Behavior, Child Development, Communication, Reader Submissions
Tags : child therapy, development, feelings, parenting

June Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· July 2, 2018 
· No Comments

Children learn as they play. More importantly, in play, children learn how to learn.

-O. Fred Donaldson

Blog

Another great submission from Leah Davies highlights the importance of encouraging thoughts for children. Leah has tips on how to provoke children to encourage themselves as well as their peers. Examples of positive “self-talk” from Leah’s list include, “It’s OK to make mistakes because everyone does” and, “Each new day brings a chance to do better.” Learning to encourage themselves and others teaches children the value of a positive disposition, and helps them to manage peer relations. Read more here.

Articles

A study conducted in the 60’s has been given new life. The marshmallow test was used to measure the impulsiveness of children by giving them one marshmallow to eat immediately, or wait and get two marshmallows later. The initial test found that most children couldn’t wait for the better deal. Surprisingly, the test re-administered to today’s youngsters told a different story. Researchers are looking to credit technological advances for today’s children’s higher IQ levels, which may lead to higher self-control. Read full article here.

A new study has found that there is no difference in the developmental outcomes for children of same-sex versus different-sex marriage. The study followed lesbian mothers, gay fathers, and heterosexual couples. While there were no findings that one type of family unit performed better or worse than the others, it was found that parents in unhappy relationships reported more problems with their childrens’ behavior. Read full article here.

Christopher J. Ferguson, a professor  of psychology at Stetson University, claims that addiction to technology is “rubbish.” According to his research, the chemical reaction in the brain while having “screen time” is similar to that of other play-time activities, such as swimming, reading for leisure, or conversing. True addictive substances tend to drive the brain’s levels of dopamine much much higher  than the body can naturally produce. Read full article here.

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Categories : Child Development, Feelings, Impulse Control, Monthly Wrap-Up, Parenting, Wrap Up
Tags : child therapy, child therapy toys, childhood stress, feelings, mental health disorders, Play Therapy

Encouraging Thought By Leah Davies, M.Ed.

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· June 18, 2018 
· No Comments

Encouragement means to stimulate initiative and positive actions. Teachers, counselors, and parents are asked to encourage children to do their best by acknowledging their efforts and strengths. However, when children do not feel good about themselves or their situation, they need to be reminded of ways they can encourage themselves and each other.

Ask children for examples of thoughts that help them feel better when they are unhappy. Explain that helpful thoughts are called positive “self-talk” and that adults often use this as a way to cope with their problems. List the children’s ideas on the board.

Some examples are:

  •   I am a good person no matter what anyone does or says.
  •   It is okay to make mistakes because everyone does.
  •   I do not give up; I keep trying.
  •   I think about what is good in my life.
  •   Everyone feels good and bad, now and then.
  •   I can do it!
  •   Money cannot buy happiness.
  •   How I act is more important than how I look.
  •   I am lovable.
  •   When I smile, I feel better.
  •   I can do many things well.
  •   I cannot control what grown-ups do.
  •   I am unique, one of a kind.
  •   When I feel sad, I think of things I like about myself.
  •   Each new day brings a chance to do better.
  •   I think about my choices and then choose what is best for me.
  •   I will change what I can and accept what I cannot change.
  •   I treat others the way I want to be treated.
  •   I cannot change my family; I can only change myself.
  •   What I learn today will help me in the future.

After making an extensive list, have the children choose a sentence that is meaningful to them. Ask them to make a picture or poster featuring their saying complete with illustrations. Have them prominently sign their creation. Then divide into small groups or pairs and have the children discuss their work. Caution the students to be respectful of each other’s ideas. Display the results in the classroom or in the hall to challenge ALL children to use positive “self-talk” that will encourage them to do their best.

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Categories : Behavior, Child Development, Communication, Feelings, Parenting
Tags : child development, child therapy, communication, encouragement, feelings, parenting, Play Therapy

Why Early Intervention Is So Important for Children’s Mental Health Issues

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· May 14, 2018 
· No Comments

“Everyone agrees that treating children early on for mental health issues is crucial, but barriers to diagnosis and treatment can make that difficult.

When Stephanie Elliot’s son was in the sixth grade, she noticed a concerning change in his demeanor.

He’d recently been put on a new medication for epilepsy that seemed to be working, but the side effects included his sudden morphing into a sullen, fearful boy who asked questions like, “Why am I even alive?”

One night, genuinely afraid that she was losing her son, Elliot called her local emergency room. They advised her to not let him sleep alone and to bring him in first thing the next morning.”

Read full article here!

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Categories : Article of the Month
Tags : child play therapy toys, child therapy, Play Therapy, play therapy intervention, therapy intervention

Trauma Reaction Cards

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· May 14, 2018 
· No Comments

The Trauma Reaction Cards are a therapeutic tool to assist children and adolescents in understanding and identifying their reactions to traumatic or stressful life experiences. These colorful and illustrated cards are categorized into the four domains of trauma reactions: Behavior Reactions, Body Reactions, Brain & Thinking Reactions, and Feelings Reactions.

To be used by qualified professionals only.**

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Categories : Product of the Month
Tags : Child Abuse, child therapy, child therapy toys, childhood stress, counseling games, feelings, Play Therapy, play therapy gams, therapeutic games for children

April Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· May 8, 2018 
· No Comments

Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny. -C.S. Lewis

 Blog

April was autism awareness month as well as child abuse prevention month. Our post this month showed the staggering statistics of child abuse, as well as highlighted methods to keep child therapists who work with abused children trained and emotionally healthy. Dr. Gary shared valuable resources for child therapists working with abused children. Read more here.

Articles

Children learn to regulate their emotions by watching the adults around them. That can seem stressful in and of itself, and you might find yourself saying, “Do as I say, not as I do!” But it’s OK for your children to learn their cues from you. You just have to be mindful of what you’re doing when you become emotional, i.e. angry, sad, frustrated, overjoyed, etc. This article outlines how to use your own body and feelings as teaching tools for healthy emotional coping. Read full article here.

Usually the feeling of guilt is an unpleasant one; a heavy one. In this new study,  researcher Amrisha Vaish, of the University of Virginia, finds that the beginning stages of guilt seem to develop around the age of three. Why is this significant? Vaish views the development of guilt as an opportunity for children to learn to make amends, and better foster social relationships. Read full article here.

There are too many factors to count that lead to a child growing into a productive adult with a “good” job. According to Jenny Anderson, letting children play more is a key factor. Playing leads to self discovery and problem solving and, “helping kids play more ‘will equip them to be relevant to the workplace and to society,’ said John Goodwin, CEO of the Lego Foundation and the former chief financial officer for The Lego Group.” Read full article here.

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Categories : Behavior, Child Development, Feelings, Monthly Wrap-Up, Parenting, Play Therapy, Play Therapy news, Research and Case Studies, Resources, Trauma and Grief, Wrap Up
Tags : Child Abuse, child therapy, childhood stress, development, family roles, feelings, Play Therapy

Online Teen Safety

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· March 22, 2018 
· 1 Comment

 

Most of us would agree that the internet has proven to be a fantastic resource for research and learning. It has allowed us to connect with people around the world. Unfortunately, the internet poses threats and dangers that we may never see coming. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable. The Pew Research Center reports that 94% of teens use a mobile device or go online daily. Threats include cyberbullying, cyberpredators, posting private and embarrassing information, scams, malware, and creating posts that later come back and embarrass the teen. Therapists who work with teens may be the first adult that becomes aware when a teen is engaging in dangerous online behavior, or has become a target of a bully, predator, or scam. We need to educate ourselves, our clients, and their parents.

StaySafe.org offers a detailed Online Teen Safety Guide. Starting with the hardware the guide walks parents and teens through simple steps that will help create a safe online experience for the teen. The guide reminds us that mobile hardware also needs to be protected. Identity theft and online scams also target teens, so teens need to be protective of passwords and credit card numbers. Parents need to monitor purchases and educate their teen about the proper use of debit and credit cards. Online gaming can be a source of entertainment and opportunity to connect socially, but can also contribute to dysfunctional behavior.

Much of the danger for adolescents, and an even bigger challenge for parents to supervise, is found on social media. Most of us are familiar with Facebook and Twitter, but these are likely not the sites your teen spends much time on. Much more popular are Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest. Other apps your teen may be using include Tumblr, WhatsApp, Kik Messenger, and Whisper. For more information about these and other apps visit Common Sense Media. FBI statistics suggest that there are 750,000 predators online, looking to develop inappropriate relationships with teens. Parents need to learn how to set up privacy settings on social media apps and sites frequented by their child, and they need to actively monitor their child’s activity on these sites. Online predators can often be identified and recognized by their behavior. OnlineSense.org provides a list of 20 early signs that can identify an online predator.

ChildTherapyToys.com also offers some resources that may be of use to teachers and clinicians. Check out our Cyber Safety page for ideas and items to help arm teens with the skills they need to combat unwanted attention online such as the Cyber-Safe game , Cyber Bullying Ball, and more!

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Categories : Communication, Parenting
Tags : adolescents, child therapy, cyber, online, parenting, safety, teens, therapeutic games for teens

December Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· January 3, 2018 
· No Comments

Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity. – Kay Redfield Jamison

Blog

Thanks to Jennifer Taylor for the wonderful play therapy termination activity. Stumped on how to end play therapy with a client on a warm and optimistic note? Try creating a chain on intentions with your exiting clients and let them leave as lasting an impression on your therapy room as you have had on them! Each link is a added as a client leaves therapy and each has it’s own message of positive intention for live post therapy. As time goes on, the chain, and the optimism, grows! What a creative and fun way to provide closure for your client.  Read more here!

Articles

In Perry Klass, M.D.’s article, she explains how exposure therapy can be instrumental in helping children to overcome anxiety. All children can experience worry and fear, but when that fear interferes with the child’s functioning, or inhibits them from learning or growing,  It may be time to seek help from a professional. Dr. Stephen P.H Whiteside of the Mayo Clinic, believes that exposing a child to whatever is causing the anxiety in a controlled and supportive environment will help them to overcome their fear and learn to cope with new fears. Anxiety manifests itself differently in children, even physically. A child can suffer some headaches and stomach pains due to anxiety. Not every child requires intervention for their anxiety, read the full article to know the signs of anxiety disorders and when to get help here.

December is the season of giving, but for some, it becomes the season of buying- Toys. We’re all guilty of wanting to give the young ones in our lives the world, or at least all the toys in the world, but according to the University of Toledo, when it comes to toys for children, less is more. Toddlers and children who have few toys actually play with more focus and creativity, which causes them to develop their imagination earlier, which can help with problem solving later in life. So when play time rolls around, choose quality versus quantity. Read full article here.

Should you let your child believe in Santa? Research in the field of developmental psychology actually cites some benefits to not only letting your child believe in Santa, but encouraging them to question and provide answers to the magic surrounding Santa Clause and all his fantastical feats. When they do discover that Santa is but a beloved Christmas myth, studies have shown that it’s actually the parents who are more upset than the children, who tend to feel part of a savvy community of “knowers,” rather than feeling betrayed or lied to. Another tip: Just because the belief in Santa stops, doesn’t mean the caliber of gifts given has to. If the big presents come from the parents every year, then when your child stops believing in Santa, they wont worry about what that means for Christmas morning festivities. Read full article here.

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Categories : Anxiety, Behavior, Child Development, Feelings, Monthly Wrap-Up, Wrap Up
Tags : anxiety, child development, child play therapy toys, child therapy, therapy toys
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