Parents and Carers

What type of Play Therapist is Jade?

Jade is a holistic and child-centred play therapist. Jade seeks to take in to account the whole of the child as well as their external circumstances by working closely with you. In practice this means that she aims to meet and talk to you before play therapy takes place and continue this throughout the intervention. During these conversations we will talk about the child’s progress, Jade will offer support and advice with understanding what the child is communicating within therapy, as well as help and encouragement with implementing ways of being with the child outside of therapy. The child-centred approach is mostly non-directive; this means the child is facilitated to focus their therapy on areas that are most poignant to them; providing them with the sense of control and autonomy needed to master their difficulties in a manner that is meaningful to them.

How is Play Therapy different to everyday play with your child?

As the therapist Jade helps the child better understand their circumstances, feelings, and behaviours through the development of the therapeutic relationship. This dynamic relationship is key to the therapeutic process and is what sets Play Therapy apart from everyday play with your child. The core principles of this relationship are empathy, unconditional positive regard, honesty, and clear and consistent boundaries. These principles allow for the child to feel safe, heard, and understood as they work through their feelings and develop healthier ways of coping.

What happens once you contact Jade?

To make a referral to Play Therapy you can fill-out the referral form linked above. This information will come directly to Jade. Alternatively you can contact Jade using the details below.

Play Therapy Assessment

The Play Therapy assessment usually happens in 3 stages:

1. Jade will arrange a FREE introductory meeting with you. During this meeting Jade will chat with you to understand any difficulties the child may be having and find out about any stresses the family have been through so that she can help the child make sense of it. It is possible that Jade may want to seek additional information from school, agencies involved with a child and other significant adults in their lives. An assessment is made of the child’s strengths as well as their difficulties. Jade will talk with you about what to tell your child about coming to Play Therapy and how to anticipate and answer the child’s questions. A referral to other professional interventions may be suggested as part of the provision and this might include support for you.
2. Jade will then organise a time with you to carry out some assessment sessions with your child. These sessions may include working with yourself and your child together in the Play Therapy room. During the first session Jade will age appropriately explain to the child why they are there.
3. Jade will then meet with you again and provide you with some feedback on the assessment sessions. If/when a decision is made to move forward with play therapy sessions a ‘Therapeutic Plan’ will be drawn up and will be reviewed with you every 6-8 play therapy sessions.

Play therapy can only take place once the parent/carer (person holding parental responsibility for the child) has signed a Play Therapy Consent Form

Jade will then begin 1:1 Play Therapy session with your child. Play Therapy usually takes place at the same time once a week for fifty minutes to an hour. During the Play Therapy sessions Jade will provide a wide range of resources and will enable the child to use these to express him or herself without having to provide verbal explanations.

Booking Jade for your child:

Jade currently runs a mobile play therapy service to schools and other organisations. For more information please visit the "Find Jade" section or use the contact details below.

 

(Sometimes it can be difficult for Jade to answer the phone during the day due to carrying out Play Therapy sessions. Please feel free to email Jade and a telephone appointment can be made. All emails come directly to Jade and are confidential)