safety, but he could control and create safety for the baby in his story, which empowered Billy in the process.
Telling stories aids in calming big emotions and integrates both brain hemispheres, allowing a child to understand and process experiences (Siegel & Bryson, 2012). According to Siegel and Bryson (2012), the brain’s left hemisphere is used when putting a story together, using words, and understanding a sequence of events; logic, language, and reasoning are all left hemisphere capabilities. The brain’s right hemisphere is where emotions are stored (Siegel & Bryson, 2012). Billy was able to tell a story about his experiences, which were full of emotions, and to form an understanding of his past while managing the big emotions associated with his experiences. Billy was able to create an environment for the baby where the baby felt cared for and safe. Billy’s shift in play demonstrated the process of trauma resolution as his new play involved nurturance, comfort, and security. Although Billy lacked all of this in his past, all of it is important to the development of resilience (Malchiodi, 2008).
By experiencing
predictability, connection, and control in the playroom, Billy could create his own space of safety – the very sense of safety he needed as a little child experiencing continual fear…
healing from trauma (Malchiodi, 2008). Billy’s shift in play expressed his ability to provide the aspects of resiliency-building he needed to begin his healing process from the trauma he experienced. At this phase in therapy, Billy was able to demonstrate his development of the other Crucial Cs of capability and courage. Billy was capable of processing his experiences by telling his story and managing big emotions. He was capable of creating a safe space for the baby. He demonstrated courage he could barely speak. Finally, the story he told was one of developing resilience, creating safety, and ultimately, demonstrating courage.
Conclusion Through Adlerian play therapy, Billy experienced connection to the therapist. By the end of therapy, he was making and maintaining eye contact with the therapist, and the therapist demonstrated being fully present and noticing him. The therapist further fostered connection with Billy by witnessing his journey from trauma towards healing and trusting that whatever emerges in the process is meaningful (Kottman & Meany- Walen, 2018). This connection deepened through joint (collaborative) patience, calmness, and playfulness across sessions.
Billy was able to feel control as he chose what he played with, how Billy’s therapy sessions offered him the possibility of predicting how something would go in his life, because the toys were always where he expected, and he knew he would be given the space and freedom to play as he chose. By experiencing predictability, connection, and control in the playroom, Billy could create his own space of safety – the very sense of safety he needed as a little child experiencing continual fear when he witnessed domestic violence.
Billy moved and left therapy earlier than ideal, yet the therapeutic power of play allowed his healing process to begin by creating a sense of both physical and emotional safety. Although Billy never talked about the actual traumatic events he experienced, he was able to move towards mastery and healing. He was able to create a sense of safety and to develop the Crucial Cs emphasized in Adlerian play therapy through his connectedness to the therapist, his capability building resiliency, his feeling as though he counted and that his story mattered, and his development of the courage to tell his story through play. Billy was able to move from his early experience of fear and trauma toward a future of hope and healing as he continued on his path of feeling connected, capable, courageous, and as though he counted.
References Gil, E. (2010) Working with children to heal interpersonal trauma: The power of play. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Herman, J. (2015). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence – from domestic abuse to political terror. New York, NY: Basic Books. (Original published in 1992)
Kottman, T. (2011). Play therapy basics and beyond. Alexandria, VA: The American Counseling Association.
Kottman, T., & Meany-Walen, K. K. (2018). Doing play therapy: From building the relationship to facilitating change. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Malchiodi, C. A. (2008). Creative interventions with traumatized children. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Siegel, D. J., & Bryson, T. P. (2012). The whole-brain child: 12 revolutionary strategies to nurture your child’s developing mind. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
van der Kolk, B. (2015. The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Krystal Kalb-Weldy, MA, LMHC, RPT-S, is the play therapy counseling practice in Middlebury, Indiana that provides easily accessible counseling and support to children and families. Krystal has provided play therapy in multiple settings.
playfulhealinginc@gmail.com
www.a4pt.org | June 2019 | PLAYTHERAPY | 7
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
