memories and values), what they left behind, and what they hope to add to the suitcase at the new location.
Interventions for Loss and Transition Children in international foster care are inherently in a time of transition, and have experienced loss related to the precipitants to moving to the United States. Unaccompanied children are often waiting for long periods of time while their potential caregivers are vetted, and may experience an extended waiting period or even a
Play therapists could draw from the book Maybe Days: A Book for Children in Foster Care, particularly sections about the stress of The book The Invisible String can be immensely valuable in helping youth understand that emotional bonds of love can span the world.
Gaub notes that building feeling vocabulary and identifying strengths can also bolster the youth through the periods of transitional stress, of balls can reorient the youth to the current moment and dissipate stress and rumination (2024). Lowenstein’s well-regarded collection 2019) can be useful in helping youth identify and manage feelings as
Self Care It is important for play therapists serving youth in international foster in working with the youth, as well as an appreciation for what the United States has to offer. Clinicians should be mindful that, much like domestic foster care, there are bureaucratic aspects such as evolving policies and procedures and care team collaboration which trauma related to the content of what youth experienced abroad, Self care including having outside interests, receiving supervision and consultation as needed, maintaining work-life balance including strikes the therapist’s personal sensitivities, can be key to sustaining experiences as a youth including family and cultural experiences, as well as experiences with moving, loss, trauma, and times of transition can also deepen the play therapist’s work with youth in international
Conclusion Play therapy can provide a great deal of relief to unaccompanied immigrant children in foster care in a way that is universal and comfortable. Providing play therapy for unaccompanied immigrant children can be a rich and rewarding professional opportunity. contributions to this article.
References Brown, L. S. (2016). Cultural competence in trauma therapy: Beyond . American Psychological Association. Boyd Webb, N. (2017). Play therapy with children and adolescents in crisis. The Guilford Press. Cassina, I. (2020). better. Loving Healing Press Cassina, I. and Mochi, C. (2017). conference, Brampton, Canada, October 25, 2017. Cassina, I., Mochi, C., & Stagnitti, K. (2023). Play therapy and expressive arts in a complex and dynamic world: Opportunities and challenges inside and outside the playroom. Routledge. Drewes, A. A., & Gil, E. (2021). Cultural issues in play therapy. The Guilford Press. Gil, E. (1991). The Guilford Press. Goodyear-Brown, P. (2009). prescriptive approach. Wiley & Sons. Goodyear-Brown, P. (2019). Trauma and play therapy: Helping children heal. Routledge.
Lowenstein, L. (2022). interventions. Champion Press. United States Department of Health & Human Services Administration Unaccompanied Children Facts and Data,
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/about/ucs/facts-and-data United States Department of Health & Human Services Administration documents/orr/orr_urm_fact_Sheet.pdf United States Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,
https://www.state.gov/reports-bureau-of-democracy- human-rights-and-labor/country-reports-on-human-rights- practices/
World Health Organization (2022), Clinical Descriptions and diagnostic disorders,
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240077263
World Health Organization (2020), Mental Health Atlas, World Health Organization,
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240036703.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa Larrabee, MSW, LCSW, RPT-S™, works in international foster care programming for unaccompanied children and unaccompanied refugee children. She also provides play therapy supervision at a crime victims services agency in Maryland. This article represents her views and not the views of her employers.
lsl1228@yahoo.com
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