Question

For each of the following scenarios, decide which of the play therapy skills described in the Vernon text (tracking, restating content, reflecting feelings, returning responsibility to the child, using the child’s metaphor, and limit setting) you would use to respond to the child. Generate several different responses to each one, remembering that you can combine several kinds of skills in a single response.

Glenda, a 6-year-old, was referred because she seems to be extremely distressed about her parents’ recent divorce. She comes into her third play therapy session frowning and crying, sits down, and says, “I hate my mom. I wanted to play, and she made me come here.”

Answer 1

• Glenda is obviously very upset with her Mother. I would utilize restating as well as reflecting of feeling with her. I would say “You are very upset with your Mother today”.
• Play therapy is most often used with children between the ages of 3 and 10, although it can be useful with some older children as well.One of the main reasons why play therapy works with children is because it feels natural to them; play is not something they need to learn how to do. It is unrealistic for adults to expect children to verbalize thoughts and emotions, because children do not have the abstract reasoning skills that allow them to do so.
• Reflecting Feelings:- A skilled response that allows for the therapist to teach a child how to identify/name emotions exhibited by the child.
• Restating:- A skill in which a therapist restates the meaning of what a child states.
• Tracking:-Stating what a child is doing or what a child is doing with a toy; used to let child know that the therapist is paying attention to everything he or she is doing.
• Returning responsibility: A skilled response to a child that allows for a child to try to achieve an obtainable goal without help from the therapist; this helps a child to become more self-confident.