Boyd-Webb, Chapter 7:
Boyd-Webb’s chapter on play therapy was very on-point for me as children (especially children under the age of 12/13 years-old) interact with the world via play and are emotional rather than cognitive creatures. I’ve been very curious about how much evidence-based research exists for Non-Directive Play Therapy, especially beyond trauma. I appreciated Boyd-Webb’s curated list of “must-have” materials for sessions (adding to Tom’s wonderful list in his powerpoint), and could relate as well from personal experience to how deceptively plentiful a few pieces of paper and crayons become to small people, providing narrative, meaning, and validation.I’m also really excited to try the “Squiqqle Game” one day hopefully.
Bromfield Chapters 3-9: There were some great nuggets in these chapters overall, but to pinpoint some of my favorite takeaways:
Chapter 3: I really appreciated the power of “holding” our patients. If we can do what we aim to achieve…creating a safe space for our young clients, we help them feel heard when maybe others can’t or won’t, at a very basic, fundamental level, we “hold” them and all of their vulnerabilities and fragilities without judgement but with validation “like sponges.”
Chapter 6 &7: Bromfield also discusses the role of play in therapy with children. Boyd-Webb makes it very clear that treatment must ultimately be very individualized for the developmental stage, cognitive/emotional/behavioral needs (etc) of the patient, with adaptations taken into consideration. Toys (eg dolls, action figures, nerf guns,” as a critical channel to “externalize conflict.” I also appreciated the point regarding open-ended questions and the wisdom regarding children talking more to adults who ask less questions. I can confirm this point from the perspective both as a mom of a sometimes guarded but often open nine-year old and as a volunteer of a peer support group of school-aged kids.