Services

CPTS offers the following therapeutic Services:

  • Play Therapy
  • Group Therapy
  • Filial Therapy
  • Therapeutic Life Story Work
  • Virtual Support
CPTS offers these services for children aged 4 to adolescence that experience difficulties with: attachment, behaviour, concentration, friendships, nightmares or who are withdrawn or unhappy. Children that have suffered abuse, bereavement/loss or that are looked after by the local authority. If your needs are not specified please do not hesitate to contact CPTS to discuss your requirements.

Play Therapy 

Play Therapy is a way of supporting children with a range of emotional or social difficulties that impact on their day to day functioning. Through the medium of play a child develops and learns about their world, therefore play is used to communicate and process their difficulties. The therapist creates a safe environment where together the child and therapist develop a therapeutic relationship. The child may play in any way needed, with as few limits as possible but as many needed for safety.

Play Therapy Tool Kit 

CPTS mobile toolkit offers a wide variety of therapeutic tools:

  • Art Equipment ​​
  • Clay
  • Sand tray
  • Musical Instruments
  • Movement
  • Drama / role play
  • Creative visualization
  • Therapeutic storytelling
  • Puppets and masks

The child chooses from the play therapy toolkit and as they play the therapist communicates using non-directive therapy methods. As the therapeutic relationship is developed this enables the child to make sense of their experiences, allowing the natural inner pull towards healing.

Group Play Therapy 

Group Play Therapy uses the underlying theories of a therapeutic relationship and play therapy within a group setting. Group work has been extensively researched and several therapeutic benefits have been recorded such as: children understanding they are not alone, sharing similar experiences, supporting each other, exploring coping strategies, raising self-esteem and confidence in social situations, develop self-awareness and greater level of self-understanding.

Play activities with a therapeutic objective are used to support children within a group setting, groups contain more than one child with a maximum of 4 (a larger group is possible with a second therapist present). Group work can have a therapeutic aim such as developing friendships, low self-esteem, bereavement, sibling group that have experienced the same traumatic event, domestic abuse or the present impact of Covid-19.

Filial Therapy

Filial Therapy is a unique approach that emphasizes the parent child relationship to alleviate family difficulties and strengthen relationships. Developed by Dr Bernard and Louise Guerney in the 1960’s. The process of Filial Therapy offers benefits to children, parents and the family.

Filial therapy offers children the opportunity to develop understanding of their feelings,
develop problem-solving skills, work through difficulties, make better choices, increase trust
in parents and in-crease self-confidence and self-esteem. For the parent it increases understanding of their child/children’s development, feelings and motivations, learn about the importance of play, learn child rearing skills to bring positive results, open communication with child/children, develop self-confidence as parents, increase feelings of warmth and trust towards their child/children. For the family it offers benefits of reduction in problems, help prevent future problems, strengthen parent- child relationships, improve family communication, improve family coping strategies, develop flexibility within the family, increase the family ability to have fun together, provide the family with tool they can use in the future. Information taken from the Filial Therapy Parent Handbook, Rise VanFleet.

Therapeutic Life Story Work 

Life story work with a therapeutic approach enables children to explore the people in their lives and what has happened to them, offering a deeper understanding of life events and experiences.

Unravelling the child’s inner world and how they relate to people and the world around them can often be part of the recovery process. Undertaking therapeutic life story work enables a greater understanding of life experiences that may impact on wellbeing and patterns of behaviour.

Virtual support 

I am delighted to offer virtual support via Skype, Zoom or phone call. This can take many formats from supporting a parent with phone call support to online sessions utilizing creatives arts activities and games. The activities are carefully selected to enable a child to communicate their struggles and experiences. This format gently explores their thoughts and feelings while keeping them safe. Once referred the therapist will contact the parents and other professionals involved in the child’s life, gaining an understanding of the child’s needs. The child will require access to a confidential space and fully charged device that supports Zoom or Skype. From time to time the therapist may provide items such as pencils and paper or clay to undertake activities, this will be agreed with parents prior to sessions.