WHO ARE YOU?
I am a trained child-centered play therapist with relevant experience of work with vulnerable children and youngsters. My work experience includes hospitalised children and their families; cared-for and hard to reach children; SEND children and adolescents. I have further experience of working in school environments, charities, and adoption agencies; I also have worked in areas relating to attachment difficulties; domestic violence; loss; autism, severe behavioural issues, and learning difficulties.
HOW YOU WORK?
Child-centered play therapy: Play therapy can be explained as counselling with children (and adolescents) using the medium of toys. This approach is based on the evidence that children express themselves naturally and easily through play and creativity. Rather than having to explain what is troubling them, as usually is required in adult therapy, children use play to communicate at their own level and at their own pace, without feeling intimidated or having to explain verbally what is happening to them. In play therapy children learn to manage relationships and conflicts in a more appropriate way, they can better understand their feelings and thoughts.
I do not structure activities, follow an agenda, offer task or experiment with the final goal of fixing the child. On the contrary, I follow the child’s lead, who is free to do, play, say or not say. All I have to do is to be physically, mentally and emotionally with the child. Child-centered play therapy is not about doing but being with the child; which means that I have to enter the child’s world. During the play therapy sessions, I mirror the child behaviour, track their play and reflect its emotional content, hearing their non-verbal expression, I set those limits and boundaries to keep them safe.
YOUR CORE VALUES, WHAT ARE THEY?
I believe that any child in this world has the right to have a fair and safe childhood. Unfortunately, this is not the case, too often children are afflicted by pain and suffering, sometimes is inevitable. It should be adults responsibility to reach out the child in order to help them to heal the parts of them that have been damaged. This is what I believe as a play therapist but most of all as a person.
When I do play therapy, I also work with the children significant ones in a non-judgemental way. I do not discriminate or respond negatively to the child and their family dependant on gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, or disability. Instead, I am aware of and respect all children and their family’s differences. In therapy, I bring honesty (to oneself and to the other), empathy, compassion, respect, and genuineness. Today children are our hope for a better society and world tomorrow.
WHY CHOOSE YOU AS A THERAPIST? WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOUR THERAPY THAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE?
I am passionate about play therapy and children, I have interest in their wellbeing. I’m playful, respectful and understanding towards the child and their family. When necessary I think out of the box in order to meet the child’s needs.
In my intervention I use a non-directive approach, allowing the child the freedom to express themselves. My selection of toys is culturally diverse and I distance myself from stereotyping and ethnocentric views. I have experience of working with children of different cultural backgrounds, nationalities, difficulties that bring them to play therapy, and family systems.
WHAT THERAPIES DO YOU OFFER?
Other than child-centered play therapy, I am trained in:
•Child-parent relationship therapy: it aims to improve the relationship between the child and the parent/carer through the medium of play.
•Life story work: It is mainly used with adopted children to help them to explore their past, present and future.
Often, one intervention is used as a follow up of another.
Areas in London where the service is covered: Upper Norwood, Crystal Palace, Honor Oak, and surrounding areas. I may be able to work in different areas of London from the ones listed above.
The play therapy session will take place in schools or at the child’s home (if suitable), alternatively in a hired play-therapy space.
I charge £70 per session.
Extra fees will apply for travel expenses or/and consultation room.