Page 4 - DC CCN Newsletter

4
STAR
The Northern
PLAY IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
group for teens using internet tabletop gaming simulators.
7 I have had to be more creative and flexible than ever before – creating unique versions of popular games, coming up with art activities that can be done with few supplies, having a plan B and C if the client isn’t able to or doesn’t want to do the original idea, etc.
8 We have more time to focus on building mindfulness, grounding, and other coping skills to help clients address their increased anxiety. For example, we participate in a weekly mindful drumming Facebook live experience.
Like many people, when Sydney first got the news that we were going to have to transition to telehealth, she was unsure if she could do it, and uncertain if it would be helpful for the children she works with who have high levels of trauma. However, after several weeks doing video sessions, Sydney is more confident and continues finding new ways to serve CCN’s clients. Sydney firmly believes that modeling making the best of a negative situation teaches children how to handle their own setbacks.
Being a trained therapist, Sydney Stephenson, CCN’s Youth Counselor, is an advocate of pros and cons lists. They are a useful tool that are often used with older clients to help reframe a negative event to see the positive side. So in that spirit, Sydney presents her personal tele-therapy pros and cons list:
CONS
Play therapy was not
meant to be done
remotely. It is by
nature a highly
interactive modality
that involves lots of activity in order to join with the client, and it is supposed to be child-led, with the client deciding most of the activities.
1
I haven’t heard from many of my
2 school-based and community site
clients. Several teenagers do not feel safe in their homes and no longer have school as an outlet, and many others do not have a private space at home to do remote sessions.
3 It is harder to keep the attention of younger children and get them to stay in range of the screen.
4 Conducting sessions electronically all day is more exhausting – I go home tired, sore, and drained.
5 Telehealth can potentially overload the therapist and blur the boundaries between work and personal life – e.g. working from home can lead to the counselor feeling like they always have to be “on” and struggling to “leave work at work.”
6 The clients miss interacting with Thea, my therapy cat.
PROS
1 There is more parent involvement, since young children struggle to stay in the camera frame and on task, parents get to participate in the session and see what their child is working on.
2 Having fun with the green screen virtual background! I have done sessions from Hogwarts, the ocean, and outer space.
3 Seeing parts of clients’ lives that I usually wouldn’t – they can show me their bedroom, favorite toy, etc.
4 Making use of activities I normally can’t, such as parents playing video games with their children for a family therapy session or sharing screens to have the client utilize a super hero creation program online.
5 Spending more time planning each session to tailor it to the individual client’s goals.
6 The opportunity to start a parent filial therapy support group, and will soon be starting an online social skills
URGENT NEED
Help us get essentials to victims of domestic violence who don’t have access to products to keep them safe.
Call 24/7 412-364-5556 Text 412-364-5556 Chat 412-444-7660