Sue G has finally completed and passed her Post Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play with PTUK and Chichester University and is now a Therapeutic Play Practitioner. This has taken 18 months and included 15 training days, numerous essays and 100 placement hours spent with 8 children from Lift Anglesey Primary School.
Therapeutic Play is a child-centred form of psychotherapy that supports children aged 4–13, to explore and make sense of their thoughts, feelings, and experiences through play (PTUK, 2021). It’s based on the understanding that play is a child’s natural language. Instead of being directed or told what to do, the child is trusted to express what they need through toys, creativity, and symbolic play. In this way, things that feel too big or too complex to put into words can be safely explored and shared. It’s usually offered as a short-term intervention, with a minimum of around twelve 40 minute sessions, allowing enough time for trust to develop and for the child to engage meaningfully in the process.
“I’ve loved being able to learn and grow in my understanding of how our minds work and how play can be incredibly powerful in helping us process and make sense of life. I’ve noticed my learning, especially around reflective practise and keeping consistent boundaries has really enhanced the rest of my work within Burton Youth For Christ and my confidence in what we offer to young people has grown.”
Special thanks goes to our Trustees for their generous commitment of both funding and time, enabling Sue to complete this study – and to the team at Lift Anglesey for supporting her in achieving her placement hours with the children. The next step is to decide whether to progress to the Diploma level, which would qualify her as a fully accredited Play Therapist able to work with children of all needs.
On an exciting note, Riverside Church are supporting us to create an extra room within our existing office space. This will enable us to offer therapeutic play, mentoring and listening sessions. Watch this space!
Sue Garb
Centre Director