Play Therapy in the Case of Jeff 1

Play Therapy in the Case of Jeff Natalie Boggs Prescott College

Play Therapy in the Case of Jeff 2

In my case study I am choosing to work with Jeff. Jeff is 9 years old so I am choosing to use Gestalt Play Therapy with him. Seeing that he has a lot of energy and restlessness I feel like therapy would be more effective if he is able to be an active participant in the process. Play therapy has emerged as a distinct therapeutic modality and been widely accepted in the mental health eld as a viable treatment for children between the ages of 3 and 11. As Jeff falls within this age category and because he seems to be reverting to early childhood behaviors (urinating throughout the house), I think play therapy would be most effective for him. I think play therapy is a productive choice since Jeff is most likely going through a difficult time as he is mentally progressing and most likely starting to realize that his family is different. Jeff presumably hasnt produced these thoughts before and it is rationale to believe he is having difficulty processing them and therefore not sure how to verbalize those feelings into words. Axline in 1974 compared childrens ability to play out problems with adults ability to talk out problems in therapy. Play therapy is critical for a population not only chronologically younger, but developmentally different than adults in how they communicate and receive information. Most children below the age of 11 lack a fully developed capacity for abstract thought, which is a prerequisite to meaningful verbal expression and understanding of complex issues, motives, and feelings. Unlike adults who communicate naturally through words, children more express themselves through the concrete world of play and activity (Vandergast, 2010). In play therapy, then, play is viewed as the vehicle for communication between the child and the therapist on the assumption that children will use play materials to directly or symbolically act out feelings, thoughts, and experiences that they are not able to meaningfully express through words (Bratton, 2005).

Play Therapy in the Case of Jeff 3

Play therapy has a large effect on childrens behavior, social adjustment, and personality. Typically, children are referred for treatment because of one of these three presenting problems. Behavior problems, in particular, are of great concern for the significant adults in childrens lives primarily parents and teacherswho often expend a great amount of energy in trying to change problematic behaviors. The present research supports play therapy as an agent in changing behavior (Bratton, 2005). Jeff has been exhibiting many behavioral issues that, in my opinion, could be changed by play therapy. Through play therapy I could aid in helping Jeff confront the underlying issues that are causing these behavioral problems. Social adjustment and personality are also concerns for most parents. Parents want their children to grow up well-liked and well-adjusted. The need to belong is primary to a childs growth and acceptance of self. When children are unable to socially adapt or modify their behavior to fit in, children and parents alike are negatively affected. I believe that Jeff is struggling with fitting in. As hes growing it is difficult to not have a male figure in the home to relate to. Hes starting to realize how he is different not only from the 2 other members in his family, but also from the other children at school who have the norm of a mom and dad. According to research, play therapy demonstrates its effectiveness in the areas of social adjustment and acceptance of self (Bratton, 2005), both critical in Jeffs life right now. Although research demonstrates the efficacy of play therapy in helping with childrens problems, the issue is slightly more complex than it first appears. The length of treatment and parental involvement appear to impact the outcome of play therapy. Although studies have demonstrated that play therapy is effective with just a few sessions (particularly in crisis settings), the overall results indicate that the efficacy of play therapy facilitated by a therapist increases with the number of sessions provided, up to approximately 35 sessions (Bratton, 2005).

Play Therapy in the Case of Jeff 4

For this reason I think that Jeffs mothers should be aware that in my opinion, continuous therapy would be best. This is an emotional issue that is most likely going to continuously be brought up as Jeff progresses through different stages in his life and I would like to see him long enough to be at least be able to give him coping tools and methods so he can help himself. As most therapists are aware, therapy for significant issues takes significant time, whether the client is an adult or a child. In addition to length of therapy, parent involvement in play therapy also significantly impacted treatment outcome. This finding is probably not surprising for most practitioners. Common sense would dictate that working with each component of a childs system would increase the positive outcome of therapy. It is interesting to note that working with the childs parents is not necessarily the variable that affects therapy. It appears from research that involving the childs parents fully in therapy, along with providing structured, supervised experiences for parents to practice their skills with their child, is most effective (Bratton, 2005). With Jeffs parents being very open and involved I believe play therapy could help all of Jeffs presenting emotional and behavioral issues. After we have made progress in those areas I would then look more into Jeffs hyperactive behaviors. These could just have come through as a result of emotional distress. Although, studies have shown that ADD/ADHD are likely to appear in children that have been born from drug addicted parents. I may recommend working in conjunction with a psychiatrist to see if medication could aid in his attention span at school. Because Jeff is so young I think his prognosis looks very good and that play therapy will be the most helpful and healing.

Play Therapy in the Case of Jeff 5

References Bratton, S.C., Ray, D., Rhine, T., & Leslie, J. (2005). The efficacy of play therapy with children: a meta-analytic review of treatment outcomes. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36 (4). Retrieved from: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.prescott.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdf viewer?sid=619dc018-ea1d-4aa0-a17b-d46eee28d990%40sessionmgr110&vid=8&hid=104 VanderGast, T.S., Culbreth, J.R., & Flowers, C. (2010). An exploration of experiences and preferences in clinical supervision with play therapists. International Journal of Play Therapy, Vol. 19 (3). Retrieved from: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.prescott.edu/ehost/detail? vid=7&hid= 104&sid=619dc018-ea1d-4aa0-a17bd46eee28d990%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db =pdh&AN=pla-19-3-174

Play Therapy in the Case of Jeff 6