Psychological Wellness for Children & Adolescents in Dubai
CHILDREN WELLNESS
Choose The Right Approach For My Child
We offer psychological support through Individual and Family Therapy. We help children and adolescents to deal with emotions as well as cope with challenging situations through various types of individual and group therapy including play and art therapy. We offer a mix of psychological interventions and skills building support groups to help growing minds to process feelings, process experiences and develop into the best version of themselves. We also offer psychoeducational assessments and school observations to help teachers to support children and adolescents with academic work as well as promote their emotional wellbeing.
What are the most common approaches to therapy?
- Play Therapy
- Filial play therapy
- Art therapy for children
- Group therapy
- Parenting guidance
- Assessments
- School Observation
- Skills-building support groups
Play
Therapy
Play is the main activity of children through which they make sense of the world and develop skills necessary to grow into a healthy adult in order to lead a satisfying happy life. Play is essential in helping children learn such social skills as sharing, taking turns, tolerance and patience.
Play therapy is a technique which is based on the use of play as the means to help the child express their feelings and emotions without using complex words and language that they have not yet acquired due to their young age. Instead, toys and miniatures serve as symbols for the child to release tension, express frustration, communicate their needs and learn new skills to master emotions and alter behaviour patterns.
Play therapy can be directive and non-directive. Within a directive approach, a therapist takes a more initiative role asking questions and suggesting a number of methods and strategies that the child could use to find a solution to his/her problem. Non-directive approach, on the contrary, creates such an environment in which the child is empowered and encouraged to find their own solution at his/her own pace. The therapist usually chooses one of the approaches depending on the child’s needs and parents’ concerns.
How can a child benefit from play therapy?
Although play therapy is widely used with children who have been traumatized, a child does not have to suffer deep emotional challenges to benefit from this intervention. This means that any child can come for a play therapy session in order to do the following:
- improve communication skills
- master feelings
- develop better self-control
- improve problem-solving skills
- enhance creativity and flexibility
- release negative and stressful emotions
- explore alternative behaviors through role-play
- experience power over the world through fantasy play
- learn to build positive relationships
- improve self-esteem
- learn self-acceptance and self-direction
- learn to behave within limits necessary for being safe
- learn self-responsibility
How many sessions does the child usually need?
It depends on the original concerns, child’s responses and family commitment. Please remember that every child is unique and that is why it is only possible to estimate, but not guarantee the exact length of sessions. Usually, it is recommended to have a minimum of six sessions to see some progress. It is recommended by Play Therapy Associations to engage the child in play therapy for about three months to see some long-term changes. Some children and families may need a year or more to achieve the desirable shift.
Are parents informed about what is happening in the session?
Yes and no. Parents are provided with the general information of what is child may be working on, but they will not be given full access to what the child is doing and saying in order to protect the child’s rights for confidentiality and privacy and keep trust. Without child trusting the therapist, there is a very little chance that they can express themselves freely and openly.
What materials
are used?
We use specific type of toys to facilitate the child’s emotional expression. For example, dollhouses and kitchen appliances allow for nurturing play, while snakes and mice can serve as tools to express fears and aggression in a safe environment. In addition, there are some therapeutic games that could be played with the child individually and the whole family. Since COVID-19 pandemic, many online therapeutic resources emerged that are very helpful for online interaction.
Does online play
therapy work?
Yes, it does. However, it depends on the child’s age and presenting concerns. Younger children who are 3-4 years of age might find it difficult to engage without parents and sustain attention for the whole 50 min. A child who is struggling with oppositional behaviour may also find it challenging to engage online. For the majority of children, online play therapy has shown to be an effective intervention that allow to use physical toys and digital resources to achieve the desirable shift.
What is the
process?
The first 50 min meeting is usually done with the parents without a child. It is called a parent intake and its aim is to get as much background information as possible. One meeting with parents is usually enough, but it sometimes takes another additional parent meeting to make sure that all the information is collected. After the meeting, the therapist may send some extra questionnaires for parents to complete and send back by email. The second step is for the therapist to meet the child. The therapist may request to see the child alone without parents for the full session of 50 min or they may request parents to join the last 20 min of the session to play with the child. This may be done if the therapist requires extra information about the child and parents’ interaction and dynamics. It will be discussed with the parents in advance to make sure they and the child know what to expect. The third step is for the therapist to write up their observations, recommendations and action plan for the family/child therapy. The results from the questionnaires will be also shared with the parents. Once the therapist explains the results to the parents in detail and they agree on the proposed plan, therapy can start. The child will be attending sessions without parents in the room, but they may be asked to join from time to time depending on the presenting challenges. Play therapy usually requires minimum of 6 to 12 sessions to see some progress. It is very hard to give an estimate of the needed sessions because it depends on the presenting challenge, how long the child has been facing it, the child’s uniqueness and the family commitment.
Filial play therapy
Filial play therapy is a psychoeducational family intervention in which the therapist trains, guides, and supervises parents to engage with their own child in child-centred play therapy sessions. Parents become partners in therapy who are encouraged to become the main agent of change in their children’s lives.
The goal of filial play therapy is to create a warm safe and friendly atmosphere for the child to express themselves freely, learn about social rules, take safe risks, learn boundaries and develop social skills. Research has shown that involving parent sin play therapy is more effective. Filial play therapy trains parents to use play with their children effectively.
Art Therapy For Children
Art therapy is used with children and adolescents to help them express themselves and process their feelings by the means of artistic creation. Art therapy is especially suitable for children since it does not require the use of complex language ability. It allows to express the confusing and scary experience by the means of the picture and then make sense of that experience and process it in order to feel safe again. Art therapy does not only include drawing and painting, it can also include artistic mediums such as drama, music, creating movement, journaling, and expressive writing. Art therapy can help express emotions, work through traumatic experiences, communicate, manage emotions, and develop abilities.
Group Therapy
We offer various therapy groups and social skills-building groups for children and adolescents. Group therapy usually is done once a week, and the session lasts between one and two hours with about 10-15 participants and one or two psychologists. Groups are usually designed to target a particular challenge, such as anxiety, depression, and so on. Social skills-building groups are usually focused on developing a particular set of skills, for example confidence and self-esteem.
The group usually serves a role of support and a safe space. It requires commitment from the participants as well as a willingness to open up and embrace the experience. There is usually a screening that is conducted before confirming the group therapy participation. The screening could take the form of an in-person meeting or a phone call depending on the nature of the group therapy offered.
Parenting Guidance
Being a parent is a rewarding, but very challenging experience with its ups and downs. There is a lot of new information gained from the latest child development research. What worked for our parents and grandparents may not be the best approach in our fast growing and developing world for our children nowadays. Whether we have time to learn about the new developments in child psychology and upbringing, or we struggle to find time to go through effective parenting studies, it is always a good idea to check in with a professional to see how to support the child’s development.
Our psychologists provide guidance not only on how to deal with disorders, but also how to be proactive and apply the best available strategies and techniques to raise healthy and happy children.
Assessments and School Observations
We offer various cognitive and emotional assessments, including school observations to help assess, diagnose and develop a plan that can enhance your child’s emotional, cognitive and mental wellbeing. Please get in touch with us for more information.