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Kids love to play. They may not love to talk to an adult about what has traumatized them. That’s where play therapy comes in. Play therapy for trauma is an effective method of therapy to help children deal with their healing. While your child plays, our therapist gains insight and eases your child to the other side of their trauma while having fun.
The first recorded use of play therapy was in 1909 by Anna Freud. Using this method, Freud was able to build a rapport with the child and bring subconscious thoughts to the surface. Using toys and games, a child uses their imagination to reenact scenarios they’ve seen or experienced. When this play is structured, the therapist is able to target specific circumstances surrounding the child’s traumatic experience. As the therapist gets to know your child, they will tailor the sessions to include specific games or other creative play to target specific needs or goals. Talk therapy in combination with play therapy for trauma is an excellent strategy to help your child work through the aftermath of trauma.
Play therapy sounds great for my child, but how does it actually work? Great question! We don’t just put your child in a room to play. The counselor structures play with purpose. Depending on the child, it may take a session (or few) to build a trusting relationship with their counselor. As trust grows, your child will become more comfortable and express more thoughts and feelings. Many things can be accomplished through play therapy, but we’ll touch on just a few here in this list:
Our team at Garrett Counseling has the experienced professionals your child needs to help them work through their trauma with play therapy. Schedule your appointment today through our online form here, or call (256) 239-5662. For your convenience, we offer services in Jacksonville, Boaz and Huntsville.
Merriam-Webster defines trauma as “a disordered psychic or behavioral state resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or physical injury; an emotional upset.” Trauma counseling (or crisis counseling) is a key tool to coping and/or recovering from from your traumatic experience.
Traumatic events typically involve a life-threatening situation. But, they can also occur as a result of any event that left you feeling significantly overwhelmed and alone. A few examples of how we experience trauma include:
However, these are not the only examples. If you feel you have suffered a traumatic event, you have and should seek help.
Each individual is unique. Therefore, what may be a traumatic experience to some may not necessarily be to another. Trauma is actually very subjective. A person’s genetics, background, experiences, and temperament are just some examples of why people do not view a particular circumstance the same way. There are numerous effects trauma can have on a person. Some more common symptoms include:
If you have suffered a traumatic event, maybe your symptoms began right away, or maybe it’s been months or years since the event, and you’re just now experiencing emotional or psychological issues. Again, as each individual is different, the impact of trauma will present itself differently and/or at different times. Garrett Counseling has the compassionate counselor you need. You can trust that we care about what you have been through and will lead you on a journey to begin healing. In-person and teletherapy appointments are available. Start your healing through crisis counseling today by clicking here or calling (256) 239-5662.
If you’ve been injured in an accident, it’s common knowledge that your physical injuries and your car repair or replacement are covered through insurance. But did you know that you can claim emotional distress and trauma therapy as well?
Being in a car accident is a traumatic experience and can leave the victim with psychological distress. You might be afraid to drive after the accident. You might be afraid of cars behind you or coming at you from side streets depending on your accident. Maybe your injuries weren’t that severe but you are experiencing trouble sleeping or crying spells related to the trauma of the accident. Emotional distress falls into the category of pain and suffering in your personal injury claim.
In order for your personal injury claim to cover trauma therapy related to your accident, you will need to provide more than just a list of symptoms you are experiencing. Your mental health provider will need to prove a correlation between the trauma of the accident and the psychological effects you are experiencing as a result of the accident. These effects will need to be clearly outlined and directly linked to the negligence of the opposing party. To simply state, “I’m having anxiety and am afraid to drive because of this accident” is not enough evidence to prove the legitimacy of your pain and suffering requiring trauma therapy.
Contact one of our trauma therapy specialists at Garrett Counseling today to discuss your personal injury claim. Our mission is to provide you with the care you need to enhance your quality of life. Visit us at one of our three convenient locations, Huntsville, Boaz, or Jacksonville. We also offer teletherapy visits. Reach us today at (256) 239-5662. You can also fill out our contact form here.