The game and game therapies for children
Introduction
When a child plays, he learns to tolerate frustration, regulate his emotions and highlight in innate tasks, practice new skills and give children’s opportunity to dominate their world as they create, develop and maintain their sense of themselves (Landreth 2002ª). The game is the language of the child and toys the words.
Developing
Game therapy is a tool used by the therapist to provide optimal psychosocial development, where the child can achieve positive development, among the main theories is the psychoanalytic therapy, the child-centered, the cognitive-behavioral, thePerspective and Family Game Therapy. Virginia Axline gave a humanistic approach where he tells that unconditional positive consideration, empathic understanding and authenticity of the child is important, since they can express their thoughts, feelings and desire through the game.
Child -centered therapy expresses the freedom to express themselves with little direction of the therapist, since it guides the appropriate expression of emotions and provides a sense of control. Game therapy can occur from babies and young children to adult and elderly children, although it is more common in children aged 3 to 12 years.
The space can be anyone, since it is only limited by the degree of flexibility and creativity of the patient, but it requires or will follow a certain ideal material for an optimal therapeutic work as it is;A space of 15 to 20 m², easy to clean materials and furniture, shelves for toys, a cold water sink, suitable furniture for children and adults, a desk or table for artistic work, blackboard and an attached bathroom. As well as there is a general selection of objects such as: family of animals, dolls, babies, plates and plastic cutlery, doll families, a doll house with furniture, puppets, toy soldiers, cubes, plasticineArtistic, telephones, a medical kit, balls, transport toys, masks, mirrors, strings, dinosaurs, books and board games. Each object of the room must meet a therapeutic purpose.
For children the initial sessions must include an introduction to the game space and the therapeutic process, they are allowed to explore their own rite and the therapist establishes a warm, comfortable and safe atmosphere for the child. At the end of a session, it is most advisable to give a warning that there are 5 minutes left for the term and that the patient can prepare mentally about the term. It is good to include caregivers within therapy, since it generates good adhesion to this and encourages a positive relationship with parents or caregivers.
There are three stages within game therapy, the first is the construction of rapport;This establishes the employment relationship and gives the child time to feel safe and comfortable, the second stage is the work;This offers a window to the child’s world and thus the therapist applies the most appropriate agent to meet desire and unattered needs of the child, the third stage is the termination;In this it allows the child and the family to appropriate the changes that occurred and prepare the land to continue the improvements. The main characteristics of a game therapist are patience, flexibility, love for children, empathy, warmth and authenticity, at the same time as theoretical knowledge and technical skills.
conclusion
In conclusion it is feasible to say that the game is an important agent in the development of the individual, it can be said that it is an extremely powerful means for the integration of thought, impulse control, processing experiences and learning social skills, I would dare to saywhich is the best tool that a therapist has to approach a child, under adequate terms for this and thus resolve their conflicts, in general the game is one of the best change factors for children, although this is not exclusive, it isThe best option to meet and enter the children’s world. It is also important to mention that being play therapist is not easy, there are characteristics that not any therapist possesses, the mastery of theories and use of techniques sometimes do not work in the same way for all children, so it is important that theRelationship between In Niño and the therapist is empathic to achieve good adhesion to therapy and the solution of their problems.
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