Non-Traditional Families and Their Caregivers: - PowerPoint Presentation

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Non-Traditional Families and Their Caregivers:

Divorce and Step-Families in Play Therapy

March 15,2018

Sabra Starnes, LICSW,LCSW-C, RPT-S

Clinical Social Worker

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Learning Objectives

Define Divorce, single parenting, and step families

Discuss the tensions in all of these intimate relationships

Provide techniques to help families navigate these realities

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Role of the caregivers

Divorce-Divorce, also known as dissolution of marriage, is the termination of a marriage or marital union, the canceling and/or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the bonds of matrimony between a married couple under the rule of law of the particular country and/or state.

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Role of the caregivers

Step families-These families take a multitude of forms: Divorced with children; the children reside with one parent and visit the other. Most are dating or looking for new partners. Remarried, re-coupled, living together, with his and/or her children; He/she is in the role of stepparent. Single Mothers; re-coupled, dating and alone. Divorced Dads; these dads generally visit their children. Often they are re-coupled, bringing a stepmother figure into their children’s lives.

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Statistics

In 2014 there were 813,862 divorces in the United StatesSource: CDC/NCHS National Vital Statistics System.

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Statistics for the number

Stepfamilies in US

These families take a multitude of forms:

Divorced with children; the children reside with one parent and visit the other. Most are dating or looking for new partners.Remarried, re-coupled, living together, with his and/or her children; He/she is in the role of stepparent.

Single Mothers; re-coupled, dating and alone.

Divorced Dads; these dads generally visit their children. Often they are re-coupled, bringing a stepmother figure into their children’s lives.

Lesbian and gay couples with children from a prior relationship.

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Impact on Divorce on children

Determining Factors: Child’s age, gender, development Pre-existing issues: Special Needs, Adoption, Trauma

Quality of Parent Child Relationship Number of Transitions; moves, schedule changes, re-marriage, multiple legal battles

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Families may often seek family therapy to….

• To get help and support for the children Clarify divorce-related misconceptions • Increase ability to communicate openly • Facilitate appropriate expression of feelings • Strengthen effective coping skills • Eliminate self-blame for the divorce • Resolve reunification fantasies

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High Conflict divorces

Parents put the child in the middle of the conflictParent alienation Settling financial and custodial disagreementsOn going battles

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Challenges and

Rewards doing check-ins with parents

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Therapeutic themes and issues

Shock and Disbelief Adjustment

Denial Separation Anxiety Chaos, loss of control loneliness Change Loss

Turmoil

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Theories of Play Therapy

Non-DirectiveChild-centeredJungianPsychoanalyticSand tray Directive

Cognitive behavioralGestaltDevelopmentalSolution Focused

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Source: InAPT conference 2005

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Extended Play-Based Developmental Assessments Clinicians Guide

Created and developed b Eliana Gil Extended Play-Based Developmental Assessments are designed to determine children’s overall functioning; identify current clinical symptoms; identify trauma impact, if any; assess children’s perceptions of parental support and guidance; and determine children’s perceptions of their internal and external resources. Clinicians who conduct EPBDA observe and address a variety of domains including physical functioning, patterns of relational interactions, thematic material in their play, and externalized concerns. A variety of directive and non-directive techniques are utilized avoiding suggestive language or questioning and allowing children to feel comfortable enough to volunteer relevant information about their world.

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Therapeutic themes and issues

Acceptance • Appearance of Normal • fear of one parent not being there

• Toys all over the place • constant change • Broken, dead, gone • Never-ending Battles • Peace

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Methods of Play Therapy

Sand TrayImaginative PlayPuppet PlayArt/Crafts Bibilo therapyPsychodrama Therapeutic Games

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Recommended Directive Play therapy techniques to use throughout treatment by Paris Goodyear-Brown

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Recommended Directive Play therapy techniques to use throughout treatment by Liana

Lowestein

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Toys Needed for Play Therapy Room

Nurturing ToysClient’s can use these to play out family relationships and eventsDoll house, dolls, puppets, baby dolls, baby doll supplies, kitchen setScary toysClient’s can use these to deal with fearsPlastic monsters, snakes, bugs, bears, lions, dinosaurs

Source: InAPT conference 2005

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Suggested Toys for Play Therapy Room

Pretend/Fantasy Toys

Clients can use these to explore different roles, hidden feelings, and alternative behaviors

Masks, hats, doctor’s kit, zoo and farm animals, building materials, jewelry

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Toys Needed for Play Therapy Room

Expressive ToysClients use these to explore relationships, express feelings, deal with problem/solutionCrayons, paper, scissors, paint, craft items.Aggressive ToysClients use these to express anger and aggression and explore power and control issues

Guns, play knives, hammer and nails, toy soldiers, punching bag

Source: InAPT conference 2005

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Treatment goals with Divorced and Step families

Reduce stress of transitioning between homes Increase appropriate, positive communication Address loyalty conflicts Reduce feelings of parental abandonment Protect and remove child from parent conflict • Foster child’s healthy relationship with both parents whenever possible

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Play Therapist role

To focus on the child in joint sessions with parents

Create a Safe Atmosphere for the family

Assess emotional and physical impact of divorce

Therapeutic interventions focus on the child

Holding parents accountable

Educating parents

Strengthening parent-child relationships

Advocating for the child.

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Self calming Techniques

to use in sessions Children derive enormous benefits from yoga. Physically, it enhances their flexibility, strength, coordination, and body awareness. In addition, their concentration and sense of calmness and relaxation improves.

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Self calming Techniques

to use in sessions

Mindfulness

Deep Breathing

Guided Imagery

Relaxation techniques

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Self calming techniques

Meditation exercises Guided ImagerySound machineMindfulness

Mindfulness is....”....paying attention on purpose, in the present moment,

non-judgementally....” Bell listeningSquish and relax Heart beat

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Play Therapy Supervision

Effective January 1, 2020, hours earned toward the supervised play therapy experience and supervision requirements for the RPT and RPT-S applications must be under the supervision of an RPT-S only.  Any supervised play therapy experience and supervision hours accrued 

prior 

to January 1, 2020 will be accepted provided they fall under the current guidelines. 

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In Person or Video Confernecing SupervisionIf you are interested in individual or group play therapy supervision please feel free to contact me to discuss supervision sessions.Contact me at 301-531-4227 or sabrastarnes@gmail.com

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Questions?

Non-Traditional Families and Their Caregivers: The Definition of Families in Play Therapy

Thursday March 20, 2018

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References

Bonkowski, S. 1987. Kids are nondivorceable: A workbook for divorced parents and their children. Chicago: ACTA Publications.Brett, D. 1988. Annie stories: a special kind of storytelling. New York: Workman Publishing Company.Davenport, M. A., Gordy, P. L., and Miranda, N. A. 1993. Children of divorce. Milwaukee, WI: Families International, Inc.Garigan, E., and Urbanski, M. 1991. Living with divorce: Activities to help children cope with difficult situations. Carthage, IL: Good Apple.

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References

Talking To Children about Divorce: Garon & Mandell Difficult Questions Kids Ask and Are Afraid to Ask AboutDivorce: Schneider & ZuckerbergHelping Your Kids Cope with Divorce the Sandcastles Way: Neuman

Making Divorce Easier on Your Child: 50 Effective Ways to

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Help Children Adjust: Long & ForehandPutting Children First: Proven Parenting Strategies forHelping Children Thrive Through Divorce: Pedro-Carroll The Truth about Children and Divorce: Emery Parenting After Divorce: Stahl

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References

Axline, V. (1947). Play therapy. Cambridge, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Berg, I. (1994). Family Based Services. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Berg, I. & Dolan, Y. (2001). Tales of Solutions. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Berg, I. & Miller, S. (1992). Working With the Problem Drinker. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Berg, I. & Steiner T. (2003). Children’s Solution Work. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Bratton, S., Ray, D., Rhines, T., & Jones, L. (2005). The efficacy of play therapy with children: A meta- analytic review of treatment outcomes. Professional Psychology: Research & Practice, 36(4), 376-390. Brewer, A. L. (2010). Thank-you cards

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Gil, E. (1994). Play in family therapy. New York: Guilford Press. Gil, E. (2000). Engaging families in therapeutic play. In C. E. Beverly (Ed.), Children in therapy: Using family as a resource. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. Haslam, D. R., & Harris, S. M. (2011). Integrating play and family therapy methods: A survey of play therapists’ attitudes in the field. International Journal of Play Therapy, 20(2), 51-65.20 Landreth, G. L. (2012). Play therapy: the art of the relationship (3rd ed). New York: Routledge. LeBlanc, M. & Ritchie, M. (2001

).

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A meta-analysis of play therapy outcomes. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 14(2), 149-163. Lipchik, E. (2002). Beyond Technique In Solution-Focused Therapy. New York: Guilford Press. Lund, L. K., Zimmerman, T. S., & Haddock, S. A. (2002). The theory, structure, : A literatandechniques for the inclusion of children in family

therapyure review. JMFT, 28(4), 445-454. Metcalf, L. (1997). Parenting Toward Solutions. Prentice-Hall, Inc.

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In L. Lowenstein (Ed.), Creative family therapy techniques (pp. 301- 303). Canada: Champion Press. Budman, S., Hoyt, M. & Friedman (1992). The First Session in Brief Therapy. New York: Guilford Press. Cade, B. & O’Hanlon, W. (1993). A Brief Guide to Brief Therapy. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Dolan, Y. (1998, 2000). One Small Step-Moving Beyond Trauma and Therapy to a Life of Joy. Nebraska: Authors Choice Press