BASIC PRINCIPLES OF TF-PT
Trauma-Focused Play Therapy & Non Trauma Focused Play Therapy
ABN 78 403 567 409
Trauma based - TF-PT is a children's counselling model well suited to young children 7 and older. The material is designed to elicit more full engagement in treatment and to remain sensitive to children’s natural hesitation and loyalty conflicts and confusions when discussing interpersonal traumas that involve family members or other trusted individuals (adults or older children).
Non trauma based - TF-PT can be easily adapted so as to be an excellent model for helping children not only from trauma backgrounds, or who have had a traumatic event, and it can also help with anxiety, school issues, divorce, aggressive behaviour, low self worth etc as it combines both directive play therapy, where children do a project and discuss it with the therapist and sometimes their carer/parent. The child also gets time to use non directive play to help them play out their issues.
This model is structured with approx 12 to 16 sessions of therapy with some parent only sessions.
Part of each session involves teaching children about self regulation and calming techniques.
Format of the Three-Phase Model:
Phase 1: Establishment of Safety 5 sessions
Phase 2: Processing Traumatic Material 5 to 7 sessions
Phase 3: Social Re-connection 2 sessions
& 2 to 3 sessions for parents/carers only
Tasks that engage the whole child and include intellectual, emotional, physical, and expressive activities have greater potential to elicit more ample client participation. The following activities greatly enhance the potential for successful treatment:
Structured format and time-limited “lessons” Psycho education to children and their parents; Repetition and review for children; Practice in and out of clinical setting. Where possible/applicable- engagement of parents/caretakers with at-home reviews.
PRIMARY GOALS OF TREATMENT
Trauma-focused treatment refers to a specific clinical focus which prioritises the direct management of traumatic experiences. Based on the current understanding of trauma and its long-term effects, trauma-focused treatment values the need to break the cycles of denial and secrecy, correct cognitive distortions through psycho education, encourage the expression of affect, and bring traumatic memories into conscious awareness in order to decrease post-trauma symptoms, encourage improved social interactions, and prevent the need for unhealthy coping strategies.
The specific goals of Trauma-Focused Integrated Play Therapy are: To create an environment of safety, trust, and comfort.
To process traumatic material. To encourage social re-connections. To return to pre-trauma developmental functioning.
Assessment Measure/s via Goodman’s Strength & Difficulty Questionaries (SDQs).
What is the SDQ?
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief behavioural screening questionnaire for3-16 year olds. It exists in several versions to meet the needs of researchers, clinicians and educationalists. Each version includes between one and three of the following components:
A) 25 items on psychological attributes. All versions of the SDQ ask about 25 attributes, some positive and others negative.
These 25 items are divided between 5 scales:
1) Emotional symptoms (5 items)
2) conduct problems (5 items)
3) hyperactivity/inattention (5 items)
4) peer relationship problems (5 items)
5) pro-social behaviour (5 items)
Filled out at beginning and end of treatment by class teacher (if needed) and main carer/parent.
