Play Therapy: First Appointment for Caregivers
Someone gently recommended that you take your kiddo to therapy. It’s overwhelming to even know where to begin. Maybe it’s because you and your family have suffered loss or are going through some really hard times. Or maybe your kiddo is working through some negative behaviors at school or home. Regardless of why you got referred to therapy, this blog post will help you work through what the first session will be like. I want to help remove any stigmas from this process, because at the end of the day, my goal is for all kids to get the support they need to navigate life.
Paperwork
Prior to the appointment, you will be asked to fill out some information about your child and their strengths and challenges. Some agencies may have you fill out this information online while others will have you arrive 15-20 minutes early to your first session. Do whatever gives you the most time to complete the forms to your best knowledge. The forms will ask for any history of the symptoms being experienced. They will ask about the family – relationship qualities, mental health diagnoses, living situations, etc. There may also be forms that your child needs to fill out (depending on age). Please have them fill out these forms, and instead of you filling them out on their behalf. When a child fills out their own forms, the therapist can grasp what the child feels like is the problem and align it with the parent/caregiver forms. If this paperwork isn’t filled out, it can delay the process and possibly slow down the initial meeting.
Conversation
The first session in any kind of therapy can look much different than how the following sessions will be. The therapist will usually take a more controlled, directive approach to ask questions and gather information to ensure that they are able to work with you and your family. Be ready to discuss the things that were written down on the paperwork that you turned in. Oftentimes, therapists will be asking clarifying questions about the situations written down, but they will also ask about day to day life as well. They might say something like “Tell me about your sleep routine” or “Walk me through a typical day for your family”. Be open and honest about these answers. If a conversation comes up that you are uncomfortable about sharing with your child in the office, you are welcome to say “I’d like to discuss this privately”. The therapist will make a mental note to schedule a call with you or save some time at the end to have the child step out of the office for a few minutes.
Therapist’s are trained to be non-judgmental, so please provide detailed and accurate information to the therapist you are meeting with. Having all of the information will allow for better care for your child, and missing pieces of the whole story can hinder the therapy process.
Rapport Building
If there is time leftover in the session, the play therapist may have the parent go sit out in the waiting room to get to know your child on an individual basis. Children can act differently when their parents/caregivers are in the room, so this gives the therapist a chance to build the relationship with the child and get the child’s perspective on their life. This can be as simple as playing a game and asking each other get-to-know you questions. This begins the therapeutic relationship between the child and the therapist, a crucial bond for getting to the core of the challenges that brought the child in.
Wrapping Up
By the end of the 45-50 minute session, the therapist will bring your child out to the waiting room and encourage you to schedule your next appointment. The timing and frequency will likely be discussed during the first part of your session, but prior to leaving, ensure that you know when you’ll be returning. It can be a few weeks to get a consistent time on a therapist’s schedule, and it’s definitely easier to take care of the scheduling at this time as opposed to calling in later. We’ve all been there with the ‘I’ll do this tomorrow’ that ends up as a phone call a week later :)
Other tips:
Ask any and all questions you have. Think of working with a play therapist like joining a team for your child. They want you and your family to succeed, so if you are unsure or hesitant about anything, mention it.
Some play therapists may not have you bring your child to the first session. This is to allow for the parents to openly speak about the challenges that are bringing you and your child to therapy. This can come down to insurance or a therapist’s preference, so no reason to worry one way or another; I’ve just shared how things look in the cases I’ve handled or observed.
The first session, and maybe the first few, might seem daunting at first, but I promise things will find a groove and equip both you and your child with tools to work through the things life throws at you, both big and small. To learn how to talk with your kiddo about play therapy, check out my blog post here.
For more details on the what, why, who and how of play therapy, check out this link.
