The Heart of the Therapeutic Relationship
Heartfelt presence in therapeutic relationships I've spent many years sitting on playroom floors, following children's lead in games, listening to stories, sharing a laugh, and bearing witness to their inner world projected through play and interaction. And while these moments might not look like what people traditionally imagine therapy to be, there's often a lot happening within them. I recently attended a presentation by psychologist and play therapist Dr David Crenshaw, T
Clinical Confidence, Uncertainty and the Value of Professional Supervision
I've noticed through providing clinical supervision that practitioners often question whether they're doing enough, whether they've made the right decision, or whether there's something they've overlooked. I recognise that feeling, because even after more than 15 years of working with children and families, I still have moments where I question my own clinical decisions. We often associate professional confidence with having the knowledge, experience and skills to know what t
The Art of Child Counselling: When 'Being With' Is the Doing
Children are not mini adults. It sounds obvious, but it has a lot of implications for what counselling with children actually looks like. Child exploring sesnsory materials When a child comes into my room for the first time, it usually wasn't their decision to be there. Their parent might be worried about them, their school may have suggested counselling, or a GP or another professional has recommended some additional support. Sometimes the child agrees that something is diff