Counseling children and adolescents is a unique specialty area within the counseling profession (Innerhofer, 2013; Smith-Adcock & Tucker, 2017). The desires of children and adolescents are quite different and incomparable to adults. Additionally, children and adolescents express their feelings, process information, and perform differently than adults. Consequently, talk therapy is not always a beneficial intervention tool for the child and adolescent population. Unfortunately, many counselors leave their graduate programs without the appropriate preparation in working with this population. Hence, attending workshops, reviewing literature, and supervision after graduation are imperative to new and old counselors who plan to work with children
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The young adolescent years are a time of change, emotionally and physically. During this time, many adolescents are going through changes, such as puberty, which is likely to bring about an immensity of confusion and concerns. These bodily changes from puberty are quite scary for most adolescents. Thus, it is not uncommon for young adolescents to have mood swings and heightened sensitivity, which leads to acting out and behavioral problems. In addition to puberty, young adolescents are transitioning into middle school, or even in some cases, high school. Adolescents are commonly involved with two different types of culture. At times, adolescents are naive and dependent on others and at other times, they are mature and promote independence. Consequently, this is a time for identity development. Using creative …show more content…
Creative interventions, such as game play, can be used in any setting, individually or group, as long as the game is age appropriate for such population. For instance, Jenga, is for ages 6 and up, meaning it is also suitable for adults. Games suitable for adults, such as Jenga and others, could be used with adults and the geriatric population as an icebreaker in group therapy. Commonly, adults in an inpatient or outpatient mental health setting begin group therapy with strangers, who come from a variety of cultures. Many clients begin group therapy with worry, fear, and anxiety. Additionally, client who attend group therapy also fear judgment from others. Incorporating games therapeutically can allow clients to get to know each other without forcing them to talk. Furthermore, creative interventions, such as game play, permit clients to self-explore and process their thoughts in an enjoyable way, instead of talk therapy.
Child’s Reaction to the Activity Initially, Tim appeared nervous and worried. Before the session started, Tim reported to the counselor that he felt nervous because he did not know what to expect. Once Tim realized that the counselor was incorporating a game into the session, he looked slightly more at ease. Tim became more comfortable as the session went on. Tim answered each question appropriately without much
The young adolescent years are a time of change, emotionally and physically. During this time, many adolescents are going through changes, such as puberty, which is likely to bring about an immensity of confusion and concerns. These bodily changes from puberty are quite scary for most adolescents. Thus, it is not uncommon for young adolescents to have mood swings and heightened sensitivity, which leads to acting out and behavioral problems. In addition to puberty, young adolescents are transitioning into middle school, or even in some cases, high school. Adolescents are commonly involved with two different types of culture. At times, adolescents are naive and dependent on others and at other times, they are mature and promote independence. Consequently, this is a time for identity development. Using creative …show more content…
Creative interventions, such as game play, can be used in any setting, individually or group, as long as the game is age appropriate for such population. For instance, Jenga, is for ages 6 and up, meaning it is also suitable for adults. Games suitable for adults, such as Jenga and others, could be used with adults and the geriatric population as an icebreaker in group therapy. Commonly, adults in an inpatient or outpatient mental health setting begin group therapy with strangers, who come from a variety of cultures. Many clients begin group therapy with worry, fear, and anxiety. Additionally, client who attend group therapy also fear judgment from others. Incorporating games therapeutically can allow clients to get to know each other without forcing them to talk. Furthermore, creative interventions, such as game play, permit clients to self-explore and process their thoughts in an enjoyable way, instead of talk therapy.
Child’s Reaction to the Activity Initially, Tim appeared nervous and worried. Before the session started, Tim reported to the counselor that he felt nervous because he did not know what to expect. Once Tim realized that the counselor was incorporating a game into the session, he looked slightly more at ease. Tim became more comfortable as the session went on. Tim answered each question appropriately without much