Integrating Filial Play and Expressive Art Therapies

The Story of Little Jimmy

I had once met a couple and their son, Jimmy, who was in Grade 2. The little guy was not having anything to do with going to school. When I asked him what makes him refuse to go, he shrugged his shoulders and said nothing. I thought it would do Jimmy and his parents good to come into the playroom. Quietly, I shared tips with the parents on how to interact with him effectively without interfering in his play. About twenty minutes later, I asked Jimmy if it would be alright for Mom and Dad to join him. This time, he nodded. Before long, he and his dad were engrossed in a toy soldier battle. As our time was coming to an end, I asked Jimmy if he would be interested in coming back. He gave me a thumbs-up and then said, "With Dad!"

Many years later, I ran into Jimmy's parents at a party. They approached me, and his mom, all smiles, asked if I remembered the little guy who used to play in our playroom. She happily informed me that he is now in college, actively involved in extra curricular activities, and excelling academically.

That is the power of play!

Play is how children communicate, especially when trying to express difficult emotions or experiences. Through toys, games, make-believe, and creative projects, they illustrate their feelings symbolically and indirectly. However, play is not just for kids; teenagers and adults can benefit from it as well.

Play Therapy

Play Therapy is a counseling method that allows children to explore their feelings and experiences in a safe, trusting environment through play. There are two main approaches to Play Therapy:

1.   Child-led (non-directive): In this approach, the child chooses what to play and how to play it, giving them the freedom to explore their emotions without feeling pressured or judged. The counselor observes and uses the child's play to gain insight into their feelings.

2.   Counselor-led (directive): Here, the counselor guides the play by introducing specific activities aimed at helping the child address particular issues or achieve therapeutic goals.

At the RMT Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM), pastoral counselors take a holistic approach when assisting children and teenagers. They typically use Family Systems Therapy, which considers the entire family's impact on the well-being of the young person.

Counselors at CEFAM frequently encourage parents to participate in therapy sessions, recognizing that family dynamics significantly influence a child's or adolescent's development.

Filial Play Therapy

Filial play therapy, also known as filial therapy or child-parent relationship therapy (CPRT), is a unique and evidence-based counseling method. It combines elements of play therapy and family therapy, creating a nurturing space for both kids and their parents. In this approach, parents are initially guided by a therapist to engage in therapeutic play sessions with their children. This method empowers parents to actively participate in their child's emotional and behavioral recovery. It also equips parents to gain deeper insights into their children, establish clear boundaries, and cultivate healthier family dynamics.

Developed in the 1960s by Bernard and Louise Guerney, Filial Play Therapy is grounded in the belief that parents are the most influential agents of change in their children's lives. Over the years, it has shown to be highly effective in enhancing family bonds and nurturing secure attachments in children.

Expressive Arts Therapy

Expressive Arts Therapy offers a creative and flexible approach to counseling, suitable for everyone from kids to seniors. It's a way for people to show what's going on inside when words just aren't enough. This type of therapy uses different art forms like drawing, painting, music, dancing, acting, poetry, and movement to help people learn about themselves. The counselor acts more like a guide, giving people materials and ideas, but letting them take the lead in their creative work. The focus is on the experience of creating rather than on the final product. Counselors and clients work together to understand what comes up during the process, without the counselor pushing their own ideas about what things mean.

Integrating Play Therapy with Expressive Arts Therapy

Sometimes, combining Play Therapy with Expressive Arts Therapy can be even more helpful. This approach uses different methods to help people express themselves better, deal with their emotions, boost creativity, and heal more fully. It works well for people of all ages.

Alma's Story

When I first met Alma, a 35-year-old single woman, she was very depressed. Her mother told me that Alma had been diagnosed with bipolar depression and had experienced some psychotic episodes. She was already seeing a psychiatrist and was on medication. Her psychiatrist thought that "talk" therapy at CEFAM could also help. Alma was angry at her mother for bringing her to see me and didn't want to talk. After a few minutes of silence, I offered her the sand tray that was in the counseling room. Alma threw the sand on the floor and then covered her face with her hands, sobbing deeply.

I quietly sat beside Alma, accompanying her in her pain. After a while, she stopped crying but still looked at me with teary eyes. That's when I asked if we could do some deep breathing together. She agreed, and we practiced a few rounds of vagus nerve breathing, which seemed to help her relax. Then, she calmly and gently ran her fingers through the sand that was left on the tray. Before leaving the room, she apologized for throwing sand on the floor and even tried to collect it.

The next time she came, she seemed down but less angry than before, though she still wasn't up for talking. So, I invited her to sit at the table and offered her some paper and colored pencils. That's when I discovered she was an artist. She created a detailed drawing of a dark world. Once she finished, she sat on the couch and, perhaps sensing my interest in her drawing, started to explain its meaning.

Before departing, she mentioned her past involvement in painting. As a fellow painter, I seized the moment to suggest she bring some of her supplies along, with the idea that we might paint side-by-side during our upcoming session. And so our therapeutic journey together begun, spanning several years, though our meetings were somewhat irregular.

She had moments where she'd channel her emotions into songs and poems. She'd arrive with her guitar in hand, sharing the melodies she'd crafted or reading the verses she'd penned. I watched as her moods soared and dipped like a roller coaster. While we occasionally explored mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), she found that even after engaging in the exercises, her low moods persisted. "I understand the 'why' behind my depression," she would often reflect, "my mind lays it out, but the feelings remain the same." There were even times when she withdrew from everyone around her, myself included.

Our connection truly flourished through play and creative expression – things like sand tray activities, puzzles, painting, making collages, mandalas, doodling, music, sculpting with clay, poetry, a gratitude jar, journaling, and storytelling.

Just before the pandemic hit, she came to me beaming with pride, eager to share a book of poems she'd published. She asked me to open it, then proudly pointed to my name inside. With a radiant smile, she said, "I dedicated this whole book to you!"

She still struggles with bipolar depression, but I'm certain that engaging in play and expressive arts makes a real difference for her, helping her to cope and navigate those tough, dark periods in her life.

"Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play."  Heraclitus 500 BCE, philosopher

"The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct."  Carl Jung

References:

Positive Psychology. Play Therapy: What Is It and How Does ItWork? https://positivepsychology.com/play-therapy/

American Counseling Association. The therapy behind play therapy. Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/publications/counseling-today-magazine/article-archive/article/legacy/the-therapy-behind-play-therapy#

Better Help. Filial Therapy:A Holistic Approach to Children’s Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/parenting/filial-therapy-treating-social-emotional-and-behavioral-concerns-in-children/

Good Therapy. Filial Therapy: Benefits, Techniques & How It Works. Retrieved from https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/filial-therapy

Positive Psychology. Expressive Arts Therapy: 15 Creative Activities and Techniques. Retrieved from https://positivepsychology.com/expressive-arts-therapy/

Good Therapy. Filial Therapy: Benefits, Techniques & How It Works. Retrieved from https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/expressive-arts-therapy

Healthline. ExpressiveTherapy. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/expressive-therapy

Google Books.  IntegratingExpressive Arts and Play Therapy with Children and Adolescents. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.ph/books/about/Integrating_Expressive_Arts_and_Play_The.html?id=QaQzAQAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y

Physiopedia. HealingArts and Expressive Therapies in an Interdisciplinary Team. Retrieved from https://www.physio-pedia.com/Healing_Arts_and_Expressive_Therapies_in_an_Interdisciplinary_Team

Creativity at Work. 99Inspiring Quotations on Art, Creativity, Life and Livelihood. Retrieved from https://www.creativityatwork.com/quotations-creative-spirit-in-art-and-livelihood/

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