5 principles to guide children’s play toward resolution
You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. ―Plato
👥 Serves: 1 person
🎚 Difficulty: Medium
⏳ Total time: Ongoing
🥣 Ingredients: A child therapist, “In an unspoken voice” book by Peter Levine (if you’re curious to find out more about it!)
🤓 Wholebeing Domains: Awareness, Discomfortability, Liberatory Learning, Positive Emotion, Ritualising
💪 Wholebeing Skills: Agency, Celebration, Embodiment, Liberation, Mind-body-connection, Play, Reframing, Refuge, Relief
5 principles to guide children’s play toward resolution
📝 Description
Using play to help children move through trauma.
In In an unspoken voice, author Peter Levine observes that “‘ordinary’ events, such as falls, accidents and medical procedures – when unresolved are suspects as hidden culprits that underlie a child’s angst”. Parents, with the support of therapists, can help children rebound from the traumatic experience, overcoming their fears to gain mastery through guided play.
The following recipe shares 5 principles from Peter Levine’s book In an unspoken voice for therapists to support children’s play towards resolution of the trauma.
🌟 Principles
Principle 1 – Pace of the game
First and foremost, let the child be in control of the pace of the pediatric therapeutic game. This slowing down of time enables them to feel safe and move through an episode in their own rhythm, without being forced to do more than they are willing or able to do.
Principle 2 – Distinguish between fear, terror, and excitement
Second, as the child engages in traumatic play, it is important you discern whether they are experiencing fear, terror, or excitement. When fear and terror overwhelm the child, they show avoidance behaviours, such as crying, frightened eyes, or screaming. On the other hand, active escape is exhilarating and the child might smile, clap their hands, or laugh. If you sense the child is excited, offer encouragement and continue with the activity. If, however, they seem frightened, offer reassurance and take a break.
Principle 3 – One step at a time
Third, renegotiation takes time. In order to make progress, a lot of repetitions are necessary. You know whether the child is moving through renegotiation (versus re-enacting the trauma) when there are incremental differences in their responses and behaviours towards mastery and resolution. Be patient, even if it seems you are doing the “same old thing”. It takes time, and rest, for the child to internally organise their experience.
Principle 4 – Safe container
Fourth, you must act as a safe container for the child to grow confident in their ability to renegotiate the traumatic event. If they express resistance, meet them with patience, reassurance, and kindness.
Principle 5 – Know when to stop
If you sense that the child is not benefitting from the play, stop. In fact, unresolved, repetitive traumatic play can reinforce the traumatic impact instead of helping the child move towards renegotiation. If successful, the child will express a sense of triumph and heroism.