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Play Therapy with Ms. Atinaja Mixed emotions. Sad because it will be the last seminar to attend to under Special Topics. Yet, happy because we learned a lot in this course. The word “Play therapy” was new in my vocabulary. I never heard that one before. I was thinking, is it an approach, strategy or is it like other services such as Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, or Behavioral Therapy. I feel so excited to learn this thing. Most especially, when I heard that the speaker was very nice like our other speakers and very accommodating.
The session was started, I was sitting in front of the class. I am looking every step that Ms. Atinaja is doing. I felt more excited when she brought out different toys and told us that after a while, we will have an opportunity to touch and manipulate those toys. I can’t wait for that moment. As she continues her discussion, there are lot of information and facts that she shared, I learned that this therapy would somehow determine the mood, personality or even the background of the child.
She also discussed the importance of the therapy and how it is done. It is good to hear from her that therapist like her and other therapist and us sped teachers are not competing with each other, but we are like cousins that the blood that runs in our veins are one. After she discussed all the dos and don’ts about this approach, she let us try and conduct out own assessment with the use of this therapy. We are grouped accordingly and started our activity.
Joyce conducted the Family drawing to me, it is said there that draw all your family members including you doing something. I drew my father driving, and beside him is my father. I drew myself riding at the back of the car. My two brothers are playing basketball outside our house. After my drawing Joyce asked me questions and from there, she somehow interpreted what kind of family do I have. After which, I conducted “The pit” to Marion.
I asked her to draw a U-shape (it depends on her how deep it is) and asked her to draw the persons who might help her in times of difficulties. And she drew 4 people from her family. And then, she drew a rope towards her family. Then I asked her questions too. I realized that it is not that easy to conduct and interpret. It must be practiced and studied well. Trainings are very important and only expert people are the ones only valid and reliable in conducting the text.