Art and Play Therapy for Child

Introduction

While supporting bereaved children can be difficult for adults, there are some simple things you can do. Children can experience grief from a very young age. For example, even very early neonates may be affected by the death of a parent.

Even though losing a close friend or member is among the saddest experiences children may have, there are many other reasons why children experience loss.

When a loved one, friend, or animal passes away, children might grieve for a variety of reasons.

·         The breakup of their family and the divorce or separation of their parents

·         Switching schools or moving

·         losing a companion.

·         moving to a new country, state, or township

·         suffering from a disease or disability

·         having a loved one remain in the hospital for a long time

Children may experience different emotions after a loss. Depending on the circumstances, they may appear unhappy or not at all worried. They might try to hide their feelings in order to protect a caregiver who is in grieving. Children’s reactions to loss are also influenced by their age, stage of development, and personality.

·         Children’s differing responses to loss and sorrow. For example, children’s short attention spans can result in their crying in fits. They could then be happy or play the next minute.

 

·         believing that a loss (such a sickness, death, or shattered family) can be recovered from or that it only has an impact on other people.

·         being open about death and dying while raising difficult questions about it.

·         appear nervous, reticent, or show signs of insecurity.

·         experiencing nightmares or difficulty falling asleep.

·         Feel responsible for the loss (death, breakup of the family, etc.).

·         display regressive habits, such as bedwetting, baby-like speech, or clinging behaviors, or behave younger than they actually are.

·         physical signs include nausea, headaches, or stomachaches.

·         expressing feelings by performing rather than talking about them.

·         Relieving grieving children: Let them know that it’s alright to be sad.

Try to “sit by their side” with them as they mourn by engaging in introspective listening techniques, as opposed to telling them everything will be okay or pushing them to try to be happy. “You miss Grandpa so much that you don’t know if you can ever be happy again” is one such statement.

Be prepared to talk to them about the same subjects over and over again. Children require time to understand information.

Make careful to provide clear, concise explanations. Just what’s essential for their age in terms of information, unless they demand more.

Keep as many routines and ‘normal’ aspects of your life as you can.

Allow them to use art (painting or sketching), storytelling, or crafts (making a memory) as a way to express their grief.

How Play Therapy and Art Can Help

Play is how children naturally communicate. Play therapy allows children to communicate via play the range of contradictory emotions that might follow a loss, such as anger, fear, confusion, and sadness.

It can be quite terrifying for children to encounter and talk about feelings associated to loss. With the use of play therapy, kids may emotionally distance themselves from the loss via symbolic play, like making a plush dog sad. By controlling their feelings in this way, kids may avoid confronting the loss head-on and avoid becoming emotionally spent.

Play provides a safe space for children to explore and express their most sensitive emotions. By letting kids process their grief at their own pace and in their own unique style, play therapy keeps kids from being severely impacted by forcing them to deal with issues they are not psychologically ready to handle.

You can use an online counseling tool like TalktoAngel to find a psychologist in your area. They use highly trained child psychologists with backgrounds in play therapy and art therapy, two forms of child treatment and counseling that support a kid’s entire development and aid in helping them get over a difficult loss. The Online counselor at TalktoAngel are well trained and experienced that they can help child to overcome the symptoms of the disorder thus helping n overall development of the child and their future.