Questions Children & Young People Ask
Will you tell people what we talk about?
Our sessions will be confidential unless I have concerns that you are being hurt, then I have a duty of care to talk to a parent or teacher who can help keep you safe.
Otherwise I will not discuss anything we say or do together with anyone else.
Sometimes, I might ask your permission to share information with parents or teachers, or support you in telling them things that would be useful for them to know but you can say no and I will respect this. We can explore why this might be hard for you.
What if I don’t feel like coming?
Therapy works best when it happens on a regular basis. Sometimes it can be hard to come to therapy and I do understand that, however if you avoid coming we won’t make as much progress on the things you want to get better.
If you are unwell of course it is ok to miss a session.
If you have something exciting going on that you don’t want to miss, it may be possible to rearrange the session.
Your room is full of toys - is your therapy just for kids?
I work with young children, teens, young adults and adults in pretty much the same way. I let them choose how they want to work.
Some children choose to talk and some adults choose to play! There is no one way or one right way.
I have a range of creative tools in my room, like clay, painting, music and the sand tray which can help children and adults alike in therapy. I also use talking as a tool and if you like to talk rather than use the arts, that’s ok too.
How does using the arts help?
Sometimes it can be hard to find the words to express our thoughts and feelings. Using a creative activity can help us connect with unconscious thoughts and feelings which arise in us when completing creative activities. Together we can discuss the creative experience and uncover previously unprocessed thoughts and develop new ways of thinking.
Are there lots of rules?
There are rules in the therapy space, but not many. You can do whatever you want in the room as long as you, me and Stanley, if he is in the room, are safe. The things in the room need to be kept safe too. We also need to stick to the session end time as well. And that’s it.
Can I do what I want in the room?
The sessions are yours to use the time as you want to. I sometimes might suggest an activity but it’s up to you whether you chose to do it or not. If you don’t want to try something I suggest that is fine, just say no.
How many sessions do I need to come for?
It depends on how long we’ve been working together and how we are getting along. It is best to try at least four sessions before making any decisions as we will need time to get to know each other and for you to feel safe enough in the room to start to explore the more difficult feelings you are experiencing.
We will review regularly, and if the sessions are helping, I would hope that you would want to keep coming.
We will talk together about whether the sessions are helping. There may come a point when we feel the sessions are holding you back. That’s why we will review your progress regularly.
It is always best to have a clear ending point, so if we feel the sessions will come to a close, rather than just stopping abruptly, I would recommend a few more weeks to end our time together safely.
I’m feeling anxious about coming. Can I have an adult in the room with me?
It’s not unusual to feel anxious about starting therapy so certainly for the first session it will be fine to bring an adult with you. In this session or the next we can make a plan about how to help you moving forward so that you feel comfortable enough to attend by yourself.
I’m having a tough time and don’t feel like talking about stuff today - do I still have to come?
I would say it is always better to attend regularly.
Remember the sessions are yours to use the time and space as you wish.
It is sometimes difficult to face the hard stuff and we are not always in the mood to do this but sometimes when we feel like this it’s just nice to spend some time with another person, who accepts you and understands what you are going through and will sit alongside you and be with you while you do whatever you need to do to feel more relaxed and lighter in mood.
If you feel like having a low key session, just say so. There is never any wasted time in the therapy space, you can lead the way and let me know if you don’t feel like talking or addressing any issues in that session.
