Six year old Billie had been living in a Woman’s Refuge with his mum and two sisters; they’d escaped domestic violence. When he first joined our Play Therapy program Billie was displaying hyperactivity, poor impulse control and aggressive behaviour. He was also having frequent nightmares.
Our Play Therapist accepted him unconditionally and through the safe distancing of child-centred play, Billie was able to slowly bring down his defences. Over the coming months, he used puppets, dress-ups, messy play, arts and craft and the sand tray with a world of miniatures to express his feelings. It enabled him to start processing the difficult experiences he didn’t have the words to express.
At the same time, our Play Therapist worked with his mum to help her understand the impact of early life trauma on the developing brain. She learnt the importance of acting as his co-regulator and was given simple words to help him feel understood.
After 21 weeks Billie’s mum and school reported a significant positive shift in his behaviour. He was no longer having nightmares; and he was able to concentrate at school. His mum said she was “incredibly grateful for the life changing experience offered by The Rev Bill Crews Foundation”.
