Alternative Title

Examining the clinician's experience of a trauma informed, body based intervention alongside play therapy for at risk youth

Publication Date

2016

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Study Type

Mixed methods

Department

School for Social Work

Keywords

Mind and body, Mind and body in children, Play therapy, Problem youth-Counseling of, Preschool children-Counseling of, Body based, Trauma informed intervention, At-risk youth, Pre-school, Mind-body, Interoceptive

Abstract

This experimental, mixed-method study investigates the clinician’s experience of integrating a trauma informed, body based intervention alongside play therapy for at-risk children ages 2 ½-7. Through a weekly online survey, 12 clinicians from two different mental health agencies-Bayview Associates Outpatient clinic in Quincy, Ma and The Home for Little Wanderers’ early intervention program- participated in providing 4 weeks of data. Six clinicians, 5 from Bayview and 1 from HFLW, used the online survey to report their experience of including a trauma informed, body based intervention alongside their traditional play therapy practice. The same survey was given to the clinicians in the comparison group, who reported on clients that were not receiving the intervention during those 4 weeks.

The themes that emerged from the data led to major findings being determined.These findings showed that the addition of a mind-body intervention to sessions does not appear to enhance the clinician’s perception of child progress and process any more than regular play therapy. Also, the mind-body intervention, given in the format of a card deck with various interoceptive exercises that the child clients may choose, does not appear tobe effective for children after the second week due to being too structured.

Language

English

Comments

iv, 110 pages : color illustrations. M.S.W., Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Ma., 2016. Includes bibliographical references (pages 87-89)

Included in

Social Work Commons

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