Classmate 1Chapter 17 Play TherapyChoose four different pla

Classmate 1:
Chapter 17 Play Therapy
Choose four different play therapy techniques. Describe and
discuss how those techniques might be used. Is there one
technique that you like above the others?
Problem-Solving- Creating a problem then the counselor teaches
the problem-solving tools for the child to create their own
solutions. Creating a hypothetical realistic problem that the
child may relate to which is targeting toward their goals will
promote awareness of feelings and thought process to relate to
the problem. When a problem occurs outside therapy then the
child will remember that hypothetical problem then uses the
tools they learned to take control and create solutions resulting
in a healthier state of mind, feelings, and positive behaviors.
Cognitive Restructuring- techniques that will help the client
become aware and change their faulty thinking. Once the client
realizes that their faulty thinking is causing them to have
negative feelings then they will take back their control and
change the thought to produce more positive feelings which will
result in healthier behaviors. This will lessen self-sabotaging
behaviors.
Self-Monitoring- this technique is to help clients become aware,
identify, and understand how negative thoughts and feelings
trigger physical cues and behavioral responses. The client will
start to see a pattern and take responsibility for themselves.
De-catastrophizing- to challenge that “fight or flight” thinking.
For clients, when it is always worst-case scenario induced
thoughts, it sends them in a panic self-sabotaging state. This
technique will challenge those thoughts into a more realistic
outlook. As clients become aware that they are “over-reacting”
they will become more conscious of their feelings and thoughts
leading to positive behaviors. They will start changing their
cognitive distorting thoughts from “what if” scenarios that

causes negative mental and emotional states to healthier ones.
I personally like the de-catastrophizing better than the others I
chose because once that ultimate panic of “fight or flight” is
diminished, it makes room for the client to think and feel
without being in a heighten state all the time. Making room to
learn, become aware, and taking responsibility for the emotions,
thoughts, and behaviors will empower the client to fill that
space with tools learned in therapy to apply outside that safe
space.
Compare and contrast two different types of family play
therapy. Include which has the greatest appeal to you and your
reasons.
Storytelling- Counselor helps the child tell a story with the
fundamentals of having a beginning, middle, and end. Counselor
then retells the story with problem solving techniques which
will change the end of the story with a positive resolution.
Puppets- Children put their feelings into stories through puppets
where they are in charge to re enact it by taking charge to
change the plot and outcome. This stimulates communication
skills, self-esteem, and confidence that they can change their
outcome.
Both have a story line where the child can express their feelings
and take their power back and change those stories into
healthier successful ones. My choice is the puppet play therapy
because the puppet provides a barrier between the child and the
story which helps the child feel safe and secure to be able to
express themselves. Having a trustworthy environment where
the child can express themselves is key to their success. After
progress is made that barrier may be removed and the child will
feel empowered to tell a story without a barrier then eventually
into telling their own story.
Chapter 18 Group Counseling with Children
Explain the stages of group development.
Beginning- the participants get acquainted with each other and
oriented about group therapy. The counselor allows the group to
set rules and gets a perspective based on how the participants

are reacting and what approach they are going to use based on
that groups needs.
Transition- during this stage, the participants challenge each
other and the counselor to see if the space they are in is
trustworthy and a safe space.
Working- the participants start working together. I like to say
they start connecting with each other and this is where feelings,
behaviors, and goals are discussed.
Ending- participants summarize and evaluate their experience.
Discussion on what and how participants put into play what they
learned worked outside of the group.
Differentiate the group models such as group therapy, group
counseling, group preventive processes and group crisis
counseling.
Group Therapy is more of education where one re-learns a
healthier perspective that what one was taught.
Group Counseling is an approach where the group is used to
help each other and changing behaviors to desired ones.
Group Preventative Processes empower the clients in the group
to use their strengths and competencies while teaching tools to
prevent stressful and negative problems in their lives.
Group Crisis Counseling is to help the participants cope and
grieve from the extenuating circumstances which fear,
helplessness, and powerlessness drive their lives.
Choose and discuss five group leadership skills and five group
leader personal characteristics.
Skills
Encouraging participation of group members- this helps
encourage discussion within the group by asking simple
questions like, “raise your hand if you can relate to what (name
here) just shared” following by a pause to let them process.
Followed by a question of, “who would like to share how they
related to their story.”
Attending to, acknowledging, clarifying, summarizing,
confronting, and responding empathically to group member

statements is where the emotional validation is done. The
participants often think something is wrong with them and that
they should not feel a certain way because of beliefs or that it is
someone else’s fault (not taking responsibility). This helps with
knowing that we all are human and what they are feeling is
valid and that they are responsible for those emotions, thoughts,
that lead to undesired behaviors. What also happens is that the
participants will make a statement that is incongruent with their
story. Challenging that will trigger a thought in the client of
“this does not make sense; it is not rationale” making them
aware of their faulty thinking.
Providing appropriate self-disclosure motivates the participants
to share. Sometimes it is the belief that the counselor is superior
that everyone and appropriate self-disclosure can help ease
those feelings that the counselor is human too and not perfect.
Most of the time this encourages the participants to share as
well.
Maintaining group focus; keeping a group on task is important
because side talk may happen, trailing off into a different
direction then what the goal is can distract members.
Redirecting the group and shifting the energy helps keeping the
group focused.
Giving and receiving group feedback is important because it is a
way of checks and balances to enhance the experience for the
better for both the participants and the counselor.
Personality Characteristics
Presence- being there for the clients allows them to open up by
feeling heard and seen.
Openness—being vulnerable with the group allows them to
connect to the counselor on a humanistic level.
Willingness to model- showing the desired behavior may help
the client build confidence to be able to do it although it may
cause some discomfort because it is new to them. Having it
modeled can bring them back from feeling inadequate to
empowered to do it.

Personal power is an extremely important characteristic because
if one is not confident in who one is then if the client says
something that triggers the counselor than the counselor will not
be effective. Being aware of who one is allows us to be aware
that the client is not a threat, and we are here to help.
Courage- replacing fear with courage to promote desired
feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Fear has its own risks which
has resulted in an unhealthy mental state which leads to a poor
quality of life. Taking risks in courage optimizes the chances of
living an enriched more satisfying life.
University of the Cumberlands
Student Name
Week Two – Proposal Assignment
Date
Week Two Assignment
Introduce your paper here in general terms. For example, ‘This
paper will review three important marketing papers…’
Proposal Marketing Topic
Use one reference for this section – a new reference not
provided previously that will support your topic. You may
choose from any Marketing topic you want to delve into
(examples: Customer Relationship Marketing, Social Media,
Experiential Marketing, Market Research (unique approaches),

etc.).
Conclusion
This is a short paper of no more than three paragraphs. Be crisp
and brief.
References
You new reference is listed here – peer-reviewed article
Classmate 2
Puppet Play: Family Puppet Interview: The therapist will show
the client and their family dozens of puppets and then ask them
to choose a puppet to represent them and their story. The stories
that are being told can reveal family dynamics.
Role Play: The therapist and client may act out a situation in

which the client is anxious, such as the first day of school so
that the child can understand why they are excited and realize
they do not need to be nervous. By putting new behaviors into
practice, children can learn new ways to cope with being
anxious.
Creative Arts: Color Your Life: The therapist and client may
collaborate to determine which colors represent emotions, such
as blue for sadness, red for anger, and yellow for happiness.
The therapist can then ask the client to draw a timeline of their
life, using different colors to represent other emotions. The
therapist may also request that the client illustrate various
aspects of their life, such as school or sports.
Imaginary and Fantasy: Dollhouse Play: The therapist may give
the client a dollhouse and dolls representing their family
members. The therapist can then ask the client to act out four
different everyday scenarios in their own home: bedtime,
dinnertime, playtime, and clean-up time to learn more about the
client's family dynamics.
I prefer Dollhouse Play because it allows the client to feel
comfortable using the house to demonstrate what scenarios are
happening in their home, which aids in determining the family
dynamic.
reasons.
Group Play Therapy- Play therapy groups can benefit children
aged 2 to 12 who have similar problems or experiences affecting
their behavior. Children learn to trust themselves and others,
develop social skills, and become aware of their options in

various situations. The group also enables them to be concerned
and have compassion for others while also accepting of
themselves.
Family-Based Play Therapy, the client, the parents, the client's
siblings, and the therapist all participate. Family-based play
therapy incorporates play into treatment with families, allowing
everyone in the family to open up and help bring people
together during the sessions. For example, Using the Family
Puppet Interview model, therapists may ask children to name
the puppets, create a story from beginning to end, and present
the story to the therapist during family sessions. Finally,
children who have witnessed domestic violence by one or both
parents may struggle to communicate with one another. Puppets
provide a safe space for children to express their emotions and
interact with one another.
Family-based play therapy appeals to me because the emphasis
is on the child, allowing the child to express themselves freely
in the presence of a parent. In addition, the family puppet
method will ensure that the child is strong enough to progress in
sharing their feelings, emotions, and interpersonal conflict in a
situation involving abuse.
Beginning: Orientation and exploration begin with getting
acquainted, determining the group's structure, and exploring
members' expectations.
Transition: This involves group members putting each other and
possibly the leader to the test. The members experiment with
the new relationships and the process of deciding whether or not

to trust.
Working: As the members begin to accept one another, they
progress from the working stage to the cohesive and productive
phase.
Ending: This is the group's final stage, in which members
evaluate what they have accomplished and then leave the group
experience. This stage is critical for consolidation and
termination.
counseling.
Group therapy addresses unconscious motivations to change the
group members' personalities.
Group counseling is goal-oriented, preventive, and corrective.
The focus is on each person's behavior and development as
group members attempt to develop or change within the group
and with the group's assistance. Prevention groups can be used
as a stand-alone intervention or an essential component of a
more extensive prevention program. As a result, prevention
includes both wellness and risk reduction.
The goal of a group crisis is to reduce the stress of the event,
support the person involved, and improve the person's coping
abilities. The purpose of prevention groups is to build members'
strengths and competencies while also providing them with the
knowledge and skills they need to avoid dangerous situations or
mental health problems.

Group Leadership Skills
Collaborative consultation with targeted populations to enhance
the ecological validity of planned group interventions.
Encourage participation
Provide appropriate self-disclosure
Maintain group focus, keeping a group on task
Giving and receiving feedback in a group
Group Leader Personal Characteristics
Presence-genuine caring for clients
Courage-ability to take risks and be vulnerable
Goodwill, genuineness, and caring-sincere interest in the well-
being of others behaving without pretense
Being aware of subtle cultural issues-increasing awareness of
our prejudices and biases and confronting prejudicial attitudes
or remarks in the group
Personal power-knowing who you are and what you want, a
sense of confidence in self
Henderson, D. A., & Thompson, C. L. (2015). Counseling
children (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
50 play therapy techniques, toys and certification opportunities.
(2019, September 27). PositivePsychology.com.
https://positivepsychology.com/play-therapy/

Classmate 3
Visualization: A counselor can use the visualization technique
to let a child dream up situations in their imagination, think
about problems, discover new strengths, and adjust
expectations. Children have vibrant imaginations and
visualization allows them to use their creative minds for the
sake of therapy. Example: A counselor could have a child
visualize that they are in a rocket ship headed for the moon.
They glance down and see Earth getting smaller and smaller as
they draw closer to the moon. Then the counselor can ask the
child to draw the three things or people that the child would
want to have on the rocket ship with them throughout the
journey. The counselor can use this to analyze what the child
values and then move forward with the session.
Storytelling: A counselor can use storytelling to explore
emotions and help children learn about themselves. Example:
The counselor asks the child to share a story that includes a
beginning, a middle, and an end. The counselor can encourage
the story to be imaginary, such as encouraging the child to take
the “microphone” as the new President of the United States.
How would you address the country as the new president? This
would be a fun, imaginary story where the child expresses their
thoughts and emotions, then the counselor uses their story to
analyze and move forward with the session. Or, the story can be
based on reality, such as a story about the child’s favorite pet,
hobby, or childhood memory.
Art: This is a technique that partners well with many theories of
play therapy and allows for a child to symbolize emotions,
become more self-aware, gain access to the unconscious, enjoy
a non-threatening form of play, and allow for self-
interpretation. Art is something that most children are
accustomed to in one way or another, so it can be a comfortable

play environment. It also allows for a wide range of thoughts
and emotions to be expressed, both through the artwork, but
also through the child’s interpretation of their own artwork.
Example: The counselor can encourage the child to draw a
picture of one thing that made them happy this past week. The
child then draws a picture and then the counselor can ask for an
interpretation, why they felt happy, etc.
Puppets: A counselor can use puppetry to reenact events that
have occurred, role-play, express feelings, and practice new
behaviors. They can also help children practice communication
skills, overcome isolation, build self-esteem, release emotions,
and make decisions. Example: The counselor shows the child a
wide array of puppets, including animal puppets, human
puppets, puppets showing various emotions, etc. Then, the
counselor asks the child to choose two puppets form the pile
and to reenact how the child likes to play with their sibling. The
counselor then observes which puppets the child chooses, their
reaction of how they typically interact with ether sibling, and
then can analyze next steps accordingly.
I have not had a chance to practice these in a child counseling
setting, but I imagine I would enjoy art therapy quite a bit. I
have an art business that I run as a side-job and love the way
that we can use art to express emotions. I also love how a piece
of art can truly speak a thousand words. I think it can be an
incredibly effective tool in helping children express their
emotions, both with the art piece itself, but also with how they
describe and interpret their own artwork. I also love that there
is such a wide array of art forms that can be used with children.
One can get quite creative and keep children’s focus with
various art techniques.
reasons.
Group Play Therapy vs. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy:

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) was developed
primarily for children with signs of resistance and aggression,
therefore PCIT aims to establish a strong link between the
parent and child, create a nurturing environment rather than a
critical one, and provide appropriate discipline. PCIT typically
lasts for one hour a week for 10-14 weeks. The therapist gives
immediate feedback to the parent and child throughout each
session, guiding and teaching them throughout the session.
Parents are often coached to ignore the disruptive behaviors of
their child and focus on the positive, suitable behaviors their
child demonstrates. Parents are also required to play with their
child at least 5-10 minutes every day in between sessions.
Parents are taught seven basic skills using “BE DIRECT,”
which stands for: Be specific and clear, Every request should be
stated positively, Developmentally appropriate commands
ensure the child is capable of doing what is asked, Individual
demands are more effective than multiple requests, Respectful
and polite requests encourage reciprocal responses, Essential
commands help parents remember to assess whether what they
are asking is trivial or necessary, Choices help children build
independence and problem-solving skills, Tone of voice that is
neutral and calm, parents relaxed and in control. These methods
have found to be particularly beneficial in improving a child’s
behavior, both in the home and at school.
Group Play Therapy is also most commonly used for children
demonstrating behavior problems and can apply to both the
home setting and the school setting, just like PCIT. Group play
therapy allows children to interact with peers, experience self-
growth, and self-exploration, while developing tolerance. Group
play therapy tends to be a bit more chaotic than PCIT since
more children are involved. This can be both a positive and
negative, depending on circumstances. I have not personally had
the opportunity to implement these techniques, but I think I
would like and appreciate both of them! PCIT seems like it

would be more beneficial if the child tends to be more
disruptive in the home and Group Play Therapy seems like it
might be more beneficial if the child has struggles with peers,
school situations, etc. I like that with both techniques, the
children are building stronger relationships with others
throughout the play sessions – whether with their own parents
in PCIT or with peers in Group Play Therapy. I suppose if I had
to choose one of these, I would maybe lean towards PCIT
because it allows an opportunity for the parent and child to
truly strengthen their relationship, which has the potential for
countless benefits throughout their lifetime.
Beginning Stage: This is the initial stage of group development
and includes orientation and exploration. It is the time that
group members are allowed to get acquainted with one another,
discover one another’s expectations, and determine the structure
of the group. During this stage, group leaders are focused on
creating a safe environment, with a foundation of trust and
understanding. The leader also establishes ground rules at this
point, clarify the purpose of the group, and the responsibilities
of each group member (including confidentiality). During this
stage, group members tend to be cautious, perhaps a bit
nervous, and unsure of how they feel about the group, therefore
it is up to the group leader to build rapport, demonstrate
appropriate behavior, actively listen to each person, and
establish quality ground rules.
Transition Stage: During this stage, group members are
somewhat testing one another and perhaps even the leader. They
are determining how much, or how little, they can trust the
others within the group. This tends to be the portion of group
counseling that includes anxiety and defenses since members
are still a bit worried about their “safety” and how much they
can share with others.
Working Stage: This is the stage where members begin to trust

each other and accept one another in the group. This is where
the group is able to bond and spend time productively, solving
problems together, listening, and sharing. Members can identify
their goals, concerns, and thoughts while working with the
group to address concerns. Communication greatly increases
during this stage with members feeling like they can share more
openly with one another. Feedback can also start to be given
since there has been a foundation of trust laid. The group begins
to move from insight into action during this stage.
Leaving/Ending Stage: This is the final stage of group
counseling and gives the members an opportunity to evaluate all
they have learned throughout the sessions. This is a very
important stage because it sets the group members up to
continue their growth, even when the group is no longer
meeting. It creates independence within members and pushes
members to apply what they have learned. Group leaders should
be encouraging with their members, but also aware that
members might be reluctant to terminate their sessions for fear
of falling back into old behaviors without the support of the
group. Sadness can also take place during this stage if group
members were able to bond throughout their sessions. The
counselor can also arrange for a follow-up session, if necessary.
counseling.
Group Therapy: These groups deal with unconscious
motivations with a goal of personality change for group
members. This tends to be for people who are severely
disturbed, suffering from deep psychological problems, or
socially deviant behavior. Group goals tend to focus on
rebuilding, alleviating symptoms, and creating a place to
explore problems.
Group Counseling: These groups are growth oriented,
preventative, and remedial. Each individual’s behavior and

development is a focus as group members aim to develop or
change within their group sessions. Members are typically
“normal” people who are experiencing stress in their lives – this
often includes relationships, social skills, values, problem
solving, and making decisions. These groups can also be created
based on a topic, such as dealing with the divorce of parents, a
death, or school problems.
Group Preventative Process: These groups tend to focus on
avoiding difficulties such as problem solving, anger
management, and stress management.
Group Crisis Counseling: These groups are focused on
decreasing the stress associated with crisis events for each
person involved, along with increasing group members’ coping
processes. Counseling aim to provide psychical and
psychological safety for group members, while also being
accepting and encouraging.
Group Leadership Skills:
Active Listening: The ability for a counselor to engage in
listening skills that truly make each individual in the group
session feel heard and valued.
Facilitating Communication: The ability for a group leader to
navigate the balance between sharing information themselves,
asking open-ended questions, allowing group members to share
equally, navigate interruptions with grace, and encourage
healthy dialogue.
Setting Goals: The counselor’s ability to come alongside group
members to create clear, well-defined and realistic goals for
both the group and the individuals within the group.
Confronting: This is the counselor’s ability to challenge and
confront group members on thought patterns, potential
misbehavior, etc. Without the ability to confront certain issues
or topics, the group is not able to solve problems and grow
together in a healthy manner.

Empathizing: The counselor’s ability to relate to their clients,
understand their struggles, feel their emotions, and make them
feel safe. This can build trust and encourage group members to
share with one another.
Group Leader Personal Characteristics:
Goodwill, Genuineness, and Caring: This involves a genuine
caring in “being there” for clients (presence) and includes a
sincere interest in others without pretense. I think this is
absolutely crucial for quality leadership and might even be the
most important, in my opinion. If a leader genuinely cares for
those around them, other qualities tend to fall into place or
issues can be resolved. However, if the leader is not genuine,
cannot be trusted, etc., everything falls apart very quickly.
Being aware of subtle culture issues: An increasing awareness
of one’s own bias, prejudice, and negative attitudes towards
others, along with a desire to learn about cultures with respect.
I think this is also crucial in quality leadership. The more time
we spend with diverse people groups, the more we learn and
grow in our multicultural competence.
Inventiveness and Creativity: The ability to create new
experiences and be open to new opportunities or ideas. I think
this is very important for a group leader since they are
constantly interacting with a wide array of individuals. They
must be creative enough to come up with new methods and be
kind with new opinions.
Willingness to Model: This is the ability and willingness to
model proper behavior. I think this is also crucial to quality
group leadership because so often our actions speak louder than
words. When our actions align with our words, they become
even more powerful.
Non-defensiveness in Coping with Criticism: Knowing one’s
values, strengths, weaknesses, and limitations and dealing
frankly with challenges. This is an important one because group
leaders are bound to face criticism. They must be able to move
forward with humility and an openness for growth, while still

maintaining their own values and beliefs.
References
Henderson, D.A. & Thompson, C.L. (2015). Counseling
children. (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.

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