Introduction:

Awareness about childhood mental disorders and how they affect children has increased in the last few years. This deterrent effect extends into their home lives, pushes them away from normal functioning affecting their academic performances and their social interactions with peers and adults.

Therapy offered in this course involves ‘play’, the medium through which children “express themselves”. The play therapist works interactively using a wide range of play and creative material as per the child clients own choice. This distinguishes the play therapist from other specialised therapists for e.g. Art, Music, Acting, etc.

In her original work on the subject of play therapy, Virginia Axline wrote, “There is frankness, and honesty, and vividness in the way children state themselves in a play situation.” Studies have shown the effective use of play therapy in children with different psychiatric diagnoses.

A growing body of research supports the clinical effectiveness of play therapy for children who have positively responded to play therapy in resolving psychological problems and other issues related to school work, concentration, attitudes, behavioural adjustment, social skills, emotional adjustment, intelligence, anxiety/fear etc.

Course Content

Theory

Play therapy training is based on perspective of Person-Centre (Client-Centre) theory of Carl Rogers: Includes

• Early childhood development and growth from pre-natal to pre-school- what can go wrong, where, why, when & how can it be avoided?
• Understanding children’s physical, cognitive, emotional needs
• Effect of deprivation and neglect during early childhood on the child’s emotional personality
• Kinds of behavioural, emotional and psychological problems commonly found in children e.g. School issues, Lack of concentration, Problems related to eating, Excessive shyness, Aggressiveness, Fears and Phobias, Anxieties, Toilet training related problems, Withdrawals, Lying, Cheating, Stealing etc.....
• Mother’s role, father’s role in the child’s life. Extended family involvement.
• Qualities required in the counsellor
• Extent of interaction between counsellor and child’s parents.

Techniques

• Informal assessment and diagnosis of problem
• Required Equipment (toys and other material),
• Room arrangements
• Understanding the problem and charting the remediation program
• Counselling procedures, techniques and interpretation

Submission of Project Work

• A candidate is required to work with two children indicating some symptoms of emotional/behavioural maladjustment. The case file presenting sessions conducted for this practical experience is to be submitted in the prescribed form for final evaluation.
• Manthan- an International Affiliate Member Organization of WFMH-World Federation for Mental Health-will award the authentic prestigious Diploma certificate to candidates successfully completing the course.
• Parents may use the training and skills to help their own children.

Assessment and Certification

Assessment and completion of the course-
•  The final theory test will be conducted online.
• Candidate will be permitted to start practical work in the clinic only after successfully passing the written examination.
• To qualify for the Diploma in Learning Disability Remedial Teacher Training Course the candidates should have completed the above syllabus and must obtain minimum aggregate of 40% in the final assessment.
• Diploma certificates will be awarded only upon completion of the work with two cases independently or in an organization. Parents may submit report of work carried out with their own children.
• Manthan- An International Affiliated Member Organization of WFMH-World Federation for Mental Health- will award the authentic prestigious world class, well recognized diploma certificate to candidates successfully completing the course.

What Can You Expect?

This valuable diploma qualifies you to work as a child counsellor in any relevant organization attending to children’s needs - like schools, children’s ward in hospitals, orphanages and nursing homes, children’s homes and other similar institutes.

Duration of the course : About 6-8 working months (approximately) include internship with 2 cases.