Brigette
Maas and Katie Ladd, both licensed mental health practitioners at
Kanesville Therapy, 508 South Main St., use play to do something
serious.
They are registered play therapists and offer play therapy, as well as other kinds of treatment, for mental health issues.
They
see children who have gone through the loss of a family member, a
parent’s deployment, their parents’ divorce, bullying, physical or
sexual abuse or even sex trafficking. Some are foster or recently
adopted children who were removed from their homes because of drugs or
abuse. Others may be from healthy families but are suffering from an
adjustment disorder because of a relocation that has been emotionally
difficult for them.
Said Ladd, “Grief and sexual abuse are really big.”
Play
therapy is also sometimes used when a child has a mental health
disorder, such as anxiety, depression or attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorder and others.
Unfortunately,
parents sometimes put off seeking help for children with mental health
conditions because of the stigma associated with them, Maas said.
“We
would never tell a child who broke their toe to just keep running,” she
said. “But with mental health, people really wait until things become
unmanageable.”
The women each lead play therapy
sessions in a play room at the office that has been equipped with a
puppet theater, sand tray, toy TV, dolls and other toys and art
supplies.
“Usually, it’s just one of us in here with an individual patient or family,” Maas said.
Ladd sees patients from age 2 to 19, and Maas may care for anyone from infants to adults, they said.
Kids
can’t always say what they need to with words, Maas said. They may not
know how to say it or may be traumatized about something that has
happened to them and cover it up by just saying what they think they’re
supposed to say.
“Play therapy, to me, is
having objects to meet kids where they’re at,” she said. “It’s also
research-based, so one of the reasons I like it is symptoms will
(decrease).”
Instead of asking specific
questions, therapists can ask children to show them things through play.
For example, a therapist may ask the child to show them what their
family is like or act out what happened to them with dolls, puppets or
other toys. They may ask what makes the child angry or afraid.
Playing helps children feel safe and secure, Ladd said.
“They have some control, as well,” she said.
Older children may express themselves through drawing, painting, sculpting or writing. They
can also use an app on a computer in the play room to create an
animation of an experience or dramatize it in a role-playing exercise.
It
is critical for an abuse victim to tell their story to a parent or
other adult and be believed and taken seriously, Ladd said.
“If
a child tells her mom she’s been abused and indicates her stepfather —
if her mom believes her, she can get help and recover,” she said. “If
not, the child will get worse.”
“Play therapy is a
powerful tool for addressing cognitive, behavioral and emotional
challenges,” a brochure from the Association for Play Therapy states.
“Licensed professionals therapeutically use play to help clients better
process their experiences and develop more effective strategies for
managing their worlds.”
Bright colors. A stage with a microphone and toy guitar. Puppet theater. Sand. Action figures.
The play therapy room at Kanesville Therapy is a place where children can be safe, can still be kids and work through the issues that brought them to the Council Bluffs practice. “It’s amazing through play what kids are willing to express,” said Carolyn Andersen-Burgher, who founded Kanesville Therapy with Brigette Maas in 2008.
With four therapists, the office at 508 Main St. serves clients ranging from infants to the elderly. The mental healthcare providers specialize in individual, group and family counseling. Therapist Katie Ladd does much of the play therapy and is one of the few providers in the area that helps children younger than 1 through 5 years old. Maas also does play therapy.
Children that come to the office are often the victims
of some kind of trauma, including abuse and neglect and also medical
trauma, which Ladd explained could be intense or repeated operations.
They also deal with attachment and bonding issues, sometimes for
adoptive or foster parents. Bullying, death, sexual abuse and divorce
are additional reasons among a long list of why child clients come to
Kanesville Therapy.
In the play therapy room – designed by local
company JB Design – children can use action figures in a sand box, a
faux TV set with a chalkboard as the screen, a stage, puppet theater and
more to express what’s going on in their life. A recent addition is a
fake X-ray machine, which children can use to mark body parts that hurt
from abuse.
“We work on our words, ‘I don’t deserve this’ or ‘I’m
the boss of my body,’” Maas said in the play therapy room during a tour
of the facility. “We work on empowerment in here.”For the children with
medical issues, they might mark the strong parts of their body, she
said.
“We’re really proud of our play room,” Maas said.
The room wouldn’t exist if it hadn’t been for the heavy rains this summer.Kanesville Therapy was originally located at the Omni Center. In June a heavy storm caused a ceiling to collapse, which flooded the office above before another ceiling gave way and soaked the practice.
Andersen-Burgher and Maas closed and worked on a plan of action.
The pair found its new Main Street location and decided to expand their practice, citing growing demand, including a 6-month waiting list, as the impetus. The founders brought in Ladd and therapist Laura Kinney.
Kanesville Therapy opened its new office on Oct. 1.
The group complements each other, with one able to take children while another works with parents, while another could work with the whole family.
“Everyone has a part in our practice,” Maas said. “We work well together.”
In the future the practices hopes to become credentialed to teach other professionals in trauma-related play therapy.
“We want to continue to always and better serve this community,” Maas said.
Tips For Transitioning To Preschool And Kindergarten
Just the thought of sending your precious little one off to preschool and kindergarten is enough to make the waterworks begin…for both you and your kids. To ease the transition, we’ve tapped Brigette Maas, a Registered Play Therapist who works with children and their families in Council Bluffs, Iowa. After sending her own two children to preschool and kindergarten (respectively) this year, as well as supporting many families and kids through this transition, she’s gathered a dozen helpful tips to pass along. Read ’em, and hopefully don’t weep.
Read Books About School. An easy way to get the transition conversation started is reading your children books about preschool and kindergarten in the weeks before they begin. Maas suggests The Night Before Preschool (“It really helped them find the humor versus fear in the tears mom or dad may shed on the first day,” she says). Also, Pete The Cat: Rocking In My School Shoes. “The day after reading this book, I let my boys chose new shoes for school,” says Maas. “After getting the shoes home, we made a silly song about how the boys would use their new school shoes.” You can also scoop up books that show your kids’ favorite characters making their way to the classroom. Our picks: Bubble Guppies Time For School, Peppa Pig And The Busy Day At School, Elmo Goes To School, Curious George’s First Day Of School, Daniel Tiger Goes To School, Clifford’s First Day Of School, The Berenstain Bears Go To School, and the like.
Saying Goodbye To Old Friends: For children transitioning from preschool to kindergarten, think about creating a special treat for him or her to give their preschool buddies to say goodbye. This one found on Pinterest is a cute idea. It says “I’m so lucky to have had you in my class,” and inside it is filled with Lucky Charms. On the back, you can write something like “Good luck in kindergarten. Please give me a call if you’d like to play sometime,” along with contact info. Preparing and handing out these parting gifts to their old friends will help your child have a sense of closure. In Maas’ case, the recipient’s parents sent videos of their children saying thank you for the treats and telling her son a little about their first day of school. This also helped him soak in the fact that all of his friends were moving on to a new school, and he wasn’t the only one.
Get Them Excited About School Gear: Let your kid pick out a few new pieces of clothing, a backpack, lunchbox, and bento box to put into his or her lunchbox to get them excited about the perks of heading to school. For any specific supplies intended for the entire class, have a discussion with your child about how they might share and use the supplies when it’s their turn, so they don’t get too attached.
Get Them Excited About School Grub: The night before the big day, take your child to the grocery store to pick out their choice of healthy fruits and veggies, sandwich supplies, drink, and snack. Let them know that they get to gobble down the yummy stuff the next day at school. When you’re packing their first-day lunch, have both parents sneak a note inside. A simple “I Love You” or funny illustration will do the trick.
Let Them Get Comfy With Their New Stuff: If your preschooler will be sleeping on a mat for the first time (PS: we like this version by Olive Kids), try to buy the mat a few weeks early and set it up in the living room for fun snuggle sessions and to get them excited about their new sleepy time area. Same goes for new backpacks and shoes. Try to have your kids try the gear on before the big first day, so they can get comfortable wearing the items.
Visit The School Ahead Of Time: If your kindergarten or preschool allows visits with your child before the school year starts, take them up on it! It’s a great way for kids to get acquainted with the environment and teachers with mom and dad nearby before they are there all alone.
Curb The “School” Talk If Needed: If you notice your child getting anxious or rebellious when you mention the idea of “school,” try to nix the word altogether, and instead refer to the place as its proper name (ex: Children’s Day) and the teachers as their first names (“let’s go visit your new friend Miriam, she’s so nice”). This might help the transition seem like less of a big deal and the new space seem more like a fun play center.
The Drop-Off: Confidence is key. It’s important to say goodbye (don’t sneak out of the room) and actually leave. Don’t ask “Are you okay if mom leaves now?” It will not be ok with them. Instead, walk away confidently even if your child is crying—don’t linger, come back, or keep turning around, as that will make them feel like they do actually have something to be scared of, as they’ll sense a lack of confidence. It’ll also reinforce that crying gets you to come back. Also, keep your promises. If you say you will be back right after recess/snack, be there. Remember that separation anxiety is a natural part of development, how parents respond to it is vital in order for kids to make healthy transitions and develop trust with parents and teachers.
Create A Drop-Off Ritual: Think of a special send-off between you and your child, like a special handshake, a kiss blown in their hand (especially great if you have read The Kissing Hand), a short finger play, or a goodbye from all of you senses (“After school, my ears will hear all the fun things you did, my eyes will see your brave face, my nose will smell your stinky sweat…”). Let your child take a small transitional object to school. Plan something you can give him out of your pocket or off your body to leave with him if he is struggling, such as a soft hair band from mom, a small photo, or a splash of cologne from dad (just remind him it may need to stay in his backpack or cubby if the teacher says so).
Practice Self Care: After you drop your child off, try to let the guilt go and do something for yourself, such as a stroll, a phone call to a friend, or a cry in the car. Your child will stop crying a lot sooner than you think. Have faith in your kid’s inner strength and positive coping techniques.
Expect Regression. Your child might whine, cry, have bathroom accidents, or be extremely clingy while she makes this big transition. She needs more nurture and reassurance, so don’t punish her for using a baby voice at this time, but instead give extra cuddle time. And when she expresses negative feelings, make sure you don’t put words in her mouth. Don’t say, “I know you hate school.” Reflect instead: “I hear you saying you feel scared/sad/mad?..the teacher and I are here to help.” Also, remind your child that she has fought her fear before and felt brave. Say something like, “Remember how afraid you were of swimming? Now you love it!”
Discussing Their School Day: “It’s a pretty universal kid response to say ‘good’ and nothing else when describing their day at school,” says Maas. To encourage your kids to open up and give some more details, grab their favorite dolls and superheroes and play like they’re at school, recreating moments from the day. At dinner, try to get your kids to talk about the best and worst parts of their day, and you can do the same with your work day. “As a therapist, I see the importance of validation. Kids need to know their parents hear them, are connected to them, and can offer support to help them,” says Maas. “It is easy to get in to a trap of trying to minimize any negative emotion or thought our kids have because we just want them to be happy, but by doing that they do not feel understood. It’s very important to show them we care by validating even their sadness, confusion, and frustration. I do this by making sure I am focused (looking at their eyes and putting away all electronics), hearing their words, and repeating them back in a simple way. If they see I heard them and I didn’t get details wrong, then I ask, ‘Is there anything else you want to share about that?’ before I make any comments. Next, I say something along the lines of, ‘What do you think would make you feel better?’ Most of the time they have a much easier and better solution than I could ever imagine. Other times the solution involves something totally unrealistic. If the solution is doable, I ask how I can help. If it isn’t, I acknowledge why flying out of preschool on a rocket might not be the only option!” May the force be with you, mamas!
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