 I am very excited to announce the opening of my brand new counseling office in beautiful downtown Dover, NH. I am also thrilled to be next door to Childlight Yoga, a pediatric yoga program. There are many wonderful possibilities to our proximity.
I look forward to having a space which will be in walking distance to the many amenities that downtown Dover has to offer, including the children's museum, Henry Law Park, and the Noggin Factory toy store. I also am excited that this will be a brand new construction in an exposed brick and beam mill. It's shaping up very nicely! I will continue to specialize in pediatric therapy and especially with children and teens who have anxiety and/or are on the Autism spectrum. I will also continue to provide Animal Assisted Therapy and treatment for Selective Mutism. See you in Dover!
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 Play has been recognized as important since the time of Plato (429-347 B.C.) who reportedly observed, “you can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” Play therapy is a structured, theoretically based approach to therapy that builds on the normal communicative and learning processes of children. Play promotes feelings of happiness and well being as well as cognitive development. For children, however, play can be understood as even more vital. Play presents children and adults the opportunity to interact with one another, thus providing the language that is needed for children to communicate. When issues become so profound or confusing that words are difficult, play becomes even more important. Often, when children are given a new outlet for their difficult, confusing, or overwhelming feelings, their difficult behaviors will decrease. Children are also given what is called a “sense of mastery” over themselves and their emotions. This gives children a boost to their self esteem as they feel better equipped to deal with the world.
If you have questions around play therapy, please feel free to contact me. Resources: BOOKS: Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship by Garry L. Landreth Play Therapy Theory and Practice: Comparing Theories and Techniques by Kevin J. O'Connor WEBSITES: www.playtherapy.org www.a4pt.org Photo courtesy of The Williams Institute  Selective mutism (SM), is defined as a disorder of childhood characterized by an inability to speak in certain settings (e.g., at school, in public
places) despite speaking in other settings (e.g., at home with family). SM is associated with anxiety and may be an extreme form of social phobia. The prevalence of SM is perhaps much more than one might expect. 1 in every 143 children are being diagnosed with SM. Usually the difference in speaking is noticed when children are attending kindergarten or first grade as this is typically their first significant social experience outside of the house. There are often co-morbid (or co-existing) disorders that are commonly seen with SM such as social anxiety disorders or sensory integration disorders. Thus, when providing treatment for SM, a multidisciplinary approach is often very effective. Anti-anxiety medication in combination with therapies has also been shown to help achieve the desired results more quickly. In working with many children who have a diagnosis of SM, one thing that has really stood out to me is the importance of not placing pressure on the child to speak. It can be difficult for parents and caregivers not to place pressure on the child to speak as it is expected in many situations. It also can be difficult to not "jump in" for the child and speak for them. The advice that I usually give around this is to give the child a few moments to try to respond on their own, and then explain that your child sometimes gets nervous. Most people are used to this to some degree, and will ideally shift their attention away. The other common misconception is that the failure to speak in certain settings is a willful defiance or behavioral problem. While some children who have a diagnosis of SM have strong-willed personality types, the most significant reason for their not speaking is a result of a paralyzing anxiety. Research into some of the neurological reasons for SM has suggested that children who have the disorder have an overly active amygdala. The amygdala is a region of the brain that has a primary role in the processing of memory and emotions. When this limbic area of the brain is put on "alert," it sends out a signal to the rest of the body. This can affect breathing, movement, and emotional responses. The so-called "fight or flight" response is enacted. Thus, situations that are to some people essentially non-threatening (being out side the home, coming into contact with unfamiliar people, etc.) are viewed as a threat to one's well-being. It is imperative that treatment for SM begin as soon as there is any evidence of its symptoms. Often the recognition happens around the time of the child first school-age experience. As children get older, the symptoms become more ingrained and the disorder is more difficult to treat. If you have questions around SM, feel free to contact me. Resources: BOOKS Helping Your Child With Selective Mutism: Steps to Overcome a Fear of Speaking By Charles E. Cunningham, Ph. D, Melanie K. Vanier Why Dylan Doesn't Talk: A Real-Life Look at Selective Mutism Through the Eyes of a Child. By Carrie Bryson WEBSITES http://www.selectivemutism.org/ Photo courtsey of sheknows.com |
AuthorStephen Quinlan is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who practices in Dover, NH Categories
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