Welcome to the audio stories therapy support for children aged 5- 10 years old.
Having worked with children in a nursery setting; in a school classroom helping children to read, and then in the last 17 years, supporting children therapeutically, the main common theme is that children engage with the magical and mystery elements of stories.
When a parent or caregiver gets in touch to ask how I may be able to help their child, I offer up to 30 minutes of free time on the phone or Zoom to spend time talking with you, to find out more information on the how, when and what’s of the concerning issue. If you, as the parent are on board with how I work and wish to proceed, we then agree a mutually convenient day and time to hold the session. This is done either via Zoom (online) or FaceTime or in person at the Hawkhurst or Tonbridge clinics.
There must be a parent / adult present when therapy is conducted with a child under the age of 16 years old and certainly children under 10 like an adult/ parent present with them.
For children aged between 5 and 10 years old, I shape the sessions with more of a “Storytelling” approach and with creative support through art / drawing and play (if relevant). The sessions last between 30-40 minutes as most children start to get fidgety after that and their concentration drifts. The session/s give me a chance to engage with your son or daughter and learn more about their likes/ dislikes, hobbies and interests to assist me in writing their personalised story.
After the session has finished, I spend time preparing and writing the personalised story for them to listen to ideally at bedtime. From parent feedback in the past, I found this is the best time of day for most children to listen to their story. The story is recorded usually in MP4 format which I email the parent to download or I can also provide the story on a CD.
Most children are highly imaginative and love a story, so when they listen to their personalised story, it helps alleviate their fears, worries and anxieties.
Typical children’s worries I support are: Not being able to get to sleep/ being the last one to get to sleep; Worrying about school and school work; Starting back at school after the holidays; Worrying about fitting in with their peer group; Feeling anxious about being sick or unwell; Separation anxiety from a parent/ care giver; Bedwetting; Nail biting; General anxiety but not knowing why; Fussy / picky eating; Fears of flying, dogs, wasps and other animal phobia’s.
If you would like some support in helping your son or daughter overcome a problem, please get in touch. I look forward to hearing from you.