Rationale for this seminar:
Play therapy can be done through storytelling, drama (“playing make-believe”), games, puppets, dolls, masks, drawing, painting, sculpture, etc. At present, very few of our child counsellors are trained in, or are even aware of, these play-based methods, which can be used to draw a child into discussing what is going on with him/her.
Instead, in the organisations that work with children and seek to utilise counsellors to provide children with emotional support and facilitate children’s self-understanding, “talk therapy” is the main method used. Talk therapy helps adults, but does it work for children? A child may find it difficult to express him/herself in analytical words -- and all the more so when asked to talk directly about his/her problems with an adult. A child-counselling session should be all about the child: when a counsellor uses a medium like analytical talk, which he/she is comfortable with, the counsellor may not be approaching the situation from the child’s perspective, and may not be utilising the child’s primary abilities. This might be unfair to the child, and might also be ineffective: the counsellor could very easily assume what is happening, instead of actually knowing what is happening.
The seminar was designed to create a space to discuss the issues, problems, concerns, and frustrations encountered, and how to improve our current response systems. Participants will have opportunities to network with colleagues, share their knowledge, and draw up individual and collective action plans to implement child centered counselling in the institutions in which they work.
Agenda of the workshop:
09.30 to 10.00 AM : Registration
10.00 to 10.15 AM : Introduction of participants and Organisation
10.15 to 11.00 AM : Child centered counselling concept, Training experiences on
CCC – Magdalene Jeyarathnam, Center for Counselling
Eric Miller, World Storytelling Institute
(Dr P Manorama to chair the session)
11.00 to 11.15 AM : Tea break
11.15 to 11.35 AM : Government response to the Child Centered Counselling-
Dr.P.Manorama Chairperson, Child Welfare Committee
(Magdalene will chair the session)
11.35 to 11.55 AM : Child Centered Counselling in Schools
(Dr Manarama and Magdalene will chair the session)
Roshini Kumar – Counsellor, Olcott Memorial School
11.55 to 12.15 PM : D. Angeline - Director, Green Valley matriculation and
Higher Secondary school
12.15 to 12.35 PM : Faith Based Organisations’ response to Child Centered
Counselling (Dr Manarama and Angeline will chair the session)
Nirmal Thomas, Compassion India (NGO)
12.35 to 12.55 PM : Rupa Santhanam, World Vision
01.00 to 01.45 PM : Lunch
01.45 to 03.00 PM : Panel Discussion and taking this forward (Dr Manarama and Magdalene will facilitate the session)
Participant list:
| | Name | Organisation Name and Address | Email id and contact number |
| 1 | Anitha Mohan | RASA | 9841442671 Anumo_242@hotmail.com |
| 2 | Jansi Margaret | ICCW TN | 9444799777 iccwtn@md3.vsnl.net.in |
| 3 | Shyne K J | Sneha Sadan, Mangalore | 9731213872 |
| 4 | Sr Shantha | Marialaya Street childrens project | 9444926131 |
| 5 | Meena | Homemaker | 9976474654, meenabalaji2007@gmail.com |
| 6 | Srithi Kannan | Swayam kiriti learning centre | sriti.kannan@gmail.com |
| 7 | Esther Barnabas | Christian fellowship | 9380535352 |
| 8 | Esther Martin | 9884046153 | |
| 9 | Anita Chandrasekar | 9444174997 | |
| 10 | Rupa Sathanantham | World Vision | 9840833324 rupa.wv@gmail.com |
| 11 | Samantha Ruth | Special educator | |
| 12 | Dr Manorama | Child welfare committee chairperson Project Director, CHES | 9444077177 "Pinagapany Manorama" |
| 13 | Deepa T. | Brosiga Animation Centre | 9941595453 |
| 14 | Thamilarasi.S | Special Educator (V Excel , Mandavelli) | thamilarasi_s@hotmail.com 9841304444 |
| 15 | Aishwarya .S | Bright Kids preschool and learning centre | 9380732495 |
| 16 | Manikya Rao | Spandana Educational Society | 9849746674 |
| 17 | Shanmugam.S | Brother Siga Animation Center no.a-248, b-kalyanapuram, s.m.nagar main road, vyasarpadi chennai-600 039 | chn_tail@hotmail.com Phone: (044)26731284 Mobile: 9940173901 |
| 18 | M.Kamalakannan | Child Heaven International(India) Kaliayam poodi village Kancheepuram District | 044-27292921 |
| 19 | D.Murugan | 044-27292921 | |
| 20 | Bailey Schergevitch | thelmasgun@hotmail.com | |
| 21 | S.Thilagar | 044-27292921 | |
| 22 | P.Paulinmary | 044-27292921 | |
| 23 | G.Thenmozhi | 044-27292921 | |
| 24 | P.Padmanaban | 044-27292921 | |
| 25 | Weslin Panakal | Andrew Panakal Foundation | 26163951 weslinpanakal@yahoo.com |
| 26 | Mridula Anand | Teacher ( KVAN school) | 26561321 ananda001@rediffmail.com |
| 27 | Roshini Kumar | School Counsellor Olcott Memorial School Adyar | 9444047587 roshini_traviesa@yahoo.com |
| 28 | Angeline D | Director Green Valley School Mogappair | 9840378494 angieshub@gmail.com |
Discussion points at the end of the session:
- A pilot study on the effectiveness of these child centered approaches need to be carried out. World Vision Ms Rupa Sathanantham said they might be interested in funding this.
- Magdalene Jeyarathnam suggested that all those present could join the counsellors forum which had 72 members already to discuss issues that are coming up in their work. This could serve as an informal counselling supervision for now
- Dr Manorama said she will prepare a resource directory of child services for the benefit of all those who were working with children
- Dr Manorama also recommended that this group could meet every 3 months to see if any progress has been made with respect to child centered counselling.
- We planned to make a list of those who are willing to work with the government reception home that Dr Manorama discussed about
- Magdalene announced a dance therapy workshop to be held in the Center for Counselling office on the 25th June for those who might want to try this approach with children
- All those present wished to be in touch with one another and be informed of various programmes/ workshops/ seminars for working with children
