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Childhood into adolescence ...a journey of love, bonding and faith.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
New blog
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Lost to win
Friday, September 4, 2009
A dream therapist
A dream therapist
The struggle against autism can never be complete without its share of therapists. Good, bad, ugly and some plain rotten. You can’t escape them. Over the years I can pride myself that I can smell a good therapist when I meet one. This again is a spectrum. Some trying to cash in on the problem, some genuine ones and then those that are the in -betweens. Rs.500 for a home visit is no less. I knew a therapist who took no less than 5 calls in a 45 minute session. She had given Ram am a paper and pen to make holes. Then there was one who lectured me for 8 sessions on the evolution of speech in human civilization. Yes, she was a speech therapist. What does then one begin to expect in a dream therapist
* Bonding with the child, this will take few sessions.
* Unobtrusive yet effective, you don’t want the therapist holding the child’s face and forcing him into looking into her eyes.
* Being able to hold the child’s interest.
* Having an element of surprise, it is not about being unstructured. I look forward to his art therapist sessions where she has something new every time, sometimes it colored sooji, flowers, maida dough……An element of unpredictability in an structured environment.
* Plans for the sessions beforehand. Has a backup plan if an idea refuses to hold the child’s interest at least in the early years of working. Starts and ends with a particular activity to mark the beginning and closure of the session.
* Encourages the child with appropriate praises, rein forcers.
* Loads of energy and patience.
* Physical punishment is a strict no-no.
* Avoids saying negative remarks about the child.
* Avoids cancelling appointments at the last minute.