In February 2016 the first child-centred play therapy training course was held in Nepal. People who remember “Dibs in Search of Self” by Virginia Axline will understand the power of play therapy to transform the lives of children who have been traumatized. In Nepal, many children suffer long-term psychological problems due to fear, grief and loss, abuse, neglect and physical trauma. The earthquakes in 2015 and the recent blockades with India have precipitated many problems, including an increase in human trafficking. Nepali counsellors frequently see children with behavioral problems due to underlying traumatic experiences.
Play therapy allows the child to act out difficult or confusing life experiences in a safe way, and the therapist’s relationship with the child lets the child know, “I am a person worth caring for”.
Together with Community Development and Research Organization Nepal (CORD-Nepal) we created a play therapy training opportunity supported by Friends of Nepal, the Rotary Club of Scarborough and Play Therapy Australia.
– Dr Hilary Wallace