From trauma to trust: how play opens the door to healing
Q&A with Monica Ditta, Bilingual Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
Can you share more about your role at CRC?
I am a child therapist at CRC. I have a master’s degree as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). I specialize in domestic violence trauma and use Animal Assisted Play Therapy to treat children ages 5-18.
Can you tell us about your dog, Hidalgo, and the role he plays in your work?
Hidalgo is my canine assistant in the play therapy we use in session. Hidalgo has undergone specific training that allows him to lead therapeutic interventions that help children work on trauma, feeling safe, body boundaries, emotional regulation and coping skills, among other things.
Can you share about the type of therapy you use?
Hidalgo and I do Animal Assisted Play Therapy (AAPT), Play Therapy, Art Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. These are all based on playing, which is the main thing we do. Sometimes parents want to know “What did the child say?” or tell children to “tell the therapist” about their struggles; however, this is not how child therapy works. Children mainly choose the themes they want to process through toys, art and playing with Hidalgo. The sessions are structured and directed at processing feelings, but they are not about “talking”; they are about “playing.” This also gives children a good experience of what therapy is and makes it more likely for them to continue in therapy as needed when they become adults.
Can you share an example or a story of a client (please change names)?
I will never forget working with Diego, a 7-year-old boy who was staying at the shelter with his mother. They were both survivors of domestic violence by a close family relative. This relative told Diego not to speak to any therapist, social worker or CPS worker, so Diego was very mistrusting. After a few attempts, Hidalgo served as a friendship bridge to help Diego ease into therapy. We started by taking Hidalgo on walks, then doing therapy at the park and the office. At one point, Diego realized we were doing therapy:
Diego: This is therapy, isn’t it?
Monica: Well, what do you think?
Diego: I think this is therapy
Monica: Is it as “bad” as you thought it was going to be?
Diego: No. It’s nothing like they had told me.
Monica: Oh! So … are you going to come back?
Diego: You mean I have a choice?
Monica: Yes.
Diego: I think I will. I like walking the dog, I didn’t know dogs came to therapy, too.
Diego continued working on healing his trauma for seven months. He painted a wonderful art piece of Hidalgo, which Hidalgo signed with his paw during his therapy graduation when they said goodbye.
What signs do you see when a child is moving toward healing?
You see changes in behavior, in demeanor. They are able to talk about their experiences, process their feelings and use coping skills by themselves. These tools will serve them for the rest of their lives.
Could you walk us through a therapy session and what that looks like?
Depending on the child’s presenting challenge, activities are planned using Hidalgo to work on specific themes; other times children get to choose which toys or activities they want to do. On occasion, parents are invited into the session if appropriate and if the child allows it. Older children can have sessions through a telehealth virtual platform and we use worksheets and different web pages to do therapeutic work.
What services does CRC provide for those who have experienced trauma?
CRC provides transitional housing services, counseling for adult survivors of domestic violence, case management and family advocacy.
Are there any types of therapeutic artistic activities that parents/caregivers can utilize at home?
Playing board games as a family is a wonderfully enriching activity that teaches children important skills like taking turns, following the rules, empathy, winning and losing. Most importantly, it gives children an opportunity to invite members of the household into their world.
Monica Ditta is a bilingual licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) in California, license #150392.
