Reflecting and Tracking in Play Therapy

Reflecting and Tracking in Play Therapy

In play therapy, tracking and reflecting content are key techniques that help therapists understand and connect with a child’s inner world. These techniques are used to acknowledge, explore, and validate a child’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors through their play. Tracking and reflecting can be done in different ways, each serving a specific purpose in fostering communication, emotional processing, and healing.

Types of Tracking in Play Therapy

  1. Simple Tracking
    • Definition: This involves making neutral observations of the child’s actions or behaviors in play, without interpreting or adding any judgment.
    • Purpose: Simple tracking helps the therapist stay present and attuned to the child’s play while reinforcing the connection between the child and therapist.
    • Examples:
      1. “You’re moving the car along the road”
      2. “You’re stacking the blocks really high.”
  1. Reflective Tracking
    • Definition: The therapist mirrors the child’s actions, words, or emotions back to them, emphasizing the feeling or meaning behind the behavior. It’s more involved than simple tracking and may draw attention to the emotions or themes the child is expressing.
    • Purpose: Reflective tracking helps children become more aware of their emotions and actions, and it can facilitate deeper processing of their feelings.
    • Examples:
      1. “You seem frustrated when the tower keeps falling down”
      2. “It looks like the dinosaur is really scared of the other animal.”
  1. Big Tracking
    • In play therapy, “big tracking” refers to a broader, more general observation of a child’s overall play themes, emotions, and patterns, while “little” or “simple tracking” focuses on describing specific, concrete actions or behaviors the child is exhibiting in the moment, essentially providing a detailed commentary on their play as it happens.
    • Purpose: Big tracking enhances the emotional intensity of the moment, providing space for the child to explore their feelings in greater depth. It can also help the child feel understood. This type of tracking helps the child feel noticed, validates their feelings or actions, and promotes a deeper connection between the child and therapist.
    • Examples:
      1. “Wow, that dinosaur is so mad! It’s stomping and roaring so loud, it feels like the whole room could shake!”
      2. It seems like the house you’re building is so tall, it might touch the sky!”
      3. “It seems like the characters are having a lot of conflict,”
      4. “You’re building a big, strong castle, like you’re feeling protected.”
  1. Empathic Tracking
    • Definition: The therapist tracks the emotions or needs that the child may not have fully expressed verbally but are clear from their play. This is an empathic response to the child’s emotional state.
    • Purpose: Empathic tracking helps the child feel seen and validated on an emotional level, which can foster trust and safety in the therapeutic relationship.
    • Example:
      1. “You seem really sad that the bear can’t find its family”
      2. “It looks like you’re feeling lonely because the character is all by themselves.”

Types of Reflecting Content in Play Therapy

  1. Reflecting Feelings
    • Definition: The therapist reflects the emotions that are being expressed in the child’s play, helping the child recognize and label their feelings.
    • Purpose: This technique encourages emotional awareness, which can be a powerful tool for self-regulation and emotional intelligence.
    • Examples:
      1. “You look really angry right now”
      2. “It seems like you’re feeling really scared when the monster comes near.”
  1. Reflecting Actions
    • Definition: This type of reflection focuses on the physical actions or behaviors the child is engaging in during play. It involves mirroring the child’s movements or describing the actions they are taking.
    • Purpose: Reflecting actions helps the child become more conscious of their behaviors and gives them a sense of being understood in their actions.
    • Examples:
      1. “You’re building a really tall tower with the blocks”
      2. “You’re making the car drive really fast around the track.”
  1. Reflecting Content (Story/Theme)
    • Definition: The therapist reflects the overarching themes or narratives in the child’s play. This involves identifying patterns, storylines, or symbolic elements in the child’s play.
    • Purpose: Reflecting content gives meaning to the child’s play, helping them understand and process their experiences. It can also guide the child toward insight into their concerns or issues.
    • Examples:
      1. “It seems like the dragon is protecting the castle from invaders”
      2. “The character keeps trying to find their way home, but there are obstacles in the way.”
  1. Summarizing Reflections
    • Definition: A more generalized reflection that pulls together multiple aspects of the child’s actions, feelings, or themes into one cohesive summary. This type of reflection can help the child make sense of complex emotions or situations.
    • Purpose: Summarizing reflections can bring clarity, provide perspective, and help the child process a series of experiences or feelings more easily.
    • Examples:
      1. “It seems like there’s a lot of sadness, but also some hope in your play—like you’re building something to help the character feel better,”
      2. “You’ve been working hard to make the house perfect, and now it’s finally finished.”
  1. Reflecting Needs
    • Definition: This involves reflecting the child’s unmet needs or desires based on their play. It may refer to the child’s need for attention, safety, affection, or validation.
    • Purpose: Reflecting needs helps the therapist better understand the child’s inner world and reinforces that the child’s needs are being noticed and acknowledged.
    • Examples:
      1. “It seems like the character needs a friend right now”
      2. “The house you’re building looks like it’s meant to be a safe space for someone.”

Combining Tracking and Reflecting

Both tracking and reflecting can be used together to build rapport, provide emotional validation, and help the child make sense of their experiences. The therapist may track actions or behaviors and then reflect the emotions or themes that arise from those actions. This combination of techniques helps create a safe space where the child feels heard, understood, and able to explore their feelings and thoughts more freely.

By skillfully using different types of tracking and reflecting, the therapist supports the child’s emotional growth, self-awareness, and communication abilities, ultimately facilitating healing and development through play.

If you are interested in play therapy services at C&FD, we have openings at both our Midtown and Pineville locations. Check out our awesome counselor team at C&FD to learn more. C&FD is grateful to have served the Charlotte community since 1980.

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