During the session, the therapist creates an atmosphere in which the child can reveal own capabilities, and this provides the necessary resource to “move forward”. The child’s range of actions will gradually expand, and this will happen not because the therapist wants it to, but because EVERYTHING the child does is a priori right. This forms a child’s strategy for success, reduces anxiety, creates a trusting space in which there may be a desire to try something new – a movement, an instrument, a behavioural strategy… Using various techniques, the therapist enables the child to become visible and heard. Music is non-verbal; it can be used to “express” anger, surprise and joy, and it gives an incredible feeling that “I AM UNDERSTOOD”!
There is another form of work in a triad. One of the parents attends these sessions with the child. The peculiarity is that mom or dad become ACTIVE participants in the process, and the therapist is a guide whose task is to “return mom / dad to the child”.
It may sound strange, but due to numerous special needs, parents often “do not see” their child. This happens because they perform the function of “specialists” who have to work at home on the development, education, and homework from real specialists who work with the child. And behind this carousel of tasks, they lose such a significant role as “mom” or “dad”. After all, parental love is unconditional, accepting, allowing children to BE! This does not mean that you do not need to work with your child; it means that you need to have a measure in everything, to look for a balance.
Quite often, parents of children with special educational needs hear what their child CANNOT do, but so rarely do they hear about what they CAN do and DOES! As a result, parents gradually acquire a “medical” vision of their child, where they first see the diagnosis / problems, and then the child.
When working in the triad, the therapist returns the “social” vision, where parents see the CHILD FIRST, and then the diagnosis / problems. In these sessions, parents learn to see what their child CAN do and what successes he or she is achieving. Because it is here that a space is created where they can see and hear their child: find the opportunity to interact, communicate when there is no speech; dance when there is no movement; play when there is no long-term contact, and appreciate the MOST IMPORTANT thing that parents and children should have – the SATISFACTION OF THE TIME SPENT TOGETHER!
