Children of War: Using Play and Play Therapy with Migrant Children and Families

The number of migrant children and families is increasing worldwide. This situation imposes on a range of childhood professionals reflections and concrete actions that can ensure effective psychosocial care. 

Cassina and Mochi, mental health professionals specializing in play therapy and expressive arts who have worked in high-risk settings internationally, will begin this experiential training by introducing the fundamentals of the migration process, commonly used terms, the Avalanche Metaphor, and the Castle Metaphor to establish a common ground with participants. 

Then the concept of “Recovering lost play time” will be explored, and the rationale and main stages of the homonymous project implemented within the Swiss Red Cross reception centers will be presented. The role of the therapeutic powers of play and the professional trained in play therapy will be emphasized; in particular, it will be shared how and when to include play and play therapy in a multilevel intervention targeting migrant…