Establishing The Sense Of Safety

For Clients Through The Creative Arts

American Counseling Association

Asia-Pacific Counseling Conference

(Singapore 2015)

Starter QuestionsAnswer any of the following questions by

describing HOW YOU FELT and

WHAT YOU DID

Describe a situation where:

a) You felt frightened and out of control

b) You knew you were doing something

wrong and did it anyway

c) You witnessed or overhead something

that disturbed you but you did not

understand and could not talk about

Defining Safety • What is Safety?

Webster’s: The state or condition of

feeling free from the occurrence or risk of

injury, danger or loss

• What is Therapeutic Safety?

The state or condition of an individual

feeling free from the occurrence or risk of

injury, danger or loss by the counsellor

within a therapy session

The Client in Counselling

• It is not easy for people to come to counselling

• Client Resistance to Counselling

– Shame

– Fear and Insecurity

– Embarassment

– Failure

– Bias and Assumptions of Counselling

Role of the Counsellor • Counselling 101- The most essential

predictor of counselling success is the

relationship between the counsellor and

the client

• “The best research evidence available

overwhelmingly supports the conclusion

that successful therapy is mediated by a

relationship between a therapist and

patient that is characterised by trust,

warmth, empathic understanding, and

acceptance” (Yalom, 1985)

Role of the Counsellor

• Trust- person on whom one relies

• Warmth- possessing a sincere, non-smothering

concern

• Empathic Understanding- sensitivity and

ability to “feel with” and understand the

struggles of the client

• Acceptance- receiving the client as he or she is

The Secure Base • The careful observation of a client’s first

moments in the office can inform the

approach of the counsellor to increasing

safety for that particular client

• Some clients will feel safest if they are

given the lead whilst others require slightly

more direction or freeze

• Reflecting the discomfort of the client and

giving permission to express will allow

some ease of tension

The Secure Base

• The establishment of the sense of safety for the

client should be at the forefront. If not, very little

work can be done

• First role of counsellor is to become a secure base

for each client by trying to understand what they

are asking for when they come into a session

• Becoming a secure base by accurately responding

to the moment-to-moment needs of their clients

The Use of Creative Arts in Strengthening Safety• Definition of Play Therapy

“the systematic use of a theoretical model

to establish an interpersonal process

wherein trained play therapists use the

therapeutic powers of play to help clients

prevent or resolve psychosocial

difficulties and achieve optimal growth

and development” (Association for Play

Therapy, n.d.)

The Use of Creative Arts in Strengthening Safety

• Mediums of Creative Arts Used

- Play (Puppets, Games, etc.) - Art

- Drama - Sandtray

- Dance/Movement - Music

- Photography - Poetry

- Story-telling - Clay

Why the Creative Arts?

• Play is not only central but critical to

childhood development (Roopnarine &

Johnson, 1994)

• The intense sensory and physical

stimulation that comes with playing helps

to form the brain’s circuits and prevents

loss of neurons (Perry, 1997)

Why the Creative Arts?• Use of creative arts helps establish a

working relationship with children,

especially those who lack verbal self-

expression, and even with adults who

show resistance or an inability to

articulate their feelings and issues

(Haworth, 1964)

Words of Caution• It is important to give permission for

the client to create a safe place

• We cannot assume that a client has a

safe place in their current repertoire of

experiences

• Getting clients to close their eyes and

imagine a safe place could have

adverse effects (eg: clients who have

experienced trauma)

The QuestionCreating Creative Safe Places

1) Think of a place that you have been

where you felt really safe

2) Create a place where you could feel that

way

3) For those using mediums of art, it might

help to stay away from actual detailed

drawings and use shapes, colours, etc.

The Process

1) Name the situation/issue (eg: starter

question)

2) Draw your feelings about the situation

using colours, shapes and lines

3) Decide where (in or out?) you will put

yourself in this situation and how (as a

shape, colour or symbol?)

The Process

4) Take note of the feelings/emotions that

you are experiencing as you are doing Step 3

5) Place yourself in the situation where you

feel safe

6) Take note of the “safety feeling” you are

experiencing

Intervention Examples

• Mediums of Creative Arts Used

- Play (Puppets, Games, etc.) - Art

- Drama - Sandtray

- Dance/Movement - Music

- Photography - Poetry

- Story-telling - Clay

Intervention Examples

• Dance/Movement (eg: Doodle Dance, Safety

Moves)

• Music (eg: Drumming, Xylophone, Meditation)

• Poetry/ Journalling

• Story-telling (eg: Third Party Stories)

• Clay

• Photography

Intervention Examples

Intervention Examples

Intervention Examples

Intervention Examples

Intervention Examples

Intervention Examples

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Intervention Examples

Intervention Examples

Intervention Examples

Intervention Examples

Conclusion

• Faith

• Hope

• Love

References • Haworth, M.R. (1964). Child Psychotherapy: Practice

and Theory. Northvale, NJ: Aronson

• Roopnarine, J. & Johnson, J. (1994). Child’s Play in

Diverse Cultures. Albany: State University of New York

Press

• Perry, B.D. (1997). Incubated in Terror:

Neurodevelopmental Factors in the “Cycle of Violence”

in J. Osofsky (Ed.), Children in a Violent Society

(pp.124-149). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

• Yalom, I. D. (1985), The Theory and Practice of Group

Psychotherapy (3rd Edition). New York, NY: Basic Books

Thank You!