Playing with words and creativity to create better relationships
A Mind 2 Play Therapy
Quote from a primary aged child to me.
“I want to do playing therapy until I go to University”
The difference between play and therapeutic play
​
When adults play with children we tend to want to direct the play, either correcting for educational purposes or changing because we don’t like where the play is leading (in other words it makes us adults uncomfortable).
​
Therapeutic play is different because there are no adult interventions that direct the play although sometimes the adult might share a feeling that seems to be popping up, supporting the child to become more aware of their own emotions or how their actions impact others (the adult).
​
Play is the language of children (so says Garry Landreth and I tend to agree though I suspect it can be the language of many adults too!) Children can’t always articulate their experiences but they can often show us through play. Sometimes adults do not understand what the child is showing but then we can become curious and the child teaches us about their world from their point of view. We are reminded how clearly children view the world before rules and regulations and others values/measurements and agendas are fixed to the child’s actions/words.
Services I Offer
BACP Registered Member
“It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them.” ~ Leo F. Buscaglia
“Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” ~ Joseph Chilton Pearce
“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct.” ~ Carl Jung
Creative counselling sessions
I have 19+ years' experience of working therapeutically and creatively with children, adolescents and adults who suffer from anxiety, depression, stress, anger or who struggle to 'fit in'.
50 minute sessions can include talking, child-led play, creating, finding strategies together for self-regulation, information sharing, discovering triggers and what works for the individual when their fight/flight response is activated, and exploring issues the individual wishes to bring and work through. Sessions are tailored to meet the needs of the individual.
​
​
Cost: £60 per session
​
​
​
Reflective Practice
Groups
I have 19+ years' experience of working as a group facilitator and members of the groups find that thinking together with others increases the knowledge sharing and helps to create more opportunity to develop more inclusive and diverse thinking about our work with others. I offer reflective practice groups for teachers, therapists, social workers, parents and others who would find a space to think about their interactions with children and young people a source of support. Groups can have between 4-8 members and each session lasts for 2 hours.
These sessions can be arranged online or at your place of work.
I offer closed groups and drop in sessions, get in touch if you would like to know more.
​
Cost: £20 per person, per session
​
School Counselling Services
I am a well qualified and experienced Child and Adolescent Counsellor who can set up counselling services in your school. I provide early intervention mental health support, Integrative and Creative Counselling sessions. My aim is to support young people to find ways to self-regulate and engage with life tasks and to support school staff with ideas and strategies that are uncovered within the sessions. I can also offer reflective practice groups or trainings in therapeutic interventions for staff.
​
​
Cost: £60 per session
or £260 for a day
Supervision for Therapists
I have 17+ years experience of supervising groups or individuals who work with children, adolescents and adults. Alongside my experience I have a Diploma in child, adolescent and adult psychotherapy and counselling supervision from Terapia.
I offer Supervision to therapists who work with children, adolescents or adults in a client centred way and/or creatively. I can also offer reflective practice group sessions for other professionals who work with children or adolescents.
Cost between £45 - £60 per hour, depending on what you can afford.
Some information about me and sessions
Renetta Neal (Netty)- A Mind 2 Play Therapy
I am a highly qualified and experienced, BACP Registered Counsellor trained to work with Adults, children and adolescents using play, therapy skills, talking and the arts. I have over 19+ years of experience of providing therapeutic services for parents, children and adolescents. I have set up counselling services in schools to look after the mental health and well-being of their pupils. I work in private practice on Mondays as a counsellor and supervisor. In my experience I have seen children and young people gain an increased emotional vocabulary, heightened self-awareness and a growth in their ability to self-regulate and engage/focus on learning/life tasks, strategies for coping with their distress. I provide a safe containing space where children and young people can work through challenges that they face in life according to themselves. I also work in Private Practice providing counselling for adults and adolescents f2f.
I work mainly in a person-centred, client-led way though I have a good range of therapeutic tools which enable me to be more directive and solution-focused when appropriate.
I am a qualified Clinical Supervisor who has 17+ years' experience of working individually and in groups with qualified and student counsellors/psychotherapists/psychologists as well as with therapeutic playworkers. I facilitate reflective practice groups on a freelance basis for teachers, social workers, therapists and parents/carers.
​
Feeling stuck? At a crossroads in your emotional life? Even the strongest among us can feel lost, unsure, ambivalent, or unhappy at times. As a qualified and experienced counselling professional, I can support you to find ways to understand and manage whatever life throws at you, and how to do it playfully. I believe we all have the strength not just to survive, but to truly thrive.
​
I use creativity, play and talking in my work as an Integrative Person Centred Counsellor. I work with children, adolescents and adults, working with each person as the amazing individual they are, supporting them to reflect on life and the challenges it entails.
​
I can also tailor sessions to work with parents/carers and their children/young people to find ways to re-connect and establish healthier boundaries and coping mechanisms. Get in touch through my contact form if you would like to find out more.
What a therapy session might look like::-
-
Create and play games (Optional)
-
Talk about life, events, troubles and good times
-
Make and create with art materials (Optional)
-
Discuss and co-create ways of managing anxieties, worries, excitements, fears etc.
-
Share stories about events from your life
-
Relax
-
Do some calming stuff like meditations, mindfulness and invent emotion management strategies (optional)
-
Create a space where you feel you can express what you need to with confidence
-
Create a therapeutic relationship which includes confidentiality but with awareness that we are responsible for keeping safe. For example I cannot keep it to myself if I know you are being hurt or someone else is being hurt. (There are other limits to confidentiality which will be discussed)
-
Share honestly and openly thoughts, feelings or ideas about yourself, your life and our work (or even me) and I will share honestly about those things too without judgement.
Together we can:
-
Decide what will happen in each session
-
Discuss events, thoughts and feelings – all you have to say is important and will be heard.
You can:
-
Talk or not talk as you please.
-
Ask me to be quiet if I am talking too much.
-
Express yourself in many ways as long as you do not harm yourself, me or any materials on purpose.
-
Tell me what you are feeling; even if it is not pleasant and even if it is about me, I am here to listen.
-
Be sure I will NOT talk about anything you share with me unless there is a risk of harm to self or others or there is a lawful reason I have to break confidentiality.
-
Talk about your sessions to whoever you would like to or choose to not speak about them knowing that I will not talk to anyone about sessions except for supervision and then keeping the work anonymous and only in relation to ensuring my work with you remains ethical and safe.
​
Contact Me
I endeavour to help and support people to develop the tools they need to cope with the emotional challenges in their lives. Contact me today to learn more and book a session.
07495 895 457
Walthamstow E17
Information Collection And Use
​
While using this site, you may provide certain personally identifiable information that I will use to contact or identify you.
Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to, your name, email address and telephone number.
I will use your information to respond to any enquiries you submit on the contact form.
​
I will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless I have your permission or are required by law to do so.
​
You may request details of personal information which I hold about you under the Data Protection Act 2018. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please email netty.neal@outlook.com
​
If you believe that any information I am holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please contact me as soon as possible and I will correct the relevant information.