Over the past year, 8-year-old Anna would find joy in play therapy. Even then, she could get wiggly and shout, “That’s enough! That’s enough!” when a caregiver or therapist would offer help to express feelings and needs in an in-person session. With the onset of the pandemic and shift to telehealth, Anna was pushed to find new ways to work with her Washburn Center therapist.
In one of their first sessions after the state shutdown in March, her therapist and parents were “blown away” by how Anna opened up. She showed growth from her year-long therapy work and revealed she could articulate feelings, share developments about relationships and tell stories about “scavenger hunt walks that boost my mood!”
The child opened up about feelings of sadness and missing friends and teachers. In 40 minutes, Anna talked and demonstrated development that showed a little, but oh-so-strong and resilient, child.