Great story from our colleagues at Rethink with Play Therapy.
Often a metaphor is used to describe therapy as only a band aid on a bigger problem so here is a little story about band aids in therapy.
Lilly and the Band-Aid A Story by Edel Lawlor. Expressive Play Therapy and Training, Co Kerry.
Once upon a time a little girl went to see a special play lady as safe adults around her knew she needed someone outside the family to help. Lilly had witnessed many storms, sometimes having enough time to hide, sometimes hiding her siblings but acting as a shield against a storm that was unpredictable, harsh, frightening and violent.
Many times Lilly was hurt, sometimes visible and lots of time invisible hurts. Inside hurts that no one could see. Lilly learned many ways to cope with the storms, sometimes she ran for cover, shouted and showed big feelings when the storm wasn’t around. Even when the weather was calm she still held her shield high, never trusting to let it down.
Lilly was assured that she need not worry as she wouldn’t have to hold up her shield anymore, cover her siblings or hide as the storms that scared her were gone. Safe adults were going to make sure she would enjoy the sunshine. Lilly had experienced so many storms it was hard for her to believe them.
Many visits to the special play lady, making shields, battling storms, having snow ball fights (safe battles) dancing, singing and playing. One day Lilly asked to play doctors, she picked up many bandages and asked the special play lady to help her but bandages on the invisible hurts.
While Lilly played doctors and use bandages she was being helped, when Lilly went to school and the teacher smiled she got another bandage, when her granny brushed her hair who she visited regularly after the storms ended, more bandages were given when the safe adults around her protected her, even more bandages were used.
One day Lilly came to play time and said “I don’t want to play with the bandages anymore, keep them for another kid who might need them” a moment like this is what brightens the heart of a special play lady.
It’s the safe scaffolding of communities is where a child will recover. Children will recover through relationships and of course love
By Edel Lawlor
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