Tara Jaffar

Child Counselling:

I work with children and young people, from as young as 4 years to 18 years (if already in therapy I can see young adults 18+ years). I have worked with children as young as 4 years old, and older teenagers.

Parent Work:

I also work separately with parents, when the child or YP is not in therapy or being seen by a different therapy. This is a piece of therapy a parent or carer (singe or in a couple) can undergo, where their role as parent and the challenges they are facing with their child remains central to the therapy. Both my professional experience and academic research shows this to be a very effective way to support parents to best support their child/ children. 

I trained in integrative child psychotherapy, and additional, completed two years of Gestalt Psychotherapy (adult). 

As a child counsellor, I work with the system around the child or young person. I would ideally meet with the parent/s or carers and school, to best support the child at the centre. A meeting would be organised before therapy commences, and review sessions approximately once per academic term. Reviews and meetings will respect confidentiality, so I would not be sharing what the child or YP has shared or what has taken place in sessions, beyond safeguarding concerns. 

I apply a creative approach, playful with gentle humour, to help a child or YP to feel at ease. My initial focus will be to build a trusting relationship, and will be non-directive in following the child's lead on how they wish to interact. Moving forward, I would continue to focus on engaging the child/ YP, and will invite them to explore their boundaries, and focus the work on the referral/ or therapeutic goals. These would be agreed on through a process of dialogue between the child/ YP, parent and teacher (if relevant) and myself.  

The first session will come after meetings with the parents/ carers, teacher/s and social worker (if relevant). A mutually suitable day/ time would be agreed on a number of sessions are agreed ahead of time (4-6 sessions) to decide together if therapy is the right intervention for this child right now. 

A first session may involve a parent/ carer, if the child feels more secure with their grown-up present. Otherwise, these initial sessions will involve my gently interacting with the child, possibly exploring the room together, making a drawing or playing a simple game to put them at ease. I follow the child's lead in terms of how much or how little to say and do. With an older child or YP, and if they are that way inclined, we are more likely to have a direct conversation around the referral reasons. 

I would introduce myself and what I do, introduce the room and some of the materials I use. Likely say something around what I know about them, and ask them to correct me if I got something wrong. These first sessions are precious, and often say a lot about how therapy may progress and what direction the child's journey may take.