Grace takes very well to art and play therapy. The other day I was able to re-regulate her by agreeing to her demands that we switch roles. I (as the child) begged her to read me a story which she consented to. By the time she was finished reading, she had re-regulated and we were able to address the original issue. Later that evening, she played the same card with my husband who agreed to play act a deregulated situation in our home. I have permission to share these videos with you. I apologize in advance for the poor quality. They were shot on the fly with my phone while holding Ty.
WP 20130329 011406Z from Melissa Dunn Corkum on Vimeo.
I wish the audio was clearer for what she was saying but the main point is that she is using voice control with the “deregulated child.” Patrick’s voice is loud and clear so you can get an idea of the kinds of things our kids spout out when they are de-regulated.
WP 20130329 012549Z from Melissa Dunn Corkum on Vimeo.
This drama played out over the course of at least 30 minutes. When our kids de-regulate, this can be the scene for hours. The last scene had us rolling.
WP 20130329 012622Z from Melissa Dunn Corkum on Vimeo.
Grace suddenly popped up and announced she was “sick of this.” She had gotten a taste of her own medecine and it was bitter going down. The following line, which I actually missed recording, was, “If I act like that, I am dumb and crazy.”
Besides being extreme comical relief for our family, I think that whole session was therapeutic. She’s been much more secure and stable the past couple days. Here’s hoping it’s not just a coincidence.
Wow, Grace was doing some great work, thank you for sharing!