“Patrick loves playing the same games, hearing the same story over and over and over again.”   (4 years old)

When Patrick plays at home he will repeatedly ask his father to tell him the same story about his trip to his favorite beach vacation. He will take out the same toys and play the same story over and over again.

At first, his parents felt it would pass but then they became worried that he was stuck. And what did that mean?

In sessions, we explored the many sequences that occurred in the play. For instance, the story had consistent organization (ie. packing up the car for the trip), he then identified the fast pace of the car ride and the waves at the beach (the activities he felt were unpredictable and out of his control). His parents then learned options of expanding on these themes of organization/control vs. anticipation/change. All together, we used movement to embody the various actions in the story – moving in an organized pattern vs. rushing, or jumping in waves.

When Patrick’s parents understood and moreso, joined in movement to embody the story completely. Patrick was then able to share control to expand on the story and make changes in his play and even create completely new ideas.

His parents saw the value in the underlying themes explored in a story and how they could use the qualities of movement (such as speed/timing) to lead Patrick to have more opportunities to share his ideas and be accepted in his needs.

Can it be difficult to follow or join your child’s play? Everyday I work with children of all ages and their families to help support the meaningful connection and ideas expressed by each other! Email me at therapy@drloribaudino.com or call me at (310) 966-0700 to schedule your time.

Please Note: These stories are based on real moments but all names, ages, and identifying information has been changed to ensure confidentiality and safety for all individuals involved. The events are a composite of related scenarios used to illustrate the work; bringing understanding to the benefits of supporting children through a mind/body connection.