The use of clay therapy in young children from divorced homes in Klein Windhoek, Namibia

• Main Author: Dannhauser, Martha Jacoba
• Other Authors: Roets, H. E. (Hester Elizabeth)
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Young children; Children of divorce; Divorced children; Effects of divorce; Nuclear family; Clay; Clay therapy; Emotions; Verbal and nonverbal language; Paralanguage; Observation; 618.92891656096881; Clay > Therapeutic use > Namibia > Windhoek; Modeling > Therapeutic use Namibia > Windhoek; Counseling in elementary education > Namibia > Windhoek; Children of divorced parents > Namibia > Windhoek > Psychology
• Online Access: Dannhauser, Martha Jacoba (2013) The use of clay therapy in young children from divorced homes in Klein Windhoek, Namibia, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/10594>; http://hdl.handle.net/10500/10594

I became aware of the frequency of the traumatic effect of parental divorce on the lives of the children involved. My research intervention is investigating what value working with clay as therapeutic medium could have for young children from divorced homes. I used non-directive instruction to see whether it enabled children to relate and express their personal experiences more easily . Some children seemed hesitant about projecting their own emotions onto the clay models but, in the end, rich information and spontaneous communication was achieved. The analysis and interpretation of the data from the therapy sessions clearly showed the value of using clay as a therapeutic medium when working with children from divorced homes. By expressing and sharing feelings and emotions experienced during and after parental divorce, the participants indicated that it helped them to work through guilt and other issues, and to come to terms with the reality of the changes in their lives. === Psychology of Education === M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)