Counselor Conversation with the Life’s Learning Team
Part of a series of counselor conversations that happen with our team and visiting professionals
Creative Interventions and Therapeutic Presence in Counseling
Our team had the honor to have Mileva Yant, MS, LMHC, owner of Between The Branches Counseling join us and share about considerations with utilizing and creating interventions in therapy with kids and teens. I met Mileva over 15 years ago, first in leading a group process class and then later when she was under my supervision as an intern. It has been an honor over the years to stay in touch and to be witness to the natural gifts and gentle spirit that Mileva brings to the work she does in a purpose filled way. It is this way of being that I know is a conduit for change for anyone (all ages) that she works with.
In her time with our team, I valued most how Mileva related the value of “being with” clients of all ages, be it through holding space, being light-hearted and always being genuine and real.
Mileva shared about the importance of tailoring interventions to each individual clients needs with change, growth or healing. She brought with her cards, paper plates, games, pipe cleaners and all kinds of materials to show us ideas for interventions that we could draw from in our work with kids and teens, in response to feelings identification, anxiety, identifying strengths or resilience, telling part of one’s story, letting go, distress tolerance, behavioral issues and much more.
Mileva shared various board or card games that she has utilized in therapy and adding a therapeutic edge to each game. She stated that the game play alone teaches so much in terms of setting simple and consistent guidelines for the session and for the office to be a safe and structured container for the client. She related considerations that games teach around, natural consequences when the rules are not followed, managing distress tolerance, good sportsmanship, acceptance and a light-hearted and yet therapeutic focus amidst getting to know a client. “It doesn’t matter what the ending is, it is just the process with some of these interventions.”
While our team walked away with so much learning and examining what might be helpful in working with kids and their family’s. We were most inspired by the following:
- Being able to lean into the individualized interests and needs with each client and utilizing our creativity to create interventions tailored to the clients unique interests and needs.
- The use of metaphor (the client’s metaphors expanded upon or relatable metaphors) is something that can be validating, informative and powerful.
- With self-disclosure, it is about modeling and sharing only when it is a benefit for the client. Some sharing may help kids little brains get going and most often to vere away from this
- Mileva also graciously shared around her experiences with counseling, using the counseling room and the interventions chosen as a container for structure. Within the idea of creating structure, she spoke about being clear about the rules of the therapy room and game play. With games, she related how she explores with the client how to play the game and the general rules of the game in the beginning. She identified 4 rules that she shares consistently in order to continue playing the game:
- Only touch your own pawn, card or token, unless you ask somebody or somebody asks you to touch them.
- Only play when it’s your turn (hands are not in the game.
- Pay attention to the game and whoever is playing.
- Any challenges with following the rules (including cheating and poor sportsmanship), the game is gently discontinued. (The client will be given an opportunity to play the game again later with the same rules repeated and honored). With these rules, Mileva shared that she will give 3 warnings before play would be ended, giving opportunity for the client to shift and engage with following the rules.
During our time with Mileva, she planted a seed of inspiration, giving my team further validation around the power of presence in “being with” clients at the very core of all the work we do. Further she endorsed how important creating structure and consistency as a safe container for the client to explore, heal, shift, learn and grow with the utmost positive regard and acceptance center in the room. Our team began to expand their ideas with getting creative, utilizing some of Mileva’s ideas and expanding on their own theoretical logic and client tailored interventions. I was reminded about the ripple of learning and positive affects that can happen from one gentle person, like Mileva being willing to share what she knows. None of us should have to do this alone and there is so much we can learn from each other. For this, I am grateful.
About the Presenter
Mileva Yant, MS, LMHC, NCC
Between the Branches Therapy PLLC
Between the Branches Therapy PLLC
FROM ROOTS TO LEAVES: THERAPY FOR ALL PHASES OF GROWTH AND HEALING
https://sweetgrasscommons.com/mileva-yant
Sweetgrass Commons
323 E 2nd Ave, Ste 201
Spokane, WA 99202
(509) 495-1525
About the Author
Suzanne Apelskog, MS, LMHC is the owner, counselor and clinical supervisor at Life’s Learning
515 W. Francis Ave., Suite 5, Spokane, WA 99205
- 509-433-7755