Hazel Bentley
Hello, my name is Hazel Bentley and I live in Shropshire.
I am a Certified Play Therapist offering Play and Creative Arts Therapy to individuals or groups, aged 4-18, who are currently finding life a struggle and would like to find ways to feel better.
For nearly 30 years, I have worked across various roles (such as Youth Work Leader and Level 3 Teaching Assistant), supporting many children, young people and adults from every sector of the community (and abroad), many of whom have had complex needs. These include learning disabilities, visual impairments, physical disabilities, ADHD, autism and mental health issues. I also have a firm understanding of the detrimental effects of poverty and social exclusion on individuals, families and communities.
In my Play Therapy work, I firmly believe that developing a trusting, non-judgemental rapport with my clients, within a safe space, is crucial to the therapeutic process. I always take a very child-centred approach and I like to work in a non-directive way. This means that clients can choose to express themselves in their own way and in their own time, gradually bringing their problems out into the open at a pace that feels comfortable to them. This is often done through the safety of metaphor, which play and art can provide – and even in silence, if this is what the client prefers. Clients can choose which, if any, materials or toys to use. Their choices are always respected.
However, using more direct approaches in response to particular issues is also an option.
In addition, clients are always welcome to talk through their problems openly, if comfortable to do so.
I strongly believe that every child has the right to a happy and fulfilling life and I am confident in my abilities to alleviate distress and to foster resilience.
- Organisation: PTUK
- Membership Number: 202004483
- Town: Shrewsbury
- County: Shropshire
- Country: United Kingdom
Qualification: Certified Play Therapist
