As I observe the way sue plays, she reminds me about compliance personality. I was surprised a compliance personality can be so obvious in a six years old kid. She is systematic and organizes in her playing. She wants very thing to be accurate just like the moment she drawing the straight line. Min See tells us that this can be part of her personality but also may because of the expression of her psychological needs. When Sue cannot control the real life situation (such as her father remarry issue), she will try to control those things that she can control. Throughout the session Sue did not show any sign of self-harm behavior, she is very quiet and polite instead. She is very passive and didn’t talk much with us, only talk to us when she needs something. Most of time she talking with herself; even I tried to draw near I still couldn’t heard clearly what she is saying. When she wants to play at another corner of the room, she didn't directly tells us she wants go move over there. She will look at the corner and waiting for us to ask her. Min See told us that this is because she need affirmation/assurance to do something. I personally feel comfortable to play with Sue even though she did not talk much with me. Working with children in the play session requires more attention and observation, because we not just playing with them but we have to be aware of what the children trying to tell us from the toy they choose, the way they play and so on.
In thinking about personality....what are your thoughts about the nature vs nurture debate? How much of the young child's personality could be a response or reaction to the influences of familial socio-cultural environment and how much to innate genetic make-up? For the counsellor, if personality is 'fixed' or immutable at such a young change, how and where does the counsellor/therapist come in as a potential 'change agent'?
ReplyDeleteI do see your point here, so it is means that Sue's behaviour might not because of her personality?
ReplyDeleteMy invitation is to keep an open mind, develop a critical approach and be aware of the limitations of an 'either or' thinking thus allowing your creative and investigative mind to consider all options as you consider what each approach or paradigm brings into the argument as you weigh and consider each contribution in arriving at your own conclusions which is open to change with further evidence. Absolute thinking limits possibility in contrast to relative thinking.
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