20 yrs experience in a west london prep school setting working with children aged 4 - 13yrs. I work through zoom and in our first session we talk 'about you' setting some goals and targets. What are we seeking to achieve, finding out interests and hobbies. With my extensive counselling experience with children we use creative tools which the child would receive by post before the first session, along with a self care journal. Depending on the targets we would work for x6 sessions then review.
Example -How are you feeling on scale 1-10? Where do you see yourself on the tree? if a child has anxiety - what do you notice in your body? shade in template of cut out body where you feel your anxiety. What is happening when you feel anxious, what are your thoughts, feelings behaviours - use cognitive behaviour therapy. Use a weekly planner to notice your triggers. What could you do, teach coping strategies to overcome anxieties. how could you do things differently? What happened this week? With younger children I use alot of air drying clay and other tools eg. make your worry, what does it look/feel/smell like? Draw your worry. Make a worry monster. I would use age appropriate story books if necessary. Use of breathing/creative mindfulness techniques.