About Us:
Vivian Ho, UK-Certified Play Therapist:
- Moved to NZ from Hong Kong in 1990
- Founder of the Inner Seeds Workshop in 2011
- Postgraduate Diploma in Practice Based Play Therapy with Merit (Canterbury Christ Church University, UK)
- Projective Drawing Supervision Certificate (Hong Kong)
- Accredited MBTI® & Certified MMTIC® Facilitator (trained in person by MMTIC® Developer Dr. Elizabeth Murphy in Dallas, USA in 2011)
- Masters in Economics – Honours (University of Auckland, New Zealand)
- Hong Kong Economic Times weekly parenting column writer
- Author of Parenting book “Children Personality Type Matrix Decoding” (Chi)
- Written and spoken language proficiency in English, Cantonese and Mandarin
- Familiar with Asian parenting culture & values, having significant experience working with Asian children, parents and families
- Mother of an intermediate girl and a primary boy
Non-directive/Child-Centred Play Therapy helps children who suffer from:
- trauma
- abuse
- nightmares
- social disconnection or withdrawal
- bullying or being bullied
- communication and/or behavioural problems
- under performance in school
- parents who are separated or divorced
- grief, loss and bereavement
- regression
Directive Play Therapy will be designed for specific therapeutic needs by combining Projective Drawing, story and art therapy approaches.
Jungian Sandplay is a psychological-based, powerful and non-verbal therapeutic tool to unlock the unconscious world of children and adolescents.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) is a world-renowned 16 Type Indicator for adult and parents.
Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children® (MMTIC®) is an assessment that was developed to measure psychological type preferences in children and young people from the ages of 7 to 18. It shares the same reliability and validity as MBTI®
For details, please visit: https://www.peoplestripes.org/assessment-mmtic/children-assessment-personality.htm
What is the difference between Play Therapy and daily free playtime?
Talk therapy does NOT work for children. Play Therapy is an opportunity for children to “play out” their feelings and thoughts; including anxiety, worries, fears, desires, wishes and hope in a free and safe space with a firm and stable boundary. It is an effective counselling approach for children to deal with their emotional, conduct, tantrum, ADHD/concentration and social difficulties. Play Therapy sessions are arranged with a therapeutic objective and a trained therapist is in attendance.
Play Therapy encourages a child to use creative ways to solve problems, to contain energy, and to develop a deep sense of security and resilience.
Physical environment:
My therapeutic playroom is set up in a private premise located in a cul-de-sac street. It is in the school zone of Macleans College, Bucklands Beach Intermediate and Pigeon Mountain Primary School. It is safe and quiet for therapeutic work and has good parking.
The therapeutic playroom consists of a comprehensive collection of sandplay figurines and sand trays for Jungian sandplay, along with a variety of toys for specific therapeutic goals:
- Therapeutic Storytelling – Moral and Spiritual Development
- Creative Visualization – Understanding and Thinking, finding Resources
- Drama (Role-play, dress up) – Social Relations and Engagement
- Puppets & Masks – Caring for Self
- Arts (Clay, Drawing & Painting) – Creativity and Aesthetic Experiences
- Music – Communication and Pattern
- Dance and Movement – Physical Skills and Energy Release
- Sandplay / Sand World – Emotional and Unconscious Expression
Atmosphere:
Play Therapy is a “Special Time” for children
The time spent by a therapist with a child in a play session is:
- Non Judgmental
- Non Directive
- Non Interpretative
The child is neither praised nor blamed for his/her choice of play and how he/she plays. By providing a free atmosphere within safe boundaries, the therapist allows the child complete freedom to express him/herself physically, verbally, with play toys and art materials.
In Special time, a child has FEW but NECESSARY Boundaries
- Child is safe
- The therapist is safe
- All play toys are safe
Inner Seeds can help your child through:
Play Therapy / Jungian Sandplay:
- Parent interview and initial meet up with the child
- 6-12 therapeutic sessions, depending on Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) score and therapeutic needs and goals, 50 minutes per session
- Review debriefing with parents
Benefits of Play Therapy
- Self control and express freely with confidence
- Respect and accept him/herself
- Both positve and negative emtions can be accepted
- Make decisions and be responsible for own choices
- Be creative to develop solution when facing difficulties or problems
- Know how to self-care and self-regulate, able to comfort and take care of self
Benefits of Jungian Sandplay
- The use of Sandplay in Play Therapy adopts Jungian Analytical Psychotherapy as its foundation
- Centre of our personality or psyche is the ‘self’
- The psyche and self, like our physiological system, can be metaphorically wounded
- Self-healing can take place in a healing environment
- Self-symbolism: the Self is often symbolised in dreams, art, sand world and others
- A healthy Self is centred and grounded
- Psychological healing occurs on many levels – within and outside our awareness
- Play and creativity operate on impulses from outside our awareness – the unconscious
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®):
- For age 18 or up and parents
- Online submission of MBTI Evaluation to CPPAsia Pacific
- 1 hour verification session and Verified Report delivery
Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children® (MMTIC®) Program and Assessment:
- Assessment and Program developed by The Centre for Applications of Psychological Type (CAPT) in USA
- 5 Verification sessions, 1 hour each, private or in small groups of 3-5
- For primary students (Year 5-6): Discovering My Best and Your Best
- For intermediate students: Discovering My Strengths and Stretches
- For high school students: Creating a Personal Path for Success
- Understanding the chemistry of personality in the family and the classroom
- Self-reflection and recognition, natural strengths & stretches discovery, personality type verification, suggestions for studying, working with others, friendships and working with parents and teachers and enhance self, behaviour and relationship management
- MMTIC® Program Booklet & 10-pages Verify Type Report covering the following areas:
- Best learning style
- How to make good decisions
- People management in family and in class
- Most fit career path in future (High School)
- Verified Report debriefing to parents
If you feel you or your child would benefit from our therapies, please contact us today.
Services
- Non-directive/Child-Centred Play Therapy
- Directive Play Therapy
- Jungian Sandplay
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®)
- Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children® (MMTIC®)
Service content may vary due to different therapeutic needs. Inner Seeds Workshop reserves the right to alter the service content
Services
- Non-directive/Child-Centred Play Therapy
- Directive Play Therapy
- Jungian Sandplay
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®)
- Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children® (MMTIC®)
Service content may vary due to different therapeutic needs. Inner Seeds Workshop reserves the right to alter the service content
Teenager (age: 18)
Service used: Mmtic Psychological Type Assessment, Adolescence counseling
I started out my therapy wanting to seek channel to relieve stress and tackle self-blame. Vivian accompanied and assisted me in puting my thoughts into words until I could put things into perspective. I needed not to worry about my difficulties in expressing verbally as I could do things with my hands rather than talking. Under the psychological safe environment, I was able to figure out some of my irrational beliefs that had rooted in my mind since childhood. The therapy and the follow-up practices had permitted me much deeper understanding of myself, and a little more self-acceptance. Overall, it had been a nice experience and a great joruney to know more about myself.
Mother of child (age: 8)
Service used: Play Therapy since 4, Mmtic Psychological Type Assessment
My girl went to Vivian when she was 4. Vivian gave a lot of angles and thinking of my girl which I didn’t realize (some were surprised). She helps me to know a lot on the problem behind to understand the child and gave her view to change my mindset. Most important, my girl gradually turn to be more positive and coming out from the dark side. Vivian is so professional and treat people with kind and positive mind. My girl is now 8 and became steady.
Mother of child (age: 10)
Service used: Play Therapy since 4, Mmtic Psychological Type Assessment, MBTI for both parents
My son joined the play therapy of Vivian when he was four in 2012 till now.
He likes Vivian so much that when she had time back to Hong Kong, he would ask me to arrange time to see her. He liked all what she prepared for him and listened to her. He did improved a lot. Vivian always gave my husband and me the constructive advices and we could find her in any times we need her. She is so kind and really helps us a lot. We are still waiting for her next time back to Hong Kong.
Father of children (age: 12), (age: 10)
Service used: Play Therapy, Mmtic Psychological Type Assessment, MBTI for both parents
My heartfelt words to Vivian:
Tackling kid’s emotional problems & complexities were daunting tasks for me and my wife. Fortunately, we met Vivian 8 years ago and blessed that her reliable service and professional advice guide us and my kids to the right track which make life easier. Thanks Vivian!
Mother of child (age: 12)
Service used: Play Therapy since 2016, Mmtic Psychological Type Assessment
Your patience and professional service make me understand my daughter more, eventually get through all the things. You can see my daughter’s personality and potential that really help to find the suitable study place. She becomes a confident and happy girl! Thanks so much – Vivian.
Father of child (age: 9)
Service used: Mmtic Psychological Type Assessment, MBTI for parent
I found MMTIC to be extremely useful. My son underwent a MMTIC assessment performed by Vivian back in April 2014, when he was 4 years old. I must say Vivian is very professional and caring, treating every child as unique individual. Through the assessment result, I was immediately able to identify my son’s character, in terms of both strengths and areas for improvement. I relied heavily on it and managed to select the right elementary school for him. My son is going to turn 9 years old soon, and I am proud to say he’s now a happy P.3 student. Therefore, I think highly of both MMTIC and Vivian, and am willing to vow for her if required.
Mother (age: 14) (age: 11)
Service used: Mmtic Psychological Type Assessment, Directive Play Therapy and adolescence counseling
My daughters and I have been seeing Vivian since my eldest daughter was eight, and I have really seen lots of positive changes since then. After a few sessions, my eldest daughter began to open up again after not being able to talk and being very shy for a few years. Vivian has also been counselling my younger daughter for a few months this year, when she started becoming sad for a long period of time. However, after talking and counselling with Vivian, my younger daughter started to become happier again and showed large improvement in her moods. Overall, I think that Vivian’s therapy and counselling was extremely beneficial to my family and I have taken a lot of her advice about allowing my daughters circumstances to be more confident and happy.
