Take 2 mins to find out how children's counsellors are using Minecraft as a therapeutic tool

I was invited by the BACP to make a short 2 minute presentation for their 2023 AGM about my work using Minecraft as a therapeutic tool. In this video I highlight the work of the children's counselling team at KEMP Hospice who, back in April-July 2023, did my Level 1 and Level 2 training in Using Minecraft as a Therapeutic Tool.

Here's some lovely feedback from the team at KEMP Hospice who are now using Minecraft in their work with children and young people who have been bereaved or who are facing the death of a significant person in their lives:

'Ellie has been a joy to work with, her friendly, warm and professional approach to training and supporting the team in learning to use Minecraft has been brilliant. Ellie is knowledgeable and thorough and her skill and enthusiasm for working in new ways with children and young people has been inspiring for the team. The quality of her online and face to face training is excellent and the team have gained new skills, increased confidence and are using their learning to work in new and innovative ways with children and young people who have been bereaved or who are facing the death of a significant person in their lives. Wide ranging, Ellie covered everything from the technical skills, equipment and software, through to the therapeutic work and the ethical considerations and boundaries of online work. I wholeheartedly recommend Ellie as a trainer and would not hesitate to work with her again.' 

Lisa Anthony, Family Support and Bereavement Services Manager, KEMP Hospice

'Using Minecraft as a therapeutic tool has transformed our way of working with children and young people. We, as therapists are able to step into an environment created by our young clients; their own virtual world in which they can share and express their emotions in a creative way. By encouraging imagination and expression we can explore their grief at a deeper therapeutic level and help them to uncover their feelings following bereavement. Although our use of Minecraft is in its infancy, it is being warmly received by an increasing number of clients. To date the team have used Minecraft with children aged between ages 8 to 11 years and will begin to roll it out to secondary school age young people in the coming weeks. As a charity, we never charge for our care and support services, so we are incredibly proud to be able to offer this new and innovative form of counselling, and it is a joy to see our clients thrive from this way of working therapeutically.'

Lynette Cadwallader, Counsellor, KEMP Hospice

You can find out more about KEMP Hospice's counselling service using Minecraft here: https://www.kemphospice.org.uk/latest/counselling-using-minecraft