Psychological Support Programs
An innovative program for the nursing child, implemented by the Open Embrace with the aim of providing psychological support to children and parents, and their discharge.
Clown Doctors
are professional animateurs that work along with the hospital staff in each children’s hospitals so they can give to children a taste of a different type of medicine: an extra dose of laughter, happiness and love. This program helps children patients a lot, since according to the research, laughter is a miraculous medicine.
Laughter, a unique treatment.
Clown Doctors goals are:
- To fight the stress that children feel when they are hospitalized.
- To reduce the feeling of pain through the secretion of endorphins, the natural “analgesics” of our body.
- To strengthen the immune system
- To have a positive effect on children’s cardiopulmonary system.
Play Therapy
The institution of Play Therapy began in Finland in 1909. During the following years, the importance of playing was recognized and documented through research. In 1974 Play Therapy was recognized by law as one of Children’s Rights.
The first play therapy program was created at the Pediatric Hospital P. & A. Kyriakou with the support of Professors Konstantinos Papadatos and the guidance of child psychologist Gonilla Roden.
Nowadays, play therapy is taking place in specially designed areas of the hospital and it is run by volunteers of “Open Arms Hug”.
Play Therapy goals are:
To protect the child’s mental health on the best possible way
To make it easier for the child to accept the hospital environment
To help the child accept their illness and work with the medical and nursing staff
To use playing to prepare a child for a serious surgery or even a possible disability.
To diminish a child’s concern by communicating with other children and help them understand that they are other children like them too (team dynamics).
To help them understand that the Hospital and the Doctors are there to take care of their own good and not only to bring pain.
To help children express their feelings and let go of negative thoughts, reactions and emotions.
To teach parents how they can support the child during their illness.