More than just Tri Tra Trullala
Play, fun and carefree. That's what dolls usually stand for. Sometimes, however, they can also bring distressing things to light.
My optic nerve is overwhelmed. So many colours, shapes and forms in one place. I look around, get very close to the shelves and soak up all the details. Dolls as far as the eye can see. One is practically staring at me. It's a skull in a black cape. It sits enthroned on a shelf and stands out from a sea of cheerful faces. A shiver runs down my spine. "Fear and courage are emotions that always play a role here," explains Brigit Oplatka. She is a puppet play therapist and works with young and old in the colourful setting of the "Sterntaler" fairytale and puppet studio in Winterthur. "Mainly with little ones. Adults are much less likely to engage in this complementary form of therapy with figures, although it is suitable for all ages."
"With the help of characters and stories, I can get to the bottom of developmental or behavioural problems in children and young people in a playful way and offer help with family problems or emotional stress," says Brigit. "Children communicate a lot non-verbally through play. I observe, take notes and sense what feelings and moods are spreading through the room." In doing so, she answers questions such as: Is the play structured or chaotic, is the child inhibited or flooded? Which characters and topics emerge? If her clients feel comfortable, it doesn't take long for them to act out their stories unfiltered, she says. These can be contradictory, painful and full of aggression. There is no judgement, only observation. Brigit Oplatka tries to find out where their needs lie and what development opportunities arise from this. People with Down's syndrome also come to her. "When linguistic access reaches its limits, creative forms of expression with materials, colours and small symbols help to bring the inner life to the outside world."
In most cases, her clients create the figures themselves. "That's an essential part of the therapy. I go on a little picture journey with children. They look for a figure in their imagination that they can identify with." Then they carve, sew and model them.
«Being creative strengthens the soul at a time when many things are being standardised.»
"Sometimes I incorporate little rituals into the design process. These can be wishes, scents or hidden stars that are worked into the modelling clay. Little secrets that only my client and I know. This gives the figure a greater meaning and deepens the relationship that is built up with it." It doesn't matter whether the result is a human, animal or magical creature, says the 46-year-old. The figures serve as symbolic carriers and project conflicts from within onto something external. This allows the person affected to bring their problems onto a stage in order to look at them from a new perspective and search for a solution.
Who is shown the finished figure is carefully considered. "My clients can decide for themselves whether their parents get to see the figures." If this is the case, Brigit asks the parents to hold back with comments and interpretations. This is particularly difficult for the parents if a figure expresses a lot of horror. However, you don't have to do it yourself. If you are not prepared to create a figure yourself, you can make use of the pool of figures. The puppet play therapist has built this up during her training, creating each piece herself. "It consists of archetypal figures that have characterised humanity since it was created," she explains to me. This includes the skull figure. For very young people - the youngest client in Brigit Oplatka's practice was three and a half years old - she uses small, carved figures or modelling clay if necessary. "Depending on the client's stage of development, hand figures can overtax their motor skills or even instil fear in them."
Figures can also serve people as so-called transitional objects, as a kind of ally from the magical world. "Small trouser bag figures or a soft toy that the child carries with them can create a link between the outside world and this safe place here. These objects take away the fear of their owner in difficult situations. For example, if someone who is being bullied needs courage to walk across the playground."
Behind the curtain
What comes to light in the puppet theatre is often anything but fairytale-like: bullying, evidence of domestic violence or sexual assault. Topics that leave their mark. "These are extreme cases. Sensitivity is required here," says Brigit Oplatka. During her time as a nursery school teacher, it was precisely these cases that prompted her to train as a figure play therapist. "I saw every day how many children were in difficult life situations. As a teacher, you can achieve a lot, but you can hardly do justice to every child. I wanted to work in a more targeted way. But even back then, stories and characters helped me to find access to withdrawn children and build trust. They create a sense of community in a large class with children from different backgrounds."
Brigit takes a slightly different approach with adults. "I reflect more on the puppetry with them during the therapy session. With children, interpretations would be overwhelming and therefore counterproductive. Instead, I have conversations with the parents in which I tell them what I have observed and how they can have a positive influence on their child's development."
Once upon a time
In addition to her work as a lecturer at the Hochen Fachschule für Figurenspieltherapie, the FFT HF in Olten, she works as a professional storyteller for children and adults and gives courses in storytelling. "I mainly tell folk tales." Brigit translates these into Swiss German. This is important because the language is closer to the audience's heart, she explains. She also tweaks the choice of words and the length. There are often parallel versions of a story. She then brings these together to create a version that is coherent for her.
«Fairy tales are treasures for me. They work across generations. Everyone draws from them what suits their current life situation.»
At home, Brigit has a large collection of fairy tales, mostly old finds from second-hand bookshops. "I'm always on the lookout for good stories. Fairy tales can connect cultures and bring us closer to old customs that we are largely alienated from today. They create a link back to earlier generations. It's important to know where we come from."
Symbolisation is what sets us apart from animals, says Brigit Oplatka. "Humans have been creating statues and figures since prehistoric times. A form of therapy that incorporates this aspect strengthens areas of the brain such as the limbic system. This area is particularly responsible for emotions." She explains to me that, although figurine therapy has very ancient roots, it can also be underpinned by modern findings. "When life gets disorganised, you sometimes need help tidying up. Characters and fairy tales lend a hand and build paths that lead out of the chaos."
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Natalie Hemengül
Senior Editor
Natalie.Hemenguel@digitecgalaxus.chAs a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions.
