Do you remember Hermione Granger, the character from the “Harry Potter” books, had a magical bag in which everything could fit, even a tent? The girl used the “Extender” spell to keep many things in a small space. Do you think this is just fantasy and fairy tales? Well, it’s not! We found a real room where this complex spell has been working for many years.
We’re talking about our partners – the KNP 16 Children’s Hospital. Back when we were creating the room for the psychological service, the hospital team thought everything through so well that even today, toys don’t fall out of the closet when it’s opened. We asked Vlada Yevseyeva, the head of the psychological service, how this is possible!
The psychological service room consists of two parts: a large one for consultations and various therapeutic practices, and a small one for the office and storage.
“We didn’t just furnish the rooms, we created a space where children, parents, and the team can comfortably work, experience pain or anxiety, create, be inspired, and have the opportunity to relieve tension and relax. The furniture project came from personal experience because I was initially a volunteer at this hospital, and I already had a lot of toys that I stored in large plastic bins. So, when I was offered a permanent position, I already knew exactly what was needed for the psychologists’ methodical base: the furniture must fit everything,” recalls Vlada.
All the closets inside are labeled: games for visual and spatial perception correction, praxis for hands, thinking, and neurodynamics.
Currently, the room stores not only toys but also various tools for psychological work with the children being treated. For example, complex chairs and two mobile tables needed for events with many children. Remarkably, they also fit into the room’s space.
“Children are always amazed when I ‘poof’ and pull something out,” laughs Vlada.
The psychologists have a magical sofa, which, during the planning stage, had to be chosen not just by size but also by functionality.
“Our requirements for the sofa were such that, if necessary, a large teenager could fit on it for relaxation sessions, and we could also place lying children on it if they couldn’t sit. For example, before a group session, we lay out the sofa, the child lies close to the wall, covers themselves, and just lies there. Meanwhile, everyone sits in a circle on this sofa, and we start the session,” shares Vlada.
The psychologists thought of everything, including the round table where more children can sit, and where it’s very comfortable to establish a connection “without corners”. If only adults could have this too!
According to Vlada Yevseyeva, the key to the spell is having a team and reliable partners by your side. Believe me, we’re very happy to be involved in such magical affairs 🙂