October 10, 2021
8:30-11:30 am, 1-4pm (MT)
Working with Traumatized Children Through Play Therapy
Presenter: Courtney Lewis, MA LPCC RPT-S IMHE-III
6CE's
ONLINE/Link sent Prior to Training
APT Content Area: Special Topic
Due to COVID-19 health concerns, this one-time online event has been approved by APT for 6 CONTACT CE Hours.
As a practicing play therapist your practice is filled with clients of various experiences. A common reason many of our client’s are referred to play therapy is due to trauma. Trauma affects how the brain develops and how the child develops during periods when fundamental building blocks are put in place. How a child’s nervous system responds to trauma is often seen through their behavior in the play room.
Play therapy skills are fundamental tools for working with trauma in the child’s life.
Trauma work also requires building our awareness of vicarious trauma. Vicarious trauma creates burnout and painful consequences for a play therapist and our clients. It is important to protect and care for ourselves as we would want someone to care for our clients.
OBJECTIVES: Participants will:
1) Identify how trauma affects the brain and child development.
2) Create a play therapy treatment plan to effectively support the child’s nervous system in reaction to trauma and triggers.
3) Describe how play therapy treats trauma effectively in collaboration with family participation.
4) Assess how trauma is expressed in the playroom
5) Identify the use of play therapy Tools for Working with Trauma: Toys, tracking, reflecting, creation of trauma narrative and protective narrative and utilizing the child’s guardians
6) Describe the effects of vicarious trauma on the clinician and the effects of the child’s trauma on the play therapist
7) Plan self care to support your play therapy work with trauma.