Healing Childhood Trauma, Loss and Grief through Play Therapy
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PrintIn this workshop, you will learn how trauma impacts children and how play therapy allows children to use the language of play to resolve these issues and return to the necessary tasks needed for healthy development. The historically significant approaches to trauma research and treatment are essential to understanding and practicing in the field of play therapy. Treatment protocols have been developed based on the theoretical approaches that include Trauma Focused-Integrated Play Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Expressive Therapy for addressing trauma in children and adolescents.
You will learn how to develop a safe and protected space in the playroom through play therapy techniques that include directive, non-directive, expressive and sand tray work. The importance of offering both verbal and non-verbal approaches to working with trauma in children will be explained. You will be able to identify the recognized phases of trauma treatment and implement interventions for different age groups and developmental levels for each of the three phases. Ways to work with parents and guardians in conjunction with play therapy treatment will also be presented, including different family systems and cultural considerations.
This workshop is designed to help you:
- Discuss the theoretical approaches that comprise the history of trauma-informed treatment in children;
- Develop and maintain a trauma-informed safe and protected playroom for treatment purposes;
- Compare the three major protocols being used for treating children with traumatic histories;
- Describe the three phases of treatment utilized for the treatment of trauma with children and adolescents;
- Explain the different treatment needs of children according to their developmental level;
- Practice play-based interventions utilizing directive, non-directive, expressive and sand tray work;
- Recognize family and cultural issues in treating trauma; and
- Discuss parent/guardian sessions and support of parents/guardians during the treatment of children and adolescents.
This offering is ineligible for coupon use. Discounts are available on individual courses for active-duty military, reservists, Guard members, veterans, and military spouses. Please note, coupon codes cannot be combined with other discounts/coupons, and will not be retroactively applied.
Instructor: Katie Francis, LCSW, RPT-S™, CTP-C
Katie Francis is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Registered Play Therapist -Supervisor™ (RPT-S), and Certified Trauma Practitioner-Clinical (CTP-C). She has been working for ChildSavers for over 10 years providing outpatient therapy to children, teens and families. Katie is also the Program Manager for Mental Health Services Outpatient Program and Immediate Response program and provides clinical supervision to some of our staff. Katie has extensive training in providing trauma focused treatment to children, teens and families as well as training in the use of play, art, sand and attachment-based treatments. She has previously taught for the Play Therapy training courses on Group, Family and Filial work. Katie thoroughly enjoys supporting our community’s children and families by helping them to find healing and build resiliency through the use of play and expressive therapies.
The Association for Play Therapy (APT) has approved this in person VCU event for 16 contact training hours. Effective July 1, 2022, the required 150 hours of play therapy instruction may be earned via contact training (in person only), non-contact training, and live webinars. Of the 150 hours of play therapy instruction, a minimum of 75 hours must be met by contact/in person training. A maximum of 75 hours may be met via live webinars and of those 75 hours, no more than 40 hours may be met via non-contact trainings. Definition of the above terms can be found at https://www.a4pt.org/
Synchronous In Person Sessions
Our in person sessions will be held at ChildSavers in Richmond, VA and offer an opportunity to interact with the instructor and other participants. There will be a one-hour break per day. Please bring your own lunch for the sessions.Attendance and Participation
Participants must attend the full workshop to receive APT continuing education hours from VCU and to earn the certificate of completion and the digital badge. Any individuals who test positive for COVID 19 or presumed positive, i.e. have an identifiable COVID-19 contact and are symptomatic, are not permitted to attend the in-person training and should reach out to ssschuetz@vcu.edu to discuss a transfer to another play therapy offering. Individuals, who have been exposed to a COVID-positive individual, are able to attend the in-person trainings after they have quarantined for 5 days and have been fever free for 24 hours.Should the training need to move to a teleconference platform, participants will be notified 48 hours prior to the training start date to adjust any travel plans. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these standards, please reach out to Katie Francis, Kfrancis@childsavers.org
Creative Materials
ChildSavers staff will provide all creative materials for experiential work during this workshop. Having said that, this workshop involves the making and reading of in person sandtrays. As such, participants are invited to bring no more than 10 meaningful small objects for their tray, if desired.Required Assessments
VCU conducts a two-part assessment in each workshop. To earn educational hours toward an Association for Play Therapy (APT) credential, you must pass both assessments. These include a scored rubric that demonstrates your mastery of workshop objectives via small and large group activities and discussion, and a multiple-choice test. Only participants who pass the activity rubric will be eligible to take the test.
Cancellation and Refund Policies:
You may cancel your registration up until two weeks before the workshop start date, and receive a full refund minus a $35 credit card processing fee. After that date, no refunds will be given. Cancellations must be received via email at ocpe@vcu.edu
In the unlikely event that this workshop is cancelled or postponed due to insufficient enrollments or unforeseen circumstances, the university will fully refund registration fees, but cannot be held responsible for any other expenses, including change or cancellation charges to include but not limited to airlines, hotels, travel agencies, or other organizations.Transfer Policy:
Workshop registrations may be transferred to a different workshop or person if requested in writing via email at ocpe@vcu.edu by the cancellation deadline. The participant must meet all prerequisites or qualifications required by the program. Participants who are unable to attend their registered session due to a positive COVID-19 test or exposure, may transfer their registration to another Play Therapy session at no cost.
Questions? Should you have any questions about the workshop, please contact Shelly Schuetz at ssschuetz@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1322.
Student/Participant Conduct:
Participants are subject to all university policies applicable to students, unless a specific university or VCU Continuing and Professional Education policy explicitly states otherwise. University policies governing students are available at https://vcu.public.doctract.com including:
Student Code of Conduct
Honor System and Standards of Academic Conduct
Preventing and Responding to Discrimination
Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy-Interim
Sex-Based Misconduct Policy-Interim
For Academic Accommodations, please visit https://ocpe.vcu.edu/courses/policies.html#accommodations
There are still openings remaining at this time.