EMDR therapy is a powerful evidence-based approach for children. However, the use of EMDR therapy procedural steps require that we make them developmentally appropriate for children. This session will address the integration between EMDR therapy and play in the sand tray. Sandtray based EMDR therapy is grounded on Gomez’ Multimodal approach to EMDR therapy where movement, dance, play therapy, Sandtray, expressive arts, parts work, polyvagal focused strategies, and parent child interventions, among others are masterfully integrated into the eight phases of EMDR therapy. The work to understand and create the union between EMDR, play therapy and Sandtray therapy is the product of 20 years of dedication and work. This session will provide an overview of initial phases of treatment as well as the various levels of distance offered by Sandtray work within EMDR therapy structure.
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Conventional thinking around culture and diversity often focuses on aspects like skin colour and sexual identity, excluding aspects of formed social, cultural, and diverse groups - faith-based practices, music, the arts, values and belief systems that also deserve critical thought. Gaining knowledge of the meanings of both culture and diversity will show that culture involves all ways of life and beliefs and is created by groups of varied individuals sharing similar beliefs and community structures. These community structures encompass the true meaning of culture and the practice of cultural humility.
In this recording, watch Carmen and Marshall as they show you how to build diversity by looking deeper than skin colour and sexual identity within the play therapy setting. They’ll share skills for applying cultural humility to overcome barriers preventing the development of the therapeutic relationship with the child and family based on the therapist's own worldview and level of cultural competence.
Increasing skills around cultural humility allows children and families to deepen their engagement with the therapist which deepens the healing process within the therapeutic setting. And, when you gain knowledge of the importance of practicing cultural humility in the playroom - you assure a level of therapeutic safety for all children and families!
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Secure attachment in early life is the gold standard for buffering a person against adversity throughout life. One of the appealing qualities of play is that it enhances relationship building between the child and therapist.
In this recording, watch David Crenshaw, PhD, as he shares the dos and don’ts of the therapist role, developed over the past 30 years in practice, and the tools needed to tackle them.
Do’s
Don'ts
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The challenge of working with children can be further compounded by their fear of entering therapy, their lack of control over the decision to attend therapy, their feeling of being scapegoated for family problems, their lack of motivation for treatment, and their developmental capacity which can make it difficult for them to respond to traditional talk-therapy.
Liana Lowenstein has helped thousands of therapists around the world learn how to connect with children in person and online. The first step in working with hard to engage clients is understanding the reasons underlying their resistance, and the second step involves engaging children in the therapeutic process.
View Liana Lowenstein, internationally recognized author and presenter, as she outlines various factors that underlie therapeutic resistance and shares interventions to engage children in therapy and maximize potential for change. Emphasis will be on innovative play therapy techniques including therapeutic games, art, and stories!
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The brain-body connection inherent in trauma is often challenging for us as adults…and applying this knowledge can be overwhelming, especially in a child-friendly way! How can we as therapists more effectively help children and families find their way back to safety, connection, and healing…decreasing acting-out behaviours and withdrawal, while increasing social engagement?
In this session, Jackie Flynn, expert in child and family trauma, will dive into the creative integration and application of Play Therapy and the Polyvagal Theory. You’ll learn practical, robust, evidence-based play therapy interventions while exploring the neuroscience of communication, emotional wellness, and social relationships.
Through an integrative framework, this recording will show you:
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In this recording, view Preschool Play Therapist, Amy Nelson, as she reveals a detailed blueprint for designing effective tele-play sessions with children 3 to 5 years old through the interactive powers of the green screen.
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In this recording, the science of the experience of self, identity and belonging will be explored. This session will examine the extremes of the independent and interdependent self-constructions and how our modern society pushes for the view of a solo-self to the detriment of social justice and environmental protection.
Play therapy offers a unique opportunity to expand the lens of identity to view a broader belonging and integrated self as Me plus We as an intraconnected MWe.
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Video games can transport us to worlds beyond our imagination. A board game can send us on an epic adventure and fulfilling side quests, while the origin stories found within a comic book can offer a powerful analogy to frame our own experiences. Integrating a client’s interests in play therapy can nurture rapport building, encourage creativity, and can provide a safe distance to process emotions and gain perspective. Geek Therapy is an affinity-based model of therapeutic intervention and communication based on the theory that the best way to understand each other, and ourselves, is through the media we care about. This recording will define and explore the Geek Therapy model created by Josué Cardona and provide case studies with directive and non-directive play therapy interventions presented by Registered Play Therapist Sophia Ansari, to bridge theory with practice. Geeking out is highly encouraged!
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Sand therapy is a powerful neurobiological approach to treating children, teens and families with trauma, anxiety, and attachment issues.
In this 90-minute recording, you will learn why sand therapies are so effective and the neuroscience behind them. Get a tour of the sandtray playroom, view a video sandtray demonstration, learn creative techniques and gain the basics that will keep you wanting more.
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Digital natives have been flooding your caseload with interests and ideas that might leave you wondering about how to engage clients. Speaking the client’s language has always been a top priority for therapists and shifting with our client’s needs and culture is of utmost importance. Add in the complexities of COVID, and we have fertile ground to explore interventions which meet client needs in a multitude of ways. Respecting the client’s culture and language, while nurturing a relationship which provides the neuroception of safety, allows the client to create and express emotions and experiences within.
View Dr. Jessica Stone, a psychologist and 30-year play therapy veteran, for a fun-filled presentation! This timely course is for professionals who would like to explore the therapeutic use of the virtual sandtray. Along with identifying the therapeutic components, you will learn basic use information as well as a live virtual sandtray demonstration. Benefits of virtual sandtray therapy includes easy clean up, portable, in-person and so much more!
With the virtual sandtray, the possibilities are virtually endless!
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Helping families learn how to repair, restore, and create secure attachment happens as they come into the play therapy room for the first time. Parents often feel stretched to the breaking point by their child’s emotional and behavioral distress. Rather than treating family therapy through an adult lens, learn to harness the power of play to help children (and their parents) process difficult experiences and teach families to bond in healthy ways. This recording offers a new understanding, developed through the lens of attachment theory, of how families can repair deep emotional wounds through the power of play. You’ll discover:
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Neurodivergent children (autistic, ADHD, learning differences, sensory differences) represent a unique and large part of the population of children that participate in therapy, yet their needs are often misunderstood and neglected, not reaching their needed therapy goals.
Dr. Robert Jason Grant, creator of AutPlay Therapy, will share his 20+ years of experience in the field to explain the concepts of neurodiversity, ableism, neurodivergence, and how to be neurodiversity affirming. Many therapists often unintentionally implement interventions and techniques which can be harmful for neurodivergent children. Dr. Grant will share how to provide affirming approaches which give the child a voice, value the self of the child, empower the child, use play preferences as the agent of change, and address therapy needs and goals.
Your ability to recognize affirming vs. harmful interventions highlights the difference between effective vs. problematic play therapy work with neurodivergent children. This recorded session will provide you with the application of affirming play therapy processes to help neurodivergent clients grow and heal in their mental health goals while empowering the therapist to feel confident in their service to this most vulnerable population.
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When it comes to working with children, sometimes the biggest behaviours come in the smallest containers. Sometimes these behaviors are externalizing (screaming, crying, hitting) and sometimes these are internalizing (anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation). So often, the focus of treatment in these instances becomes about extinguishing the behaviour without understanding what is driving it in the first place. Whether the end result involves a child shutting down or shouting out, it is critical that helping professionals be able to answer this key question: What is the need underlying the behaviour?
This recording will offer more than a dozen practical, fun, and immediately useful play therapy interventions that engage the family in setting treatment goals, augmenting adaptive coping, enhancing the healthy attachment between parent and child while helping them shift paradigms around problematic child behaviours. Powerful exploration of the stress response system helps clients increase anger management skills, expand emotional literacy, practice pro-social skills with family and friends, address their difficult thoughts, and increase coherence in their trauma narratives.
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While navigating the world children are exposed to experiences such as abuse, neglect, racial trauma, mass shootings, health pandemics, and natural disasters.
With a lack of emotional literacy, emotional awareness, and coping skills children run the risk of not fully being able to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and needs. This causes their traumatic experiences to have a greater impact on their internal system and causes parts to hold pain, shame, fear, and trauma.
Imagine having the skills to address the impact of a child’s traumatic experiences, by increasing emotional awareness and decreasing reactive behaviors.
With the combination of the non-phase treatment approach of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, and Play Therapy, children will now have the opportunity to learn the various parts that make them who they are, express the feelings and beliefs of their parts, gain knowledge that others have parts as well - in a creative way.
Carmen will teach us the therapeutic powers of play to facilitate communication, foster emotional wellness, enhance social relationships and increase personal strengths utilizing the steps of the Internal Family Systems therapy.
This product is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.
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LEGO® models and structures have become well-recognized not only as toy models but also as art forms that can be used in therapy. By unlocking the inner architect who craves creativity, flexibility, and transformation, LEGO® (and similar building bricks) can be used as a therapeutic tool in play therapy and counselling to help strengthen relationships, provide sensory stimulation, improve social skills, and build resilience. This workshop will explore the therapeutic power of LEGO® in play therapy and counselling for working with children, adolescents, and adults.
You’ll gain an understanding of how to incorporate LEGO® into directive and non-directive play therapy interventions to engage clients, improve communication, problem-solving skills, conflict resolution skills, and increase self-esteem and well-being
Course Content Disclosure: LEGO® is a registered trademark of The LEGO Group. PESI, Inc. and speakers, Sophia Ansari, LPCC and Josué Cardona, MS, received no compensation from The LEGO Group for this seminar. Other building block systems may be used.
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You have the clinical skill set to work with children and adolescents in your office. But are you confident in how you can translate those skills to a virtual setting?
Packed with over creative interventions and insights, this 3-hour recording is sure to leave you inspired and full of ideas for your next tele-session, including how you can:
Don’t miss this must-watch recording for anyone working with children and adolescents – purchase today!
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There are policies and actions that you can put into practice now to protect yourself.
Dr. Janet Courtney in this engaging webcast explores these ethical considerations of touch including current research, cultural concerns, and the importance of touch to human development. Come away with over 20+ clinical and ethical best practice guidelines! Case examples are highlighted to demonstrate in-the-moment interventions with client populations (infants to teenagers) dealing with issues related to attachment, autism, ADHD, Sensory processing disorder, and physical and sexual abuse.
Get a sneak peek of the seminar:
Visit the PESI blog to learn the 10 types of touch identified by Dr. Janet Courtney that can happen during therapy if deemed developmentally appropriate.
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New discoveries in neuroscience have shown us just how impactful in utero experiences and the first few years of life are to one’s emotional and social developmental trajectory.
The role of early life attachment relationships for optimal brain development, self-regulation, and addressing developmental trauma, impresses why infant mental health is so crucial for a lifetime of healthy interpersonal relationships.
Join Janet A. Courtney, PhD, LCSW, Founder of FirstPlay Therapy®, an Infant Mental Health & Developmental Play Therapy model to discover new innovations in the infant-parent attachment relationship. New breakthroughs in the neurobiology of touch, will show you how crucial touch is to the attachment relationship. Touch and attachment literally go “hand-in-hand”!
You’ll be introduced to an embodied infant play therapy model of FirstPlay Therapy® to promote nurturing touch to enhance and repair the attachment relationship, increase neuroception of safety, decrease anxious states, and foster co-regulation, and promote attunement to infant cues and body language.
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In a climate that values curricula that is fast-paced, highly scheduled, and “teaches to the test” — providing children time to connect with nature and engage in self-reflection continues to be sacrificed.
Our bodies are naturally attuned to connect biochemically with natural settings, and nature-based therapy helps bring the body and mind back to its more optimal state...and does so in a fun, accessible, and novel manner that children welcome and enjoy!
Join Dr. Cheryl Fisher to examine the whole-body, whole-brain benefits found in nature-based activities. It offers a multisensory approach to bringing mindfulness, green space, and biodiversity into your clinical or academic setting.
Learn how engaging in nature can counter the negative effects of a skim, scan, scroll world and promote a calm and alert state. Windows optional!
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