A. Introduction to Sandtray-Worldplay™: An Experiential Workshop for Play Therapy (B/I) ALL DAY SESSION: “Dikke” Hansen, Christina Johnson and Rachel Kowatch. Playing in the sand can be a powerful and transformational experience in play therapy, and can be utilized by both children and adults because it does not require the ability to verbally express inner conflicts. This experiential workshop is designed for those who are new to sand play as well as those who would like to deepen their use in their practice. Participants should come prepared with 10-15 images they would like to use in the workshop, a camera and a journal.
B. Therapeutic Mask Making in the Practice of Play Therapy (I) ALL DAY SESSION: Thalia Ferenc. Creating an object that symbolizes problems, solutions or the self is helpful in the therapy process at any age. Participants will learn about the techniques of mask making and its use as play therapy tool. Participants will make their own masks, and explore directed and a non-directed play therapy techniques.
MORNING WORKSHOPS, SELECT ONE: 8:30-11:45 AM (BREAK 10:15-10:30)
C. “Just Fix My Child!” Engaging Parents in the Play Therapy Process (B/I): Jesilee Bonofiglio. A play therapist’s influence in a child client’s life is extended by parental participation, making parental involvement essential in the play therapy process. This session will provide rationale for parental involvement in every step of play therapy treatment and demonstrate family play activities through video and role plays.
D. Utilizing Play Therapy in the Interdisciplinary Treatment of Eating Disorders (B/I): Lindsay South and Kris Gibson. This workshop considers theoretical and practical aspects of the pitfalls and joys of play therapy work with eating disordered children. Learn how to identify this special population, refute misperceptions and assemble a treatment team. Experience how play therapy can be central to the healing process of eating disorders in children.
E. Play Therapy Theories & Techniques (B): Dawn Chalker. This workshop is designed to provide an overview of play therapy through the exploration of both non-directive and directive approaches. Participants experience play therapy techniques which can be applied to different populations in clinical settings, schools, or private practice.
F. Storytelling Using Visual Images to Enhance Secure Attachments in Play Therapy (B/I): Myra Lawrence. Using visual images to promote narrative storytelling in play therapy facilitates contingent, collaborative and emotional communication along with reflective dialogue which promote the emergence of coherent narratives necessary to the development of secure attachment.
AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS, SELECT ONE: 1:00-4:15 PM (BREAK 2:30-2:45)
G. Using the Many Realms of Play in Supervision (A): Elizabeth Sawyer Danowski and Theresa Fraser. This is an advanced level experiential play workshop for those who have previous sand play or other forms of psychodynamic training and are interested in integrating the context of clinical supervision. This experiential workshop, utilizes sand play and play therapy, thus attendees are asked to bring 10 miniatures which reflect their area of practice along with a play therapy tool (doctor kit, doll, car, puppet, etc.). The workshop will focus on advanced clinical skills, not broad legal or ethical issues.
H. Using Art Therapy Techniques to Inspire Healing in Play Therapy: For Adolescents and Adults (I): Christine Davis Zouaoui. Art therapy has been used in mental health healing practices for many years. In this experiential workshop, participants will learn specific art therapy techniques for immediately integration in play therapy practice. The techniques focus on adolescents and adults in individual, family or group play therapy settings.
I. When the Wind Changes: A Discussion on Termination in Play Therapy (I): Gillian Ogilvie and Ana Tindall. Participants will be introduced to theoretical approaches to play therapy termination as well as an overview of indirect and direct play therapy techniques to address the termination process, including a discussion ways to reflect and process the best possible way to terminate a working relationship.
J. Trauma in Our Very Youngest Children: Weaving Infant Mental Health into Play Therapy to Promote Healing and Growth (I): Diane Kukulis. Therapeutic work with infants, toddlers and preschoolers calls for a specialized knowledge base . This workshop will provide an introduction to infant mental principles which inform play therapy practice and help play therapists recognize trauma through appropriate assessment and intervention strategies, emphasizing the importance of first relationships.
FRIDAY EVENING SUPERVISION TRAINING FOR RPT-S ONLY! 7:00-9:00 PM
Playful Supervision for Play Therapy Supervisors: Kay Hannah. Using playful techniques, identify your needs as a supervisor and the needs of your supervisee. Discuss supervisor qualifications specific to play therapy. Identify and understand four stages of supervision from the perspectives of both a supervisor and supervisee.