2018 AZAPT Annual Conference
Baby Brains: Developmentally Sensitive Play Therapy with Infants & Young Children and Play Therapy - Fun for the Whole Family
Presented by:
Brijin Gardner, MSW, LSCSW, LCSW, RPT-S
Baby Brains: Developmentally Sensitive Play Therapy with Infants & Young Children
This training covers key neural developmental processes and sequences that contribute to critical concepts that are applicable to play therapy techniques with young children of varying ages, diagnoses, and relational trauma. Key principles of neurodevelopment and neurobiology will be reviewed in relationship to critical clinical treatment decisions. Early childhood relational trauma affects treatment decisions, we will look through the lens of attachment theory and at the therapist’s role in creating safety throughout the play therapy process. Training will include attachment-based experiential, body-sensing play therapy techniques to implement with young populations.
Course Objectives:
- Understand key principals of neurodevelopment and how social and emotional trauma affects brain development and function
- Gain current research and resources that support the use of play therapy as an effective treatment with young traumatized children
- Explain the developmental and functional disorganization resulting from trauma and toxic stress in early childhood
- Integrate client and dyad behavioral information to respond appropriately and design helpful play therapy approaches for treatment
- Practice and experience several attachment-based play therapy techniques to utilize with young children and caregivers.
Play Therapy – Fun for the Whole Family
This workshop is designed to refresh therapists and expand clinician’s tool kits for working with families, parent-child dyads and various types of groups. Using an attachment framework, we will learn and practice play therapy interventions that can be used from the beginning to the end of treatment. Techniques and interventions will address common to complex issues that families bring to therapy. Come ready to play!
Course Objectives:
- Explain the use of play therapy as a therapeutic tool for working with families, parent-child dyads and various groups to foster healing
- Explain why a play therapy approach offers a viable intervention for families and parent-child dyads
- State the role of attachment with children and parents and how this affects treatment planning
- Identify strategies to partner and engage parents in the treatment process
- Describe ten creative play therapy interventions to use with families throughout the treatment process
- Apply information and hands-on skills acquired to play therapy clinical work with children and families
Level of training: Intermediate
13 APT CEUs
About our presenter: Brijin Gardner is currently the Director of Clinical and Social Services for Operation Breakthrough, an early childhood education center in the urban core of Kansas City serving families living in poverty. She is a frequent speaker at national and state conferences and is a published author. Brijin is passionate about all children and families receiving the best clinical interventions and services available to support healthy child development, positive relationships and improved outcomes for families.
Check in at the door begins at 8:00 a.m.
AZAPT is approved by the Association for Play Therapy to offer continuing education specific to Play Therapy. Our provider number is 97-035. AZAPT maintains responsibility for the program. Registrants understand and agree that any photograph, video or audio recording of themselves may be used to further promote the Annual Conference or AZAPT.