Tag: play therapy

Foundation for Addressing the Social-Emotional Wellness of Children Using Play

renee@centerforchildcounseling.org March 26, 2024November 1, 2024child trauma, cllinical workshop, online training, play therapy

Online, On-Demand Workshop

Join us for a journey into working with children using Play Therapy.

This online, on-demand workshop is ideal for professionals who work with children in clinical and educational settings. Earn 10 CEUs (State Florida) and Play Therapy non-contact APT CEs from the comfort of your office or home!

About the Course

This 10-hour course is designed to provide students and professionals with the foundation for using Client-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), an evidence-based approach for working with young children. The modules include videos and examples of Play Therapy in practice, providing participants with actual tools and strategies they can immediately use in practice.

This course focuses on effective strategies for working with children using Child-Centered Play Therapy, including:

History of Play Therapy
Theory Behind Play Therapy
Establishing a Therapeutic Relationship
Reflective Listening
Limit-Setting
Choices

Cost: $150 (10 hours Play Therapy non-contact APT CE and 10 State of Florida CEU included). Student discounts are available: Please email us with your name, school, and a request for a 30% student discount code. Note: Play Therapy credit may not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.

Pay Now

Upon registration, you will have 30 days of 24/7 on-demand access to the workshop.

About the Presenter

Jane Robinson

Jane Robinson founded the Center for Child Counseling in 1999 and although she retired in May 2013, she continues to work as a consultant and volunteers to support staff and community training.

As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, and Infant Mental Health Specialist for many years, Jane has been a strong advocate for young children in our community. She has presented numerous workshops at professional, local, state, and national conferences.

Jane created the earliest versions of Center for Child Counseling’s manual, “A Way of Being with Children” used as a guide and reference for teachers and parents of young children.

Jane co-authored a chapter in “Play Therapy Techniques with Very Young At-Risk Children in Child Care Settings” published in the book Play Therapy with Very Young Children, edited by Dr. Charles Shaefer.

Jane narrates this foundational course, bringing her voice, passion, and years of experience to train the next generation of play therapists.

Center for Child Counseling is approved by the Association for Play Therapy, APT Approved Provider #09-263. Continuing Education Provider Approved by: Florida Board of Psychology, Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling #50-11511.

Workshop Cancellation and Refund Policy

If a participant chooses to cancel their confirmed registration, or cannot or does not attend the workshop, the following policies will apply:

All cancellations must be made maximum 10 days post registration. Registered participants who provide proper notice (max 10 days) will be credited, minus a 25% workshop fee. For registered participants who cancel more than 10 days past registration, credit towards a future workshop will be provided. This credit must be used within 1 year of the original workshop date (no cash refunds). The registered participant may invite another person to substitute their place in the workshop (in which they are registered) at any time at no charge.
You may cancel by sending an email to weLEARNplay@centerforchildcounseling.org.
No shows or missed workshops will not receive a refund or credit.

Termination in Play Therapy

renee@centerforchildcounseling.org March 19, 2024November 1, 2024child trauma, cllinical workshop, online training, play therapy

Online, On-Demand Workshop

Termination is a crucial aspect of any therapy process and can be difficult for both client and therapist. However, when done successfully, the end of therapy can be a positive experience with a long-lasting impact on both the client and therapist. Termination of therapy is an opportunity for closure and for the client and therapist to review the personal growth that has unfolded over the course of treatment.

Termination of services with children in a Play Therapy setting can also be more challenging as children may experience termination differently compared to adult or teenage clients due to multiple factors including but not limited to their developmental stage, past and current experiences, environmental factors, and relationships they have with other adults in their lives. The termination process can be particularly difficult and triggering for child clients who have experienced prior loss, trauma, or other adverse life experiences. Termination may bring up feelings related to these past adverse or traumatic experiences, especially prior experiences with loss and grief.

Therapeutic work with children should always involve working with caregivers of the children. Therefore, terminating the therapy process includes terminating the relationship with the client and the client’s caregivers. Play Therapists, even if only working with younger individuals, should have the knowledge and skills to successfully end the therapy process with both children and adults.

Objectives

* Describe the importance of proper termination in Play Therapy.
* Identify procedures of ending the Play Therapy experience.
* Explain the process of terminating therapeutic relationship between clients and therapists in the playroom.
* List at least 3 termination activities to use in Play Therapy.

Cost: $25 (1 hour play therapy non-contact APT CE and 1 State of Florida CEU included). Student discounts are available: Please email us with your name, school, and a request for a 30% student discount code. Note: Play Therapy credit may not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.

Pay Now

Upon registration, you will have 30 days of 24/7 on-demand access to the workshop.

About the Presenter

Nida Paul, LMHC, NCC, RPT-S

Nida Paul is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and Registered Play Therapist who has worked with children and families since 2010, with a primary focus on working with young children and their parents, caregivers, and families.

Nida received her Master’s of Science Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University and has training in Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), Group Play Therapy, Infant Mental Health, Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

In addition to her role as the Director of the Childcare and Community Social-Emotional Wellness (CCSEW) Program for several years, Nida was a supervisor within Center for Child Counseling’s Education and Prevention Services overseeing interns and providing Play Therapy and Trauma-Informed Care training around Palm Beach County and the state.

Nida is passionate about working with children and families who experienced trauma and helping them heal – and sharing her knowledge and experience through training others in the field.

Child-Centered Group Play Therapy

renee@centerforchildcounseling.org March 19, 2024November 1, 2024child trauma, cllinical workshop, online training, play therapy

Online, On-Demand Workshop

The focus of this 1.5 hour online training is using Child-Centered Group Play Therapy (CCGPT) with young children experiencing social, emotional, behavioral, and/or relational difficulties.

Child-Centered Group Play Therapy (CCGPT) is an evidence-based intervention that allows children to experience social interactions with 2-4 group members to learn, practice, and enhance new social and coping skills. This training provides participants with information on CCGPT, principles and skills a child-centered play therapist should acquire as well as specific techniques and strategies used in child-centered group play therapy through reviewing session videos.

Workshop Objectives:

* Participants will be able to describe the history, objectives, and concepts of child-centered play therapy;
* Participants will be able to outline the principles to guide child-centered play therapist;
* Participants will be able to explain nonverbal and verbal skills of child-centered play therapist;
* Participants will be able to describe child-centered group play therapy procedures; and
* Participants will be able to discuss techniques and strategies used in child-centered group play therapy.

Cost: $35 (1.5 hour play therapy non-contact APT CE and 1.5 State of Florida CEU included). Student discounts are available: Please email us with your name, school, and a request for a 30% student discount code. Note: Play Therapy credit may not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.

Pay Now

Upon registration, you will have 30 days of 24/7 on-demand access to the workshop.

About the Presenter

Nida Paul, LMHC, NCC, RPT-S

Nida is passionate about working with children and families who experienced trauma and helping them heal – and sharing her knowledge and experience through training others in the field.

Play Therapy with Families

renee@centerforchildcounseling.org March 19, 2024November 1, 2024child trauma, cllinical workshop, online training, play therapy

Online, On-Demand Workshop

The focus of this online, on-demand 1-hour workshop is using Play Therapy in sessions with families. Specific activities and strategies are explored.

Earn 1 non-contact APT CE and State of Florida CEU!

Workshop Objectives

* Determine which Play Therapy techniques to use with families that are developmentally appropriate and target the presenting problem.
* Reinforce the importance of the client’s confidentiality to the family.
* Obtain play therapy interventions that the therapist is able to apply immediately with clients and families.

Cost: $25 (1 hour Play Therapy non-contact APT CE and 1 State of Florida CEU included). Student discounts are available: Please email us with your name, school, and a request for a 30% student discount code. Note: Play Therapy credit may not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.

Pay Now

Upon registration, you will have 30 days of 24/7 on-demand access to the workshop.

About the Presenter

Stephanie De La Cruz, LMHC, RPT-S

Stephanie De La Cruz, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at Boston University, and completed her Master of Science degree in Counseling Psychology at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Stephanie has been working in the mental health field since 2008, and has experience working with both adults and children in various settings. She has provided individual, group, and family therapy in both English and in Spanish. Stephanie is passionate about working with young children and their families, as well as incorporating other important figures in their lives to ensure they are able to grow in a supportive environment.

Stephanie has assisted many children and their families who have experienced and/or witnessed violence in the home or in the community, have a history of trauma, abuse, and who have emotional, behavioral, and social difficulties.

During her professional career, Stephanie has been trained in Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), Child Centered Play Therapy, Trauma Systems Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Paent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).

Trauma and Play Therapy

renee@centerforchildcounseling.org March 19, 2024November 1, 2024child trauma, cllinical workshop, online training, play therapy

Online, On-Demand Workshop

The focus of this online, on-demand 1-hour workshop is using Play Therapy with clients who have experienced trauma.

Trauma can be especially harmful for young children as it can impact their developing brains and bodies in many negative ways. Play Therapy provides children with the opportunity to express their traumatic experiences, process these experiences, and learn ways to cope with the impact of trauma to heal from it.

This training will provide information on the impact of trauma on children and their families, with Play Therapy interventions practitioners can immediately use with children in different developmental stages. Specific activities and strategies are explored.

Earn 1 non-contact APT and CEU!

Workshop Objectives

* Define trauma and its impact on children and families,
* Demonstrate at least five Play Therapy activities for different developmental stages to minimize trauma symptoms, and
* Apply Play Therapy trauma narrative interventions.

Cost: $25 (1 hour play therapy non-contact APT CE and 1 State of Florida CEU included). Student discounts are available: Please email us with your name, school, and a request for a 30% student discount code. Note: Play Therapy credit may not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.

Pay Now

Upon registration, you will have 30 days of 24/7 on-demand access to the workshop.

About the Presenter

Anne-Marie Brown, LCSW, MSW, MCAP, CIP, ICADC

Anne-Marie Brown, LCSW, MSW, MCAP, CIP, ICADC, has worked in the field of mental health for over 15 years. She is an EMDRIA Certified Therapist, a TF-CBT Certified Therapist, an EMDR Consultant in Training, a Registered Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator, and a Qualified Supervisor for addiction professional candidates.

Anne-Marie has experience working with children, adults, and families who have experienced significant trauma, adolescents and adults struggling with substance use disorders, and individuals with co-occurring disorders. She currently focuses on providing individual, family, and group therapy for children and caregivers who have experienced sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect. Anne-Marie worked for many years as the Director of our Childhood Trauma Response Program.

In addition to being EMDR and TF-CBT Certified, Anne-Marie has training in Child-Centered Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the Florida Association for Play Therapy, the Florida Association for Infant Mental Health, the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors and has been published in EMDRIA Magazine “Go With That” and the Journal of Global Drug Policy and Practice. She is the Communications Chair and active member of the EMDRIA Child and Adolescent Special Interest Group Board and a Steering Committee Member for the North Palm Beach Chapter of the NASW.

The Vital Role of Play for Children

renee@centerforchildcounseling.org Blog, Fighting ACEs PBC, Latest News March 10, 2024October 29, 2024child centered play, fighting ACEs, parenting, play, play therapy, positive childhood experiences, Renee Layman

By Renée Layman, LMHC, President and CEO

Play is not just a fun pastime for children; it's a fundamental part of childhood that shapes development across multiple domains. From fostering social skills to enhancing cognitive abilities, play serves as a cornerstone in nurturing healthy growth and well-being in children.

The American Academy of Pediatrics stresses the importance of play in strengthening the parent-child bond and for children living in poverty. Information from Harvard Center on the Developing Child underscores the significance of play in supporting responsive relationships, strengthening core life skills, and reducing sources of stress.

Play Supports the Development of Healthy Relationships

Play plays an important role in supporting healthy, responsive relationships and promoting Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) which research shows can mitigate the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma. Play provides a natural avenue for children to form connections with caregivers, peers, and their environment.

Through play, children learn to communicate, collaborate, and negotiate with others, laying the foundation for healthy relationships later in life. As children engage in self-directed, imaginative play they develop empathy and self-regulation skills—essential for building strong and supportive bonds with others.

Strengthening Core Life Skills

Play is also instrumental in strengthening the core life skills related to success. Whether it's building towers with blocks, playing dress up and role-playing, or engaging in physical activities, play offers opportunities for children to develop essential cognitive, motor, and socio-emotional skills.

Research shows that play-based learning experiences are linked to improved problem-solving abilities, creativity, and self-confidence. By engaging in play, children explore, experiment, and learn from their experiences, honing skills that are essential for navigating life's challenges.

Play Reduces Stress

The past few years have caused significant stress and anxiety for children and their families. In the face of a children's mental health crisis, we need to find effective ways to reduce stress. Play serves as a natural stress reliever, offering children a safe space to express themselves, release tension, and process difficult emotions. Parents can support children by 'directing' some of the play through the toys offered. For example, if your child gets anxious about going to the doctor, a doctor’s kit and toys can help them express and work through feelings.

Unstructured play promotes stress reduction by activating the brain's reward system and lowering cortisol levels, the stress hormone. By engaging in play, children can escape from daily pressures, recharge their minds, and develop resilience in the face of adversity.

At Center for Child Counseling, play is at the foundation of our work with children. Our staff have ongoing training in Play Therapy and we are credentialed through the Association for Play Therapy, which sets the national standards for training and practice.

For children who may not be able verbally express abuse or trauma, toys become their words. Through play, children give us a glimpse into their world, work through problems, develop healthy coping skills, and heal after traumatic experiences.

Play Resources for Parents and Caregivers

As parents, caregivers, and educators, it's important to recognize the importance of play in children's lives and prioritize opportunities for unstructured, imaginative play in their daily routines. By embracing play as a vehicle for learning and growth, we can empower children to reach their full potential.

We have developed an array of resources to support parents and adult caregivers of children. Through Ways to Play, we offer practical information and strategies to promote play that nurtures positive relationships, resilience, and well-being.

Resources:

Positive Childhood Experiences and Play by Kerry Jamieson
Association for Play Therapy Parent's Corner
Center for Child Counseling's Ways to Play Resource Page

Staff Named as Chairs of Play Therapy Association

renee@centerforchildcounseling.org Latest News March 18, 2015March 22, 2015palm beach, play therapy

Center for Child Counseling Staff Named as New Chairs for Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Association for Play Therapy!

The Palm Beach Chapter of the Florida Association for Play Therapy held their annual election in December and two of our very own were elected to lead the chapter! Clarissa DeWitt, LMHC, RPT, Director of our Institute for Clinical Training and Senior Therapist, Joy Kevelson have been very busy organizing the local chapter, including plans to meet on the last Wednesday of each month at the Palm Healthcare Pavilion, located on the campus of St. Mary's Medical Center.

Pictured: Clarissa DeWitt (left) and Joy Kevelson (right).