PLAY THERAPYOVERVIEW

Vivian Mann, LLCLCSW, RPT-S, IMH-E® (III)

vmann@vcu.edu(804) 334-4253

Participants will be able to:

collaborate with play therapists and utilize play techniques to foster growth and change in children

recognize the impact of trauma and support children experiencing traumatic stress reactions

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

INTRODUCTIONS

OPENING ACTIVITY

PLAY A NATURAL PHENOMENA

WHAT IS PLAY

THERAPY

WHAT IS PLAY

THERAPY

"Play Therapy is the dynamic process between child and Play

Therapist in which the child explores at his or her own pace and with his or her own agenda those issues, past and current, conscious and

unconscious, that are affecting the child's life in the present. The child's inner resources are enabled by the therapeutic alliance to bring about

growth and change. Play Therapy is child-centered, in which play is the primary medium and speech is the

secondary medium."

British Association of Play Therapy

Virginia Axeline – 1947

Non-directive Play Therapy (Also called Child-Centered Play Therapy)

Student of Carl Rogers

Maintains that play therapy can be most effective when child is allowed to take responsibility for direction of the therapy.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Virginia Axiline’s

(1969) Eight

Principlesof CCPT

Counselor:

develops a warm, friendly relationship with the child

accepts the child exactly as he/she is.

establishes a feeling of permissiveness in the relationship.

is alert to recognize the feelings the child is expressing and reflects those feelings back to him so he gains insight into his behaviors.

maintains a deep respect for the child’s ability to solve his own problems. The responsibility to make choices and to institute the change is the child’s life.

Virginia Axiline’s

(1969) Eight

Principlesof CCPT

does not attempt to direct the child’s actions or conversation in any manner. The child leads the way; we follow.

does not attempt to hurry the process. It is a gradual process.

Virginia Axiline’s

(1969) Eight

Principlesof CCPT

establishes only those limitations that are necessary to anchor the counseling to the world or reality and to make the child aware of his or her responsibility in the relationship

Virginia Axiline’s

(1969) Eight

Principlesof CCPT

How Child Centered

Play Therapy

(CCPT) is different

from other therapies.

We focus on the relationship, this is the most important factor.

We accept the child exactly as they are and DON’T ask that they change anything.

We do not investigate

We assess but don’t evaluate

How Child Centered

Play Therapy

(CCPT) is different

from other therapies.

We create an environment where the child can heal.

This can be frustrating to others because they are looking for a fast fix.

4 Basic Skills

Structuring

Empathic tracking/responding

Imaginary Play

Limit setting

DIRECTIVE

VS.

NON-DIRECTIVE

Non-Directive alone may work for some

When to add directive interventions Child is dysregulated Child becomes stuck in

traumatic play or reactions Child is overwhelmed by the

play Child needs to learn a skill

ALL PLAY THERAPY MODELS

happen in the context of the relationship

are based on children’s play being recognized as functional and symbolic

provides the opportunity to re-work traumatic events

Provide corrective emotional experiences which occur in the context of the relationship and the play

CHILD TRAUMATIC

STRESS

Child traumatic stress refers to the physical and emotional responses of a child to events that threaten the life or physical integrity of the child or of someone critically important to the child (such as a parent or sibling).

Traumatic events overwhelm a child’s capacity to cope and elicit feelings of terror, powerlessness, and out-of-control physiological arousal.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

CHILD TRAUMATIC

STRESS

A child’s response to a traumatic event may have a profound effect on his or her perception of self, the world, and the future.

Traumatic events may affect a child’s:

Ability to trust othersSense of personal safetyEffectiveness in navigating

life changes

CHILD TRAUMATIC

STRESS

Disrupts all aspects of normal development including: Brain Development Cognitive Growth and

Learning Emotional Self-regulation Attachment to Caregivers

and Social Emotional Development

Trauma predisposes children to subsequent psychiatric difficulties

Lieberman et al., 2003

CHILD TRAUMATIC

STRESS

Acute

Chronic

Complex

TYPES OF TRAUMATIC

STRESS

BRAINSTEM

DIENCEPHALON

LIMBIC

CORTEXAbstract ThoughtConcrete thoughtAffiliation/Reward

AttachmentSexual BehaviorEmotional ReactivityMotor Regulation

Arousal AppetiteSleepBlood PressureHeat RateBody Temperature

Neurological Hierarchy

Neurological Functions

Psychological Phenomenon

Guilt/Shame

Alcohol-Substance Abuse

Depressive and Affective Sx.

Trauma Core Sx.

(Dr. Bruce Perry, 2010

Relevant

Relational

Repetitive

Rewarding

4 R’S OF INTERVENTIONS

(Dr. Bruce Perry, 2010

REFERENCES

Cook, A., Blaustein, M., Spinazzola, J., & van der Kolk, B. (Eds.) (2003). Complex trauma in children and Adolescents. White Paper from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Complex Trauma Task Force

Perry, Bruce M.D., (2006). Applying principles of neurodevelopment to clinical work with maltreated and traumatized children, the Neurosequential model of therapeutics. In Webb, N.B. (ed), Working with traumatized youth in child welfare (pp. 26-53). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Ford, J., Curtois, C., Steele, K., van der Hart, O., Nijenhuis, E. (2005). In Journal of Traumatic Stress, vol 18, October, pp. 437-447. International society for traumatic stress studies

Gil, E. (2011). Helping Abused and Traumatized Children: Integrating Directive and Nondirective Approaches. New York, NY: The Gilford Press.

Landreth, Garry L. (2012). Play Therapy: the Art of the Relationship (3rd Edition). New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group.

Schaefer, Charles E.. (2011). Foundations of Play Therapy (2th Edition). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley and Son, Inc.

van der Kolk, B.A., (2006) Clinical Implications of neuroscience research in PTSD. New York Academy of Sciences.

van der Kolk B.A. (2005). Developmental trauma disorder: Towards a rational diagnosis for children with complex trauma histories. Psychiatric Annals, pp. 401-408.