Affirming Heart Victim Services
July 18 - July 19th
Healing Trauma Through Play Therapy:
A Neuroscience & Attachment Approach
Children and teens impacted by trauma often struggle with emotion dysregulation, traumatic memories resulting in maladaptive behavior, and forming trust in relationships. These challenges stem from deep-seated feelings of shame and negative core beliefs about themselves and others, illustrating the pervasive impact of trauma. Fortunately, with the right therapeutic approach, healing and thriving are possible.
This 2-day experiential play therapy training is designed for play therapists and child/adolescent counselors to utilize the insights of neuroscience and attachment theory. By focusing on these frameworks, this training equips you to effectively implement clinical interventions using play therapy and expressive arts. These methods provide developmentally appropriate ways to engage children and teens in their recovery, respecting cultural and diversity considerations crucial for healing.
Throughout this experiential play therapy training, you will understand the developmental impacts of trauma, which are essential for tailoring your therapeutic strategies. You'll discover how to identify themes in play and use these insights to guide your application of play therapy and expressive arts interventions. The training covers the four phases of treatment—each vital for addressing different aspects of trauma—and introduces specific activities for each phase. Additionally, it emphasizes the critical role of engaging caregivers as therapeutic partners.
By the end of this training, you’ll possess a deeper understanding and practical skills to implement neuroscience and attachment- informed strategies, enhancing their ability to foster significant and positive changes in the lives of young clients.
​
Objectives:
1. Play therapists will explain the role of case conceptualization with cultural intelligence for treatment planning using an integrative play therapy approach grounded in neuroscience and attachment theory
2. Play therapists will describe the role of implicit memory and mentalization for trauma triggers in the play therapy process
3. Play therapists will describe at least three themes and play behaviors common to trauma work in play therapy
4. Play therapists will explain the role of play therapist and purpose of each phase of play therapy
​
5. Play therapists will identify at least three components needed to create safety in the play therapy process
6. Play therapists will explain the protective function of dissociation and describe at least two dissociative behaviors in play therapy
7. Play therapists will describe at least two strategies for engaging caregivers in play therapy
8. Play therapists will demonstrate at least two play therapy activities for each phase of treatment
Cathi Spooner, LCSW, RPT-S
Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training
Cathi is passionate about helping families heal by empowering mental health professionals learn to successfully integrate play therapy and expressive arts into clinical practice with confidence and nurturing hearts so they can become experts in their field working with children, adolescents, and families and help families heal to create strong communities.
She has been providing mental health treatment to children, adolescents, and adults since 1992, with an expertise in working with children experiencing trauma and attachment issues. Cathi has been licensed as a licensed clinical social worker since 1997. Prior to obtaining her Masters of Social Work degree, she was a special educator for children with emotional disturbances since 1984. She has worked in outpatient mental health settings, intensive home-based mental health services, homeless shelter and transitional housing settings, substance abuse services, and residential treatment programs. She is a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, certified in basic sand therapy, certified trauma specialist clinical (currently inactive), and foundationally trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. She is the author of Attachment-Focused Family Play Therapy: An Intervention for Children and Adolescents After Trauma.
Her vast experience has provided the expertise and knowledge to help mental health professionals working in a variety of mental health settings learn to confidently integrate play therapy and expressive arts into clinical practice with their clients. Her ability to break down clinical concepts and help mental health professionals apply clinical decision-making strategies with their clients has helped them use play therapy and expressive arts effectively with children, youth, and families. She has provided professional trainings to mental health professionals at the local, state, national, and international levels.