1. Introduction to Play Therapy Day One
Canadian Association for Child and Play Therapy 2015

2. Google images unless otherwise noted.
Clip Art courtesy of
Google images unless otherwise noted.

3. Welcome to Level 1
Please pick a sand tray image that symbolizes (for you) why you are interested in Play Therapy and then take a seat.
We will use these images in our warm up activity

4. Please
close your handouts and don’t look at them until we have completed some small group activities.
When we look at them again please do not look forward in slide notes.
Let’s look at a quick BAPT video:
v=6RkdZDf1jLY

5. Strong National Museum of Play
"It is in playing, and only in playing, that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self.” D.W. Winnicott British pediatrician 1896–1971
most-prized-possessions/

6. PT Belief
“Children have the capacity within themselves to grow, develop, and solve problems when they experience an environment of safety and trust.The play therapy environment is characterized by freedom, acceptance, and permissiveness where the child ‘learns to accept himself, to grant himself the permissiveness to utilize all his capacities, and to assume responsibility for himself”
Dibs: In Search of Self, (1964). A Ballantine Book Published by The Random House Publishing Group, New York, USA.

7. Who are you?
One at a time we will place our sand tray image in our community tray.
Please share your name and where you are from and (if you choose to) you can share why this image stood out for you. Words however, are not needed.

8. Who is your workshop trainer?
Theresa Fraser - Past President of the Canadian Association for Child and Play Therapy
Child and Youth Worker, B.A., Diploma in General Social Work, Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology
Trauma and Loss Clinical Specialist
Certfied Play Therapist Supervisor
Current Professor of Child and Youth Work at Sheridan College
Treatment Foster Parent for over 25 years
foster/adoptive /bio parent of special needs kids
International Presenter
named 2009 Trauma Specialist of the Year by National Institute for Trauma and Loss
Author of Books and Play Therapy Chapters as well as magazine articles
Owner/Lead Therapist of Changing Steps
Supervised and mentored by Canadian Greats, Lorie Walton, Dr. Nancy Riedel Bowers, Liana Lowenstein and Dr. Evangeline Munns as well as Dr. Gisela De Domenico

9. Overview of our Day Changign
This introductory course will begin with a short introduction to CACPT and the Certification Process. Following the morning break we will then share the various definitions of Play Therapy. The therapeutic powers of play will be presented and applied to the play therapy process.
We will learn how to set up a playroom and a portable play therapy kit as well as how to select appropriate materials.
Changing Steps Office

10. Learning Objectives
1) Define play therapy and the difference between play and play therapy;
2) Identify the value and therapeutic powers of play therapy;
3) Identify the types of play and the differences in play exhibited by adjusted and children whose experiences have impacted their functioning.
4) Cite the developmental stages of play;
5) Identify how to set up a play room and how to select toys and materials to facilitate therapeutic growth.
6) Identify how to set up a portable play therapy kit
7) Does the group have other goals?.

11. Learning Contract
There will be two 15 minute breaks and an hour lunch. We will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m. after we leave for lunch.
Please turn your cell phones volume off. If you need to be “on call” please do so professionally by stepping out of the room.
If the behaviour of another student is impeding your learning please let your Hostess/Instructor know.
Attendees and those attending Professional Development days at the Cert Program need to sign in and out. Our courses also provide APT CEU’s however, an evaluation needs to be completed and a Certificate needs to be purchased from the CACPT head office.

12. Do you have….

13. The use of Play Therapy
was first elucidated by the pioneers of Child Psychotherapy. Anna Freud (1928, 1964, 1965), Margaret Lowenfeld (1935, 1970) and Melanie Klein (1961, 1987) posited the theoretical premise for the use of play, for example, Klein (1961, 1987) stipulated that a child's spontaneous play was a substitute for the free association used within adult psychoanalysis. Theories and practice surrounding play differ within each Child Psychotherapy tradition. However, each tradition is connected by the central proposition that play transmits and communicates the child's unconscious experiences, desires, thoughts and emotions.
Retrieved April 7, from:

14. Please remember
Our Canadian Play Therapy Certificate program is very special. We do not only teach you one model or approach. Instead you will learn about many models and approaches from mostly Canadian experts in our field. You can then choose to gain further education in an area that interests you or is connected to your strengths or client need. The other benefit is if you know about a modality such as Theraplay© you can refer a client to a clinician who is trained in this modality given we cannot practice outside our area of expertise.

15. Who are these people? Who is Carl Rogers? Who is Virginia Axline?
Who is Gary Landreth?
Who is Alfred Adler?
Who is Terry Kottman?
Who is Carl Jung?
Who is Ann Jernberg?
Who is Dora Kalff?
Who is Gisela De Domenico? And there are others…..

16. How do different associations define PT?
APT defines play therapy as "the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development.”
Retrieved April 14, 2013 from

17. BAPT defines PT as:
"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-centred, in which play is the primary medium and speech is the secondary medium.” Retrieved April 14, 2013 from:

18. CACPT defines PT as:
Play Therapy is beneficial to a child who is experiencing difficulties in the home, school or community. It is a therapeutic approach for human service professionals and as stated by Virginia Axline, "provides an opportunity for the child to 'play out' his or her feelings and problems just as, in certain adult therapy, an individual 'talks out' his or her difficulties". A child's self-understanding is one of the goals in this approach. Play Therapy can be used either as a primary or adjunct therapy in settings such as , Children's Services, Community Agencies, Psychiatric Centers, Children's Hospitals, Schools, and Women's Shelters. Play Therapists work with children individually, with their families and in group settings. Retrieved April 14, 2013 from:

19. Let’s define play It promotes intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation
The process is more important than the end result
Can lose awareness of time and surroundings. Therefore play can be stress reducing
Positive feelings are derived from and are a result of the play. Promotes endorphins
Play gives freedom to try out ideas. It promotes exploration, knowledge and confidence
Retrieve from Lorie Walton 2011 Intro Day
Cartoon retrieved April 14, 2013 from:
Easier to recognize than to define
Emerging consensus of common characteristics of play behaviours … there are 7 of them:
Activities performed for their own sake are intrinsically motivating because pleasure is inherent in the activity itself. Children don’t have to be pressured to play by being given external rewards. Instead, play seems to satisfy an inner desire in the child.

20. Functions of Play
Play reinforces the child's growth and development. Some of the more common functions of play are to facilitate physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and moral development.
Retrieved April 14, 2013 from:

21. Play actually helps to…
“to produce change, and is not “just a medium for applying other change agents nor does it just moderate the strength or direction of the therapeutic change” (Schaefer, Drewes.,p. 2)

22. Types of Play Physical play Manipulative play Expressive play
Symbolic play
Dramatic play
Familiarization play
Games
Surrogate play
Retrieved March 30, 2013 from: ml

23. What is the difference between play and PT?
“Play Therapy is not the same as playing.  Play Therapy uses your child’s natural tendency to “play out” their feelings, worries and life situations in the presence of a specially trained Play Therapist.  The Play Therapist helps the child to feel accepted, understood and gain a sense of control or understanding about difficult feelings or situations”.
Retrieved April 14, from: ge1483.htm

24. Remember Piaget (1951)
THESE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE OUR CLIENTS ARE DEVEOPMENTALLY.
Sensorimotor - Child learns about himself and his environment through motor and reflex actions
Pre-operational - Children do not yet understand concrete logic, can`t mentally manipulate information, & are egocentric. They are able to use an object to represent something else (ie: broom = horse). Role playing also begins in this stage.
Concrete - The child develops an ability to
think abstractly and to make rational judgements
about concrete or observable phenomena, which in
the past he needed to manipulate physically to
understand.
Formal – The child no longer requires concrete
objects to make rational judgements.

25. Developmental Stages of Social Play
Lorie Walton 2011….
** Play is UNIVERSAL in children
By the time they reach 6 years of age, they typically would have spent 15, 000 hours playing
Benefits of playing include:
Gross and fine motor development
Cognitive Development
Language development
Social adjustment
Society today is challenging children’s right to play:
More structure
More work – more academic work for preschoolers, kindergarteners
More adult directed activity
Watching more tv and using non-social types of media such as computerized games
Mildred Parton (1932) Identified six stages of play after observing school children ages 2-5 years of age.
Unoccupied (observing)
Solitary- un interested or unaware of others
Onlooker- child may talk about the play
Parallel-adjacent play
Associative – interaction is involved but activities are not coordinated
Cooperative Play
Parton found that with increasing age, the children tended to participate in more social forms of play. Younger children tended to engage in more unoccupied behaviour, onlooker behaviour, and solitary play, while older preschoolers engaged in more cooperative play.
Photo retrieved April 14, 2013 from

26. Sarah Smilanksy 1968
Sara Smilansky is known for her four stages of play. These play stages are considered to reflect a child’s cognitive development.
(1)Functional play (also called practice play)
(2)Constructive play – children create or assemble a structure or object
(3)Dramatic or symbolic play
(4) Games with rules
Retrieved April 20, 2013 from:
ck-Section4.pdf

27. Smith and Pellegrini 2008
Play can also be classified into play behaviour that corresponds to some developmental domains, although there is always considerable overlap:
Locomotor play – physical
Social play - social/emotional
Pretend play - social/emotional
Object play – cognitive
Language play - language and literacy
Retrieved from:
ck-Section4.pdf

28. Rubin, Watson, and Jambor (1978)
Infants engage in solitary-functional play
 Toddlers engage in parallel-functional play
Preschoolers engage in associative play, constructive play and dramatic play
 Four and five year olds engage in cooperative- constructive play,
socio-dramatic play and begin to play games with rules.
 Kindergarten and school age children elaborate cooperative- constructive play, socio-dramatic play and games with rules.
Retrieved April 20, 2013 from:
OnTrack-Section4.pdf

29. We should be concerned when:
Day after day is spent in solitary play and play seems “stuck” adults should extend their observations to determine if:
The child is being isolated by peers
The child has some emerging interest and social skills
The child chooses to play alone
The child needs some assistance to move beyond the present form and level of play.

30. Erikson social emotional development
Erik Erikson
We also need to remember where our clients are in these eight psychosocial stages of man.

31. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Why is this important to remember prior to beginning therapy?
Therapy should not begin right after a trauma.
Kids who have just been placed in foster care need to feel safety in the placement.
Families may need to first be referred to other service providers before being able to engage in therapy. Examples?

32. Urie Bronfenbrenner
This theory looks at a child’s development within the context of the system of relationships that form his or her environment.
Look at this link for further information on Ecological Systems Theory. kids.com/providers/early_step s/training/documents/bronfen brenners_ecological.pdf
Why is a system’s theory important in Play Therapy?

33. What are the therapeutic powers of play?
An interpersonal process wherein a trained therapist systematically applies the curative powers of play to help clients resolve their psychological difficulties (Schaefer, 2005)
It has the power to not only facilitate normal child development but also to alleviate abnormal behaviour.
In 1940’s and 50’s Play therapy was major form of child psychotherapy
As newer approaches appeared such as Behavioral Therapy, Family Therapy – play therapy faced into background
Even though each school of play therapy has its own unique theories and special techniques, they do share a number of common factors:

34. Rational for Play Therapy
Through play, children are able to explore problems, hopes, concerns, abilities, fears, and potentials. There are many reasons why play is the modality of choice when working with children, including:
Play is the natural medium of communication for children
Play is enjoyable so it can be used to engage children in counseling
Children act out their internal conflicts through play. As such, by observing themes and trends that emerge over time, the therapist can use the child's play as a means to assess and diagnose
Play enables children to gain insight about themselves and others
Play therapy assists children in their overall development, as well as in their development of their social skills and self-esteem
Children use play to act out unconscious material, to relieve the accompanying tension, and to resolve their internal conflicts
Lorie Walton© 2011 Day One Slides
Photo from:
Slide Content from 2012 Introductory Day: Lorie Walton

35. How is this valuable for children,teens and families?
Large group brainstorming....

36. Purpose of Play Therapy-
Auto Animated Version
Healing
Diagnosis.
Communication
Development
Purpose of Play Therapy-
Lorie Walton © 2012

37. Resistance to therapy fearful in new situation ill prepared
little control over process
Why me syndrome
fear of further victimization
loyalty issues

38. A desirable play therapy toy
facilitates the establishment of contact with the child
encourages catharsis
aids in developing insight
furnishes opportunities for reality testing
provides media for sublimation (Landreth, 1982)pp Landreth, G. (1982).Play Therapy: Dynamics of the Process of Counseling with Children. Charles C Thomas Publisher, LTD.

39. Let’s break in three groups….
Please meet and develop a list of toys that you believe need to be the “tools” of a Play Therapist
One group member will need to present this list to the entire group.

40. Retrieved April 14, 2013 from: BAPT Facebook page
“Tools”
Retrieved April 14, 2013 from: BAPT Facebook page

41. Dr. Gary Landreth- University of North Texas says
Real-Life Toys: This category consists of toys that are directly representative of real-world items including doll families, dollhouse, puppets, cars, boats, airplanes, cash register, and play money among other things. 
Aggressive-Release Toys: This toy grouping allows for the release of emotions that are typically not allowed to be expressed in other settings and includes Bobo or the bop bag, toy soldiers, rubber knives, and toy guns (that purposely do not look realistic). Less obvious, but still important are egg cartoons and Popsicle sticks that can be physically broken down and destroyed.
Creative Expression Toys: This category contains toys that allow for creativity. Paints, butcher paper and an easel, crayons, sand, water, and instruments. Depending on the setting of the playroom, some of these items may need to be replaced with an alternative item Adapted from Landreth, G. L. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship. (2nd ed.). New York: Brunner-Routledge.
Retrieved April 7, 2013 from:

42. Let’s play at the different stations and decide …..
real life
aggressive release
creative expression
Each group will play for ten minutes in one area and then we will come back as a group.

43. Portable PT kits Why would you use a portable kit?
What would you want in your kit?
How might this change?
How to transport and store
Watch Pam Dyson:

44. How to set up a playroom?
Let’s look at some examples for our Playground Magazine – each group has 10 minutes to identify: What do you like about this healing space? What would you do differently to this space ? What do you think you need to consider with your client group when providing a healing space?

45. PT space considerations?
Size, location
Clean, organized
Respects confidentiality
Broken toys? Current pop culture toys?
Toys that reflect various experiences? Do we exclude any?
Toys that reflect cultural groups, generations etc?
Characteristics
Size ~ Location ~ should be where the client will be least likely to disturb other people or other clients in other rooms ]
needs to be large enough for child to comfortably move and small enough for the play therapist to be present without continually following the child around the room. 12 feet x 15 feet is ideal.
Flooring ~ durable, easy to clean
Walls ~ durable paint, washable, avoid colours that are dark, vibrant or sad
Sink ~ make sure the hot water is turned down in case client uses sink
Shelving ~ need to be sturdy and fastened to wall for safety.
(Landreth, 2002)

46. Resources Garage sales Thrift shops Online venders
let other’s know that you require “tools”
Keep receipts

47. Group Participation time
For each of the following slides I will be looking for an example of this therapeutic power of play. What might you see if this power is being exhibited?
Clip Art retrieved from Google Images

48. In Subsequent Slides
We will briefly define the therapeutic powers of play as described in Charlie Schaefer’s book. Schaefer,C.,Drewes. A.(2014).The therapeutic Powers of Play. 20 Core Agents of Change.Hoboken:New Jersey. John Wiley & Sons

49. Facilitates Communication
Play is one of the most important ways in which children learn that their feelings can be safely expressed and communicated.
During play, children feel free to act out inner feelings of fear, anger, or loss that might otherwise be overwhelming.

50. Self Expression to talk in the first person
“Allows for as it is- not for real life quality (p.13)”.
“there are some experiences in real life that are too complicated for words(p. 13)”.
Creative play, traumatic play
Chapter 2. Mary Morrison and Stephanie Eberts

51. Access to the Unconscious
“Play expresses language of the right hemisphere made up of sensory-motor sensations, kinesthetic and visceral sensations, and visual images(Shore,2003a,2004b)” as quoted in Chapter 3 by David Crenshaw and Kathleen Tillman.
Schore,A.N.(2003a).Affect dysregulation and disorders of self. New York: Norton
Schore,A.N.(2003b).Affect regulation and the repair of the self . New York: Norton.

52. Direct Teaching
“Is a process by which the therapist imparts knowledge or skills through such strategies as instruction, modeling, guided practice, and positive reinforcement(p.39)”. Chapter 4 Theresa Fraser

53. Indirect Teaching
“Indirect teaching is a strategy within play and play therapy that can be used to support thinking about feelings and issues for children(p.66)”. Chapter 5 Aideen Taylor De Faoite

54. Catharsis
“Stress reducing play offers stress- reducing potential. Catharsis allows the child the satisfaction of completing some or all of a previously restrained or interrupted sequence of self- expression(p.71)”. Chapter 6- Athena Drewes and Charles E. Schaefer

55. Catharsis… Emotional Release
Play activities should have an element of freedom to allow an opportunity to find greater – if not full – expression of feelings.
Especially achieved in an atmosphere of permissiveness with some limits defined.

56. Abreaction…
“Steele and Colrain(1990)describe abreaction as the revivication of past memory with the release of bound emotion and the recovery of repressed or dissociated aspects of a remembered event… it provides the psychic reworking of the trauma that identifies, releases and assimilates the unresolved aspects of abuse, allowing resolution and integration on both psychological and physiological levels(p.85)”.

57. Abreaction
The process of becoming conscious of repressed/buried events
Children slowly digest and assimilate traumatic experiences by reliving them with an appropriate release of emotion
Thru the therapist-child interaction, the child can be helped to find a frame of reference
A sense of mastery is then gained

58. Positive Emotions Chapter 8- Terry Kottman
Play is free from external demands
Research states that enjoyment of a task increases persistence and motivation to do better
“It is essential to incorporate fun and pleasure in play therapy sessions and there is empirical support (and brain chemistry) to prove it (p. 117)”.
Chapter 8- Terry Kottman

59. Counterconditioning Fears
“Counterconditioning of fears refers to the reduction and extinction of a fearful/anxious response to stimulus by helping clients to learn an incompatible (counter opposite) response such as relaxing, eating, or playing(p.121)”. Chapter 9- Tammi Van Hollander

60. Stress Inoculation
“Stress inoculation has been used with adults and children to reduce anxiety about situations they will experience in the future(p.139)”. Chapter 10- Angela Cavett

61. Stress Management
“Play in its truest form- child driven, voluntary and nongoal-orientated-affords the opportunity for self-soothing play(p.146)”. “Sensory, tactile play engages both hemispheres of the brain by activating the right hemisphere through non-verbal and expressive modalities leading to improved regulation and functionality (Gil,2006) as noted on(p.146)”.

62. Therapeutic Relationships
The role of play in facilitating a positive relationship between child and therapist is crucial for the child to gain a stronger acceptance of himself.
“The power of play to facilitate the development of a therapeutic relationship is helpful across a wide variety of presenting problems especially those involving interpersonal difficulties(p.163)”.

63. Attachment
Thru the replication of positive child- parent interaction, the child has the potential of establishing a secure attachment experience.

64. Social Competence
Thru play, children gain a sense of mastery and self-accomplishment
Play therefore holds an important role in building competence in many areas
“Play- Competence Spiral”
Research shows that children can learn to improve their ability to cope with feared real- life situations by playing out fear-related mastery themes
Erikson, Erik H. (1993) [1950]. Childhood and Society. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company.

65. Empathy
“By applying neuroscience concepts, play therapists have a unique opportunity to create highly effective therapeutic strategies that greatly contribute to the development of empathetic qualities in children, as well as contributing to the well being of children, their families and society(p.207)”. Chapter 15 Richard Gaskill

66. Increases Personal Strengths
Creative problem solving
Resiliency
Moral development
Accelerated psychological development
Self regulation
Self esteem

67. Creative Problem Solving
In play, the activity doesn’t have to be done ‘right’
Divergent thinking ability
It is ok to make a mistake
Children are at ease to explore and experiment with a variety of solutions to different problems during play
Play out alternate coping strategies

68. Resiliency
“In play therapy, the play becomes transformative in providing a new prospective of self and/or environment, which is at the heart of resiliency as a therapeutic power of play (p.226)”. Chapter 17 – John Seymour

69. Dr. Michael Unger-
“In the context of exposure to significant adversity, resilience is both the capacity of individuals to navigate their way to the psychological, social, cultural, and physical resources that sustain their well-being, and their capacity individually and collectively to negotiate for these resources to be provided in culturally meaningful ways.”
Retrieved from:

70. Moral Development
“Moral development is a natural phenomenon that occurs as a child matures through interactions, neurological development, and direct learning(p.253)”. Chapter 18 – Jill Packman

71. Enhance Social Relationships
Therapeutic relationships
Attachment
Social competence
Empathy

72. Accelerated Psychological Development
Play can assist a child’s development (physical, cognitive, social and emotional) especially for those children whose development has been disrupted.
Play therapy is in alignment with the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (Bruce Perry).

73. Self Regulation
“Strong self regulators utilize mental strategies to adjust their attention and arousal and thus bring their actions in line with their intentions(p.270)”.
Chapter 20- Marcie Yeager, Daniel Yeager

74. Self Esteem
“It seems like the process of enhancing self-esteem is much like the Wizard of Oz. Most often the positive qualities lie within the individual. It often takes others to activate these qualities(p.317)”.
Chapter 21- Diane Frey

75. Overcoming Resistance
Try to evaluate the dynamics underlying initial resistance to treatment process
How is the resistance manifested? – overtly or covertly?
Overcome the resistance by ENGAGING the child in the therapeutic process

76. When should PT be considered?
Social Skill issues
Anxiety
PTSD
Divorce
Anger management
Self-Esteem issues
Developmental issues
Identity issues
Type 1, 2 or 3 Trauma
Abuse
Adjustment Disorder
Grief & Loss
(understanding that there are many kinds of loss)
Attachment Disruptions
Behavioural issues
Learning Disabilities
Clip Art found on Google Images

77. Differences in the play of adjusted and children who have had experiences that impact their functioning.
Adjusted
Children whose experiences have impacted their functioning.
Exploratory
Frozen
Creative
Repetitive
Inviting
Secretive
Regulated
Unregulated
Anchored
Unanchored

78. In closing… YOU - ARE NOW PART OF THE CANADIAN PLAY THERAPY COMMUNITY!
As you develop in your journey of becoming a Child and Play Psychotherapist remember to
Access supervision opportunities
Read your CACPT playground magazine
Get involved in our association!
Connect with agencies that provide PT
Read online journal articles about PT
STAY CONNECTED TO PT COLLEAGUES
YOU - ARE NOW PART OF THE CANADIAN PLAY THERAPY COMMUNITY!

79. This program will impact your life!
Being there to award one of my mentors the prestigious
Canadian Monica Herbert Award
Athena Drewes, Theresa Fraser , Charles Schaefer and Linda Homeyer taken at
Wroxton 2009

80. You also have the responsibility of impacting the life of others.
Remember what Uncle Ben told Peter?

81. Do continue to: Read the Code of Ethics regularly
Continue learning in between the certificate levels
Seek regular supervision

82. Don’t forget
To fill out your CACPT evaluation and to sign out!

83. Tomorrow:
Play Therapy History and Models with Don Chafe