Principles of Play Therapy

Course code:25-SS-004
Dates:October 18-19, 2024 Alternate Course Dates
Meets:F and Sa from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, 2 sessions
Hours:16.00
Location:ChildSavers
Instructor:Katie Francis
Fee: $249.00

Description

In this foundational workshop, you will explore the history of play therapy and compare multiple models of play therapy. You will examine Child-Centered and Cognitive-Behavioral theories as they apply to play therapy. In addition, you will delve into the rationale, philosophy, and history essential to practicing in the field of play therapy.

You will explore how to use play therapy with children in playrooms, how to use available space effectively in creating a therapeutic play space, and how to develop a mobile play therapy kit. You will build the foundational skills needed to use play therapy effectively and leave with the confidence to begin immediately working with clients using play-based interventions.

This workshop is designed to help you:

  1. Describe play therapy and role of a play therapy in interventions and identify play therapists' characteristics;
  2. Discuss the history of play therapy, its foundations, and describe and use two historically significant theories to the field of play therapy recognized by the Association for Play Therapy;
  3. Discuss the basics of, the difference between, and rationale for using non-directive and directive approaches;
  4. Explain prescriptive and integrated play therapy approaches;
  5. Describe the rationale for selecting therapeutic toys and be able to communicate how to organize and care for a professional playroom;
  6. Communicate with parents about why we use play therapy, explain how we collaborate with parents for the best outcomes, and describe how children progress in play therapy;
  7. Set and enforce limits in an effective and therapeutic way; and
  8. Identify the stages of play therapy, ethical and cultural issues, and demonstrate how to terminate play therapy appropriately.

Notes

Instructor: Katie Francis, LCSW, RPT-S™, CTP-C
Katie Francis is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Registered Play Therapist -Supervisor™ (RPT-S), and Certified Trauma Practitioner-Clinical (CTP-C). She has been working for ChildSavers for over 10 years providing outpatient therapy to children, teens and families. Katie is also the Program Manager for Mental Health Services Outpatient Program and Immediate Response program and provides clinical supervision to some of our staff. Katie has extensive training in providing trauma focused treatment to children, teens and families as well as training in the use of play, art, sand and attachment-based treatments. She has previously taught for the Play Therapy training courses on Group, Family and Filial work. Katie thoroughly enjoys supporting our community’s children and families by helping them to find healing and build resiliency through the use of play and expressive therapies.
The Association for Play Therapy (APT) has approved this in person VCU event for 16 contact training hours. Effective July 1, 2022, the required 150 hours of play therapy instruction may be earned via contact training (in person only), non-contact training, and live webinars. Of the 150 hours of play therapy instruction, a minimum of 75 hours must be met by contact/in person training. A maximum of 75 hours may be met via live webinars and of those 75 hours, no more than 40 hours may be met via non-contact trainings. Definition of the above terms can be found at https://www.a4pt.org/
Synchronous In Person Sessions
Our in person sessions will be held at ChildSavers in Richmond, VA and offer an opportunity to interact with the instructor and other participants. There will be a one-hour break per day. Please bring your own lunch for the sessions.

Attendance and Participation
Participants must attend the full workshop to receive APT continuing education hours from VCU and to earn the certificate of completion and the digital badge. Any individuals who test positive for COVID 19 or presumed positive, i.e. have an identifiable COVID-19 contact and are symptomatic, are not permitted to attend the in-person training and should reach out to ssschuetz@vcu.edu to discuss a transfer to another play therapy offering. Individuals, who have been exposed to a COVID-positive individual, are able to attend the in-person trainings after they have quarantined for 5 days and have been fever free for 24 hours.

Should the training need to move to a teleconference platform, participants will be notified 48 hours prior to the training start date to adjust any travel plans. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these standards, please reach out to Katie Francis, Kfrancis@childsavers.org


Creative Materials
Your instructor will send you a list of specific creative materials to have on-hand during the workshop. All VCU play therapy workshops require basic art materials including paper, markers, colored pencils, poster board, scissors, decorative items, and glue.

Required Assessments
VCU conducts a two-part assessment in each workshop. To earn educational hours toward an Association for Play Therapy (APT) credential, you must pass both assessments. These include a scored rubric that demonstrates your mastery of workshop objectives via small and large group activities and discussion, and a multiple-choice test. Only participants who pass the activity rubric will be eligible to take the test.


Questions? Should you have any questions about the workshop, please contact Shelly Schuetz at ssschuetz@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1322.
Cancellation and Refund Policies:
You may cancel your registration up until two weeks before the workshop start date, and receive a full refund minus a $35 credit card processing fee. After that date, no refunds will be given. Cancellations must be received via email at ocpe@vcu.edu
In the unlikely event that this workshop is cancelled or postponed due to insufficient enrollments or unforeseen circumstances, the university will fully refund registration fees, but cannot be held responsible for any other expenses, including change or cancellation charges to include but not limited to airlines, hotels, travel agencies, or other organizations.

Transfer Policy:
Workshop registrations may be transferred to a different workshop or person if requested in writing via email at ocpe@vcu.edu by the cancellation deadline. The participant must meet all prerequisites or qualifications required by the program.


Student/Participant Conduct:
Participants are subject to all university policies applicable to students, unless a specific university or VCU Continuing and Professional Education policy explicitly states otherwise. University policies governing students are available at https://vcu.public.doctract.com including:
Student Code of Conduct
Honor System and Standards of Academic Conduct
Preventing and Responding to Discrimination
Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy-Interim
Sex-Based Misconduct Policy-Interim
For Academic Accommodations, please visit https://ocpe.vcu.edu/courses/policies.html#accommodations

Online registration is not available at this time. Please contact our office for seat availability, or alternative or upcoming course/event dates.

Contact: VCU Continuing and Professional Education, ocpe@vcu.edu, 804-828-1322

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