Workshop Schedule

​

​

INTEGRATING PLAY THERAPY WITH

SENSORY STRATEGIES

FOR TREATING COMPLEX TRAUMA

Program Goals and Schedule: 

February 21st, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Program Goals and Schedule: 

“In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way that their bodies interact with the world around them.” – Bessel van der Kolk

Program Goals

Many of our young clients are referred to treatment due to rapidly shifting states of arousal, affect, thinking, and/or behavior.  Knowing how to accurately read these cues and provide appropriate interventions is key to working with these challenges.  Adapting to the environment—and the constantly changing needs and demands on the nervous system—requires very complex processing in the brain, which is not always possible.  Depending on the neuro-behavioral state of the brain, a child may need an increased or a decreased amount of sensory input.

 

In this intensive workshop, grounded in play therapy and integrative theories (trauma, neuroscience, attachment), we will explore how trauma affects the development of the brain and body, emphasizing the use of body language and non-verbal cues to understand the “somatic narrative” in treatment rather than relying on verbal communication alone. 

 

Dr. Lefebre will be offering participants an experiential opportunity to discover practice interventions will learn trauma-informed yoga movements, sensory activities, and embodied play therapy interventions to decrease trauma symptoms, increase resiliency, adopt meaning-making, and build new competencies.

 

Program Schedule

 

The schedule will consist of didactic presentations, experiential work, and processing clinical case material. 

 

Friday ~ February 21st, 2020

09:30 - 9:45     Introductions and Needs Assessment ~ Participant’s “wish list”

09:45 -10:45    Neuroscience of Trauma, Attachment, and Play Therapy (didactic & experiential)

                        10:45 -11:00    BREAK

11:00 -12:30    Developmental Trauma and Sensory Integration (didactic & experiential)

                        12:30 -  1:45     LUNCH

                        01:45 - 3:00    Sensory Integration and Play Therapy, Part 1 (didactic & experiential)

                        03:00 -  3:15   BREAK

                        03:15 -  4:30    Sensory Integration and Play Therapy, Part 2 (case studies & experiential)

 

Course Objectives

 

By the end of the course, participants will be able to…

1. Articulate the 6 key dysregulation symptoms in clients that demonstrate the fight-or-flight response

2. Demonstrate 3 or more play therapy techniques to teach children about the brain-body relationship

3. Outline the process of attachment and how it relates to trauma and play therapy

4. Discuss 2 of the reasons mirror neurons are important in regulation and attachment

5. Learn 4 (or more) sensory-based play therapy techniques for working with trauma-related symptoms in children and adolescents

6. Discover 5 (or more) integrative play therapy strategies to improve affect regulation and foster resilience in children with complex trauma

 

Course Instructor:  Jennifer Lefebre, LCSW, RPT-S.    drjennhtcw@gmail.com

 

References

Ayres, A. J. (2004). Sensory integration and the child (2nd ed.). Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.

Blaustein, M. & Kinniburgh, K. (2018).  Treating traumatic stress in children and adolescents: How to foster resilience through attachment, self-regulation, and competency, Second Edition.  New York: Guilford Press.

Gil, E. (2017). Posttraumatic Play in Children: What Clinicians Need to know. NY: Guildford Press.

Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. New York: Viking.

Warner, E., Cook, A., Westcott, A., & Koomar, J. (2011). Sensory motor arousal regulation treatment (SMART), A manual for therapists working with children and adolescents: A “bottom up” approach to treatment of complex trauma. Boston: Trauma Center at JRI.

 

 

 INTEGRATING PLAY THERAPY WITH YOGA

FOR TREATING COMPLEX TRAUMA

Program Goals and Schedule:  February 22nd, 2020

 

“In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way that their bodies interact with the world around them.” – Bessel van der Kolk

Program Goals

Many of our young clients are referred to treatment due to rapidly shifting states of arousal, affect, thinking, and/or behavior.  Knowing how to accurately read these cues and provide appropriate interventions is key to working with these challenges.  Adapting to the environment—and the constantly changing needs and demands on the nervous system—requires very complex processing in the brain, which is not always possible.  Depending on the neuro-behavioral state of the brain, a child may need an increased or a decreased amount of sensory input.

 

In this intensive workshop, grounded in play therapy and integrative theories (trauma, neuroscience, attachment), we will explore how trauma affects the development of the brain and body, emphasizing the use of body language and non-verbal cues to understand the “somatic narrative” in treatment rather than relying on verbal communication alone. 

 

Dr. Lefebre will be offering participants an experiential opportunity to discover practice interventions will learn trauma-informed yoga movements, sensory activities, and embodied play therapy interventions to decrease trauma symptoms, increase resiliency, adopt meaning-making, and build new competencies.

 

Program Schedule

 

The schedule will consist of didactic presentations, experiential work, and processing clinical case material. 

 

Saturday ~ February 22nd, 2020

09:30 - 10:45   Developmental Trauma and Somatic Interventions (didactic & experiential)

                        10:45 -11:00    BREAK

11:00 -12:30    Trauma-Sensitive Yoga and Embodied Play Therapy, Part 1 (case studies & experiential)

                        12:30 -  1:45     LUNCH

                        01:45 - 3:00    Trauma-Sensitive Yoga and Embodied Play Therapy, Part 2 (case

studies & experiential)

                        03:00 -  3:15   BREAK

                        03:15 -  4:30    Treatment planning and Closure exercise

 

Course Objectives

 

By the end of the course, participants will be able to…

1. Describe the neurophysiological theory behind developmental trauma

2. Explain the neurophysiological rationale that supports play therapy as a best practice for working with children

3. Describe and recognize at least 3 movement patterns, gestures or non-verbal cues that play therapists and others can view as an indication of a child’s psychological experience

4. Discover 5 (or more) integrative play therapy strategies to improve affect regulation and foster resilience in children with complex trauma

5. Demonstrate at least 4 (or more) trauma-informed yoga techniques for managing dysregulation and embodied trauma with children

 

Course Instructor:  Jennifer Lefebre, LCSW, RPT-S.    drjennhtcw@gmail.com

 

References

Ayres, A. J. (2004). Sensory integration and the child (2nd ed.). Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.

Blaustein, M. & Kinniburgh, K. (2018).  Treating traumatic stress in children and adolescents: How to foster resilience through attachment, self-regulation, and competency, Second Edition.  New York: Guilford Press.

Gil, E. (2017). Posttraumatic Play in Children: What Clinicians Need to know. NY: Guildford Press.

Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. New York: Viking.

Warner, E., Cook, A., Westcott, A., & Koomar, J. (2011). Sensory motor arousal regulation treatment (SMART), A manual for therapists working with children and adolescents: A “bottom up” approach to treatment of complex trauma. Boston: Trauma Center at JRI.

​