An Introduction to How Child-Centered Play Therapy Can be Used to Support System-Involved Youth

Nauser Wolfe, LMFT

Training Description

Child-centered play therapy is a form of therapy designed to meet system-involved youth where they are at. Rather than expect an overwhelmed child to be able to use words and sentences to express what they are struggling with on the inside, child-centered play therapy gives the child toys and other age-appropriate play materials that allow them to use the mode of expression that comes most naturally to them. This experiential workshop will provide a theoretical foundation for understanding the healing power of play and will train participants in the four basic skills of child-centered play therapy: structuring, empathic listening, imaginative role play, and limit setting.

Learning Objectives

· Participants will be able to explain the healing power of play.

· Participant will acquire the 4 basic skills of structuring, empathic listening, fantasy/role play, and setting limits.

· Participants will be able to explain to caregivers of system involved youth how play therapy works and how it can help their child.

Agenda

2:00-2:15pm  Introduction to Child Centered Play Therapy

2:15-2:25pm  Introduction to the Structuring and Empathic Listening Skills

2:25-2:40pm  *Demo & Experiential Practice of the Structuring and Empathic Listening Skill in Dyads*

2:40-2:50pm  Introduction to the Imaginative Role Play Skill

2:50-3:05pm  *Demo and Experiential Practice of the Imaginative Role Play Skill in Dyads*

3:05-3:15pm  Introduction to the Limit-Setting skill

3:15-3:30pm  *Exploring Limit-Setting and Experiential Practice in Dyads*

3:30-3:35pm  Introduction to explaining rationale for child-centered play therapy to parents

3:35-3:50pm  *Experiential Practice Explaining Rationale for Child-Centered Play Therapy in Dyads*

3:50-4:00pm  Questions & Answers, Wrap-up

**Times in *italics* are experiential. Participants must be available to engage (with their cameras on) with other participants during these entire times. This is a highly experiential training as these skills MUST be practiced to really understand their benefits for system involved youth. It is also recommended for participants to have some play materials on hand for the experiential portions. Toys, costumes, and art supplies would all work fine.

Meet Our Trainer

Nauser Wolfe, LMFT, is a play therapist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Before studying counseling psychology at the California Institute for Integral Studies, he received a BA and MA in linguistics from UC Santa Cruz. He loves teaching parents how to speak the original love language of children (play!), and he firmly believes that removing the obstacles to play is one of the most important things we can do to create a healthy and just world.

This course meets the qualifications for (2) BBS CE hours for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.