Live Virtual Workshops

Play Therapy

Tools for Helping Children and Youth

March 12, 2025 - March 13, 2025
(09:00 AM - 04:00 PM CDT )
$569.00 (regular rate)
$529.00 (*early rate)
Location: Online Virtual
Trainer Monica Bhatara, MA
*early rate expires 02/20/2025
12
Continuing Education
Credit Hours (CEC)

Register

Play Therapy - Live Virtual - March 12-13, 2025; 9am-4pm Central Time

Early rate expires 02/19/2025

Quantity: 1 $ 529.00
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Children express themselves, learn about their world, and feel most at ease when playing. This interactive workshop focuses on how to use play therapy strategies to help children and youth positively cope and work through stressful life experiences. Participants will become familiar with Play Therapy theory, clinical guiding principles, and various directive and non-directive creative interventions to use with a wide age range of children and youth. From an experiential lens, this training explores how to apply playful strategies to support children and youth on their path to healing. Get ready to play!

Please note: This workshop does not certify participants as a “Play Therapist” – the aim of the workshop is to provide practical strategies for a wide range of helpers who support children.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion, participants should be able to:

  • Describe the theory and guiding principles of play therapy
  • Understand the cognitive and developmental stages of children
  • Describe age-appropriate directive and nondirective play therapy tools and interventions
  • Illustrate practical and tangible tools for immediate use with clients

Method of Delivery

Presentation, video, experiential practice of activities and exercises, personal reflection, delivered electronically.

*Please allow only the registered individual(s) to view the materials.

Some of the Topics Included

  • Why does Play Therapy Work?
  • Attachment, Neuroscience, Family Systems
  • Children’s Growing Brains: Cognitive and Development Stages
  • Inner Resiliency – Child-Centered Play Therapy
  • Using Directive vs. Non-directive Approaches with Children and Youth
  • How Play can Help Overcome Trauma
  • Play-based Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy Strategies
  • Creative Interventions for Emotional Awareness and Self-Reflection
  • Art-Based Therapy
  • Helping Children and Youth Develop Self-Regulation
  • The Impact of Family – How Family Play Therapy Helps
  • Building the Blocks of Attachment
  • Somatic Approaches and Body-based Exercises
  • Skills for using a Sand Tray
  • Tools to use Puppetry
  • Develop Story-telling Skills

Target Audience

This is an introductory-intermediate level workshop intended for school personnel, social service and health care professionals, counsellors, social workers, parents, and anyone wanting to gain increased capacity in helping children and youth.

Terms & Conditions

View our cancellation policy and other information regarding your live virtual workshop or for your in-person workshop.

This is a live virtual event, please check your system requirements prior to registering.

Trainer: Monica Bhatara

MA

Monica has over 25 years of experience working in the community-based social services field as a Therapist and Community Educator. She is a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor, Certified Synergetic Play Therapist, and Focusing-Oriented Therapist. Monica has worked both in clinical settings for various programs and served in a leadership role as Director of Clinical Practice, providing her expertise to clinical and non-clinical programs that focus on family preservation and reunification, complex intergenerational trauma, trauma-informed practice, and clinical supervision. In addition to training with CTRI, she has a private counselling practice where she incorporates somatic work, play and expressive therapies, and interpersonal neurobiology in her work with children, youth, and adults. Monica believes in the power of human resiliency and the importance of building the capacity of paraprofessionals and non-clinical workers because they play a vital role on the therapy spectrum. As a trainer, she brings stimulating stories and a style that promotes engagement and facilitates learning.

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