Description
Play is to the child what talk is to the adult. Play therapy is a medium for expressing feelings, exploring relationships, describing experiences, disclosing wishes, and self-fulfillment. Children express themselves and their needs, relive their past, and connect with others through play. The use of toys enables children to transfer anxieties, fears, fantasies, and guilt to objects rather than people. In the process, children are safe from their own feelings and reactions because play enables children to distance themselves from stressful events and experiences.
Therapeutic play is an evidence-based approach to help children with social or emotional deficits learn to communicate better, express underlying feelings they may be struggling with, change their behaviour, develop problem-solving skills, and relate to others in positive ways. It is appropriate for children undergoing or witnessing stressful events in their lives, those struggling with academic and social problems, learning disabilities, behavioural disorders, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, or anger; as well as those with attention deficit disorders, or who are on the autism spectrum. This training is aimed at introducing therapeutic play to parents, professionals, and caregivers. Participants will explore the basic theoretical foundations of therapeutic play, and will gain practical skills and strategies to work with children in order to begin integrating play into their work with children.
Therapeutic Play was designed by the Co-Founders of the Institute of Child Psychology, who are Registered Child Psychologists & Registered Play Therapists. They combine elements of Play Therapy, Theraplay, and non-directive exploratory-based play to create a model of interacting with children that is unique to the Institute of Child Psychology. This model is designed to increase connection, while facilitating emotionally therapeutic outcomes in children (i.e., reduced stress; processing of stressful experiences; increased confidence, empathy, pro-social behaviour, self-esteem, and attention span). It is especially useful in instances where play therapy is not accessible.
Tania Johnson, R. Psychologist, R. Play Therapist
Co-Founder: Institute of Child Psychology
Tania is a Registered Psychologist and a Registered Play Therapist. She completed her undergraduate studies in South-Africa before engaging in a one year, full time internship in Chicago at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. In 2012, she received my Masters of Counselling from City University of Seattle. During her Master’s degree, she worked both on the front lines and as a counsellor with foster and adoptive families who faced a range of emotional, behavioural, and cognitive challenges.
Since completing her degree, she has worked in a private practice setting with children, teens, adults and families. She works primarily from an attachment based perspective. This means that she works with clients to explore how early relationships affect how we come to understand our self, other people and the world.
Tania endeavours to always approach her clients and professional work with respect, honesty, integrity and warmth
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