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The Language of Play: Understanding Play in Play Therapy
Time: 9:00 am to 12:15 pm
CEs: 3 CEs in Play Therapy Format Delivery: Face-to-face
Content Description:
Unstructured play is fundamental to children’s development and a core element of effective play therapy practice. This workshop highlights the work of Charles E. Shaefer and the Therapeutic Powers of Play, which describe how play functions as the primary agent of change. Participants will review the classical, modern, and developmental theories of play. Participants will learn how understanding play theory strengthens play therapy case conceptualization, supports the therapeutic relationship, enhances observation skills, and improves clinical documentation.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the workshop, the participant will be able to:
1. Explain the Therapeutic Powers of Play identified by Charles E. Schaefer and substantiate how these mechanisms inform play therapy case conceptualization, therapeutic relationships, and clinical documentation.
2. Describe the role of unstructured play in promoting problem solving, conservation, creativity, and social competence within child development and play therapy contexts.
3. Identify the major classical and modern theories of play and summarize their contribution to understanding unstructured play in play therapy.
4. Analyze child development research linking unstructured play to emotional, cognitive, language, creativity, and social development in children.
5. Differentiate levels of play and types of play and use knowledge to observe, conceptualize, and document children’s play within the play therapy process.
6. Apply knowledge of play theory, play therapy theory, and developmental research to support clinical decision making, strengthen the play therapy relationship, and guide documentation of the play therapy process.
Schedule:
9:00 am – 10:30 am Foundations of unstructured play and therapeutic powers of
play. Classical and modern theories of play
10:30 am – 10:45 am Break
10:45 am – 12:15 pm Child development and play
Levels and types of play
Cost: $90
REGISTER
The Language of Play: Understanding Play in Play Therapy
Facility: Institute for Counseling Development
1600 Medical Center – Suite B-1
El Paso, Texas 79912
Cancellation and Refund Policy: This workshop is nonrefundable.
About the Presenter:
Leah Fowlkes Miller, PhD, LPC-S, LMFT-S, RPT-S™
APT Approved Provider 14-368
Leah Fowlkes Miller, PhD, LPC-S, LMFT-S, RPT-S™ is the owner and founder of the Counseling Center of Expressive Arts established in 2001 and the Institute for Counselor Development in El Paso, Texas founded in 2015. She has worked with families, couples, adolescents, and children for over 25 years. She completed her master’s in counseling at Webster University and did a post-graduate study at the University of Oklahoma in art therapy. Leah received her PhD from the University of North Texas in Counseling and Higher Education with a specialty in play therapy.
