Description

Treating Trauma in Play Therapy

Overview:
Many children and adolescents are referred for therapy because they have
experienced a traumatic event or a series of events. This workshop will define the
various types of trauma including those considered to be complex as well as other
disorders that are trauma-based such as Reactive Attachment Disorder. We will
identify trauma symptoms that can be observed from infancy through adolescence
emphasizing the types of post-traumatic play seen in homes, classrooms and in the
playroom.
Then various trauma focussed approaches and Play Therapy Interventions will be
reviewed. Lastly, this workshop incorporates a culturally sensitive perspective
given the culturally diverse populations seen in clinical practice including: First
Nations, Innuit, Metis, Black Nova Scotians and New Immigrants. We also discuss
the importance of the clinician being aware of holding space for traumatic material
in Play Therapy.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Describe
○ Characteristics of trauma reactions and symptoms across the
developmental life span and trauma related presentations such as
reactive attachment, disinhibited social engagement, acute stress and
post traumatic stress and trauma related anxiety, depression. attention
difficulties and oppositional behaviours and so-called borderline traits.

○ Types of complex trauma including multiple exposures to one type,
exposures to different types of traumas, paediatric medical traumatic
stress, childhood traumatic grief , concurrent substance and trauma as
well developmental trauma disorder.

2. Incorporate play-based, standardized and non-standardized trauma
assessment approaches.
3. Determine the stage of treatment (stabilization, processing, and
reprocessing) in order to apply the most effective interventions.
4. Distinguish the many roles of play and different types of play associated
with trauma such as stagnant post-traumatic play and dynamic
post-traumatic play in children and adolescents.