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Archive for Play Therapy news

April Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· May 8, 2018 
· No Comments

Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny. -C.S. Lewis

 Blog

April was autism awareness month as well as child abuse prevention month. Our post this month showed the staggering statistics of child abuse, as well as highlighted methods to keep child therapists who work with abused children trained and emotionally healthy. Dr. Gary shared valuable resources for child therapists working with abused children. Read more here.

Articles

Children learn to regulate their emotions by watching the adults around them. That can seem stressful in and of itself, and you might find yourself saying, “Do as I say, not as I do!” But it’s OK for your children to learn their cues from you. You just have to be mindful of what you’re doing when you become emotional, i.e. angry, sad, frustrated, overjoyed, etc. This article outlines how to use your own body and feelings as teaching tools for healthy emotional coping. Read full article here.

Usually the feeling of guilt is an unpleasant one; a heavy one. In this new study,  researcher Amrisha Vaish, of the University of Virginia, finds that the beginning stages of guilt seem to develop around the age of three. Why is this significant? Vaish views the development of guilt as an opportunity for children to learn to make amends, and better foster social relationships. Read full article here.

There are too many factors to count that lead to a child growing into a productive adult with a “good” job. According to Jenny Anderson, letting children play more is a key factor. Playing leads to self discovery and problem solving and, “helping kids play more ‘will equip them to be relevant to the workplace and to society,’ said John Goodwin, CEO of the Lego Foundation and the former chief financial officer for The Lego Group.” Read full article here.

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Categories : Behavior, Child Development, Feelings, Monthly Wrap-Up, Parenting, Play Therapy, Play Therapy news, Research and Case Studies, Resources, Trauma and Grief, Wrap Up
Tags : Child Abuse, child therapy, childhood stress, development, family roles, feelings, Play Therapy

Spring Cleaning in Your Facility and in Yourself by Clair Mellenthin

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· April 14, 2017 
· 1 Comment

Hello Play Therapists!

With the wonderment of spring upon us, I have been thinking a lot about spring cleaning and the importance of doing this not just externally, but internally as well.

It is a great time to clean out your play room and go through your toys, dress ups, and art supplies.

Make a list to restock, repair, and reuse different items.

Once the outside is taken care of, now it is time to do some spring cleaning on the inside.

Think about cases or experiences you are carrying around with you and apply the same level of care and cleaning to these different issues. Are there things you are ready to discard, repair, or replace?

One of my favorite ways to do this for myself is to create a collage of my “two wolves”– the different parts of me that are in constant battle with each other.

When we can put the internal conflict into a tangible, distinct, separate space from us, we can see it in a different way and gain insight into why there is the conflict taking place and what parts of self we are neglecting or indulging.

Spring is a time of renewal. I hope that you will find a renewed sense of purpose, confidence, and drive in your work with our little ones (whether they are three or ninety-three years old!).

 

***

Thanks to Clair Mellenthin, LCSW, RPTS for this submission! You can get more from Clair on her website.

Also, catch Clair in action at her upcoming PESI workshops in Oregon and New York.

 

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Categories : Feelings, Play Therapy news, Reader Submissions, Sandplay/Sand Tray Therapy
Tags : feelings, Play Therapy, play therapy intervention, sand tray therapy, therapy intervention

January Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· February 2, 2017 
· No Comments

bubbles

 

“Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child’s soul”

– Friedrich Froebel (founder of the concept of kindergarten)

Blog

Parenting a child with obsessive compulsive disorder can seem like an impossible task at times. Children with OCD can have a difficult time understanding why they have the impulses they experience and how to manage them. For parents, it can be hard to answer their questions and help them navigate the unknown. Natasha Daniels has shared some great tips on parenting children with OCD; how to help them understand the disorder, and actions to help manage it.

 

Cognitive Restructuring is an effective tool in play therapy. It is a combination of play therapy techniques including games, art, and bibliotherapy, paired with discussions about the child’s feelings throughout the process. Donna Hammontree explains how using cognitive restructuring helps children better understand their own thoughts and feelings, and shows them how those thoughts and feelings effect their actions.

 

Articles

What is Play Therapy anyway? Play Therapy (PT) is a specialized practice defined by the Association for Play Therapy. This article helps define play therapy practice with information on the who’s, what’s, when’s, where’s, and why’s. “PT uses the child’s natural inclination to learn about themselves, relationships and his or her environment. Through PT, children learn to express feelings, modify their behavior and develop problem-solving, communication and social skills, ” says registered play therapist Adrianne Albarado Ortiz.

Brigham Young University is working to research autism with the goal to better the lives of the families that touched by the disorder. BYU uses a combination of disciplines to research autism from different angles including psychology, physiology and developmental biology, statistics, molecular biology, BYU’s Counseling Center and BYU’s MRI Research Facility. “The work is often painstakingly slow, ” says Cynthia Glad of BYU. “The sessions aren’t always successful, but when they work, the resulting images are very valuable. Findings are presented internationally and at the BYU Autism Translational Research Workshop.”

Counselors of Child Protective Services are undergoing a more rigorous psychological evaluation to ensure that they are fit to work and protect the children in the communities they serve. There is no higher priority than the safety of the children, many of whom have gone through traumatic events leading up to the intervention of CPS in their young lives. “The new testing regimen involves a more rigorous psychological test than that relied on in the past, as well as a face-to-face interview with a forensic psychologist,” says reporter Lauren Novak. “They will set a ‘high bar’ on traits such as empathy, maintaining appropriate boundaries with children, managing anger and stress and a proper understanding of the impact of abuse and neglect. The process also screens for indications of inappropriate sexual proclivities.”

Want your child to fess up? Try not showing anger. Sounds obvious, but it can sometimes prove easier said than done. But a new study shows that children are more likely to confess their misdeeds when they know their parents will show understanding and calm evaluation of the issue, rather than un-managed anger. “Convey that you’re going to listen without getting angry right away,” says researcher Craig Smith. “As a parent, you might not be happy with what your child did, but if you want to keep an open line of communication with your child you can try to show them that you’re happy that your child has told you about it.”

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Categories : Autism, Behavior, Monthly Wrap-Up, Parenting, Play Therapy news, Resources, Social Issues, Wrap Up
Tags : development, feelings, Play Therapy, storytelling

The Importance of Play: What can a child therapist do?

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· July 26, 2016 
· No Comments
play games

                                  (Basic Play Therapy Game Package by Dr. Gary)

 

Child clinicians have always been aware of the importance of play. And by play I don’t mean playing a video game or staring at a screen! Some studies are now indicating that the average nine-year-old spends 35 hours in front of a TV, and another 10 hours per week in front of other screens. Researchers are beginning to talk about a “Play Deficit Disorder.” Peter Gray in his 2014 TED talk offers a succinct and convincing argument that play is declining and what the consequences are of this decline in play.

So what is play? According to the United Kingdom’s Children’s Play Information Service:

Play includes a range of self-chosen activities, undertaken for their own interest, enjoyment and the satisfaction that results for children;

Very young children, even babies, show playful behavior when they explore sound and simple actions and experiment with objects of interest;

Play activities are not essential to meet basic physical survival needs. But play does seem to support children’s emotional well-being as well as a wide range of learning within their whole development;

Children can play alone, but often they play with other children and with familiar adults. Even very young children engage in simple give-and-take or copying games with their peers, older siblings or with adults;

A playful quality in activities is shown by the exercise of choice, enjoyable repetition and invitation to others to join the play.

 In the 1930s Vygotsky noted the centrality and importance of play in normal development. In a fascinating TED talk “Play Is More Than Just Fun” Stuart Brown noted that not only does play make us happy, but it also makes us smarter. His studies of criminals revealed that many of the folks that go on to commit horrible crimes against their fellow humans have been deprived of developmentally appropriate play.

play room1

               ( Rolling Filial Play Therapy Kit)

On a behavioral and social level play allow children to experiment with social behaviors and interactions. Links between children’s propensity to play and their development of cooperative skills, social competence, and peer acceptance have been empirically established. Play allows children to experiment with social interactions and behaviors. Piaget theorized that make-believe play provides children opportunities to reproduce real-life conflicts, to work out ideal resolutions for their own pleasure, and to ameliorate negative feelings.  Developmental psychologists suggest play constitutes an emotionally significant context through which themes of power and dominance, aggression, nurturance, anxiety, pain, loss, growth, and joy can be enacted productively.

Not only is play important for development of social and emotional intelligence, it is also necessary for the development of the brain. All mammals play, and animal research has clearly demonstrated the deleterious effects of no play. In his TED talk Stuart Brown reported that when play is suppressed in rats their survival behaviors become altered, and when exposed to a threat they hide as they should, but they never venture out from their hiding spot and subsequently die. In humans, play changes the connections of neurons in the prefrontal cortex, and it is these neurons that play an important role in executive functioning.

 

Introductory Play Therapy Package

            (Introductory Play Therapy Package)

 

So what is a child therapist to do? Winnicott argued that playing is a necessary part of working with children: “Psychotherapy takes place in the overlap of two areas of playing, that of the patient and that of the therapist. Psychotherapy has to do with two people playing together. The corollary of this is that where playing is not possible then the work done by the therapist is directed towards bringing the patient from a state of not being able to play into a state of being able to play.”

It seems that we now find ourselves in a position of teaching many of our clients how to play! Other opportunities to promote play may arise when counseling parents or consulting in schools. There is probably not a single child clinician who hasn’t cringed when told that a child is routinely punished by withholding recess. If anything, we should be giving our clients more play time when they are challenged to regulate themselves in a classroom. IEPs and 504 plans should note that recess should not be used as a negative consequence. Many of our clients are over scheduled, and parents may need help prioritizing what activities the child is enrolled in. And of course, screen time needs to be regulated.

 

playtherapyroom2

                  Complete Play Therapy Room

Visit Child Therapy Toys for more play therapy supplies and kits!

 

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Categories : ADHD, Anger, Anxiety, Art Therapy, Behavior, Child Development, Communication, Play Therapy, Play Therapy books, Play Therapy Games, Play Therapy news, Play Therapy Toys

Play Therapy Week is Here!

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· February 8, 2016 
· No Comments

2016_NationalPlayTherapyWeek

Childtherapytoys is kicking off National Play Therapy Week with some exciting sales and promotions that you do not want to miss! Be sure to follow us on Facebook  daily or sign up for the CTT Newsletter to catch the promo codes and flash sales!

 

We aren’t the only ones who are excited about Play Therapy Week, all over the country readers like you are helping promote awareness!

“University of the Southwest’s website (www.usw.edu) has an announcement for National Play Therapy week on the Home Page! I also have re-done the playroom on campus and we had a little “ribbon cutting” today. The Hobbs newspaper and a photographer were here!  There will be an article and a picture in the paper very soon!” Carol Brennan, PhD, RPT-S, Albuquerque, NM

“We are doing a free lunch and learn on Thursday, February 11th (open to the public) about play therapy – what it is and how it works. We have advertised it on our website, Facebook page and Iowa APT’s Facebook.” Stacie Mitchell, LMHC, RPT-S, Cedar Rapids, IA

Susan Moody, LCSW, LCAC, RPT, was featured in the Kokomo Herald in Kokomo, IN, promoting play therapy and National Play Therapy week! View the local news coverage here.

Are you or your practice participating in National Play Therapy Week? We want to hear about it!

Check out and share these informational videos about Play Therapy!

Introducing Andrew: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhFhfamS_uI

Play Therapy Works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4ovwAdxCs0

 

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Categories : Play Therapy, Play Therapy news, Resources, Videos

September Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Jacob Wilburn 
· September 30, 2015 

-Spending quality time with your kids is becoming increasingly difficult in this age of distraction. This helpful article suggests many different ways to emotionally engage your children, including filial play therapy.

-What can you do when a child with behavioral problems is too old for play therapy? Here’s an idea: A juvenile detention center in Virginia has instituted a program that gives youths a therapeutic outlet through gardening, allowing their true potential to bloom!

-This is a very thought-provoking and topical editorial on the possibility of using play therapy to curb criminal activity in inner cities.

-Have you ever pondered with concern what happens to race horses after their careers are over? An organization in Saratoga Springs, NY is building a center where they can be adopted and used in animal-assisted therapy.

-I love finding new play therapy podcasts. In this episode, autismshow.org interviews Dr. Robert Jason Grant, the creator of AutPlay Therapy, a play-based approach to working with children.

-It’s great to see people coming up with new methods of therapy based on the healing power of play. A professor at the University of Arkansas specializes in adventure-based counseling, which is therapy through outdoor activities such as camping and rope courses.

-Play therapists are in high demand in schools in the uk. Here’s an interesting article from a British teaching magazine that explains why.

-Australia, too, is looking to train more play therapists as the practice grows in popularity.

-Fall is workshop season and there are plenty of great learning opportunities available, including this one at George Fox University in Portland, Oregon. Check out more upcoming events in our resources section.

-This is a very interesting story about a young girl in Scotland with selective mutism, an under-discussed childhood anxiety disorder that affects many children.

-This is a great story about how play therapy can help children work through grief, while also fostering creativity. A young boy who lost his mother was inspired to write a book for other children dealing with grief.

-Here’s a great profile and interview with a therapist in Duluth, Minnesota who practices equine-assisted therapy.

-The mother of an autistic child realizes her vision of a safe play-place where children on the autism spectrum can learn socialization through play.

Have an optimistic October!

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Categories : Monthly Wrap-Up, Play Therapy news, Uncategorized, Wrap Up

August Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Jacob Wilburn 
· August 30, 2015 
· No Comments

-I’ve been hearing more and more about EMDR therapy combined with sandtray therapy. For those in the Houston area, there’s a learning opportunity on the subject in November.

-It is very important for children to feel safe, especially after a traumatic event. Here’s a brief article on how you can use play to calm a child’s fears. One of the suggestions, as this other version of the article notes, is to let the children know that you are afraid, too.

-A British actress is getting the word out about play therapy. We need one of our American celebrities to do the same!

-In this article, a divorced woman talks about how play therapy helped to illuminate her child’s feelings about her parents splitting up.

-In this video, Liana Lowenstein demonstrates on of the many wonderful intervention ideas from her book More Creative Interventions for Troubled Children & Youth (available at ChildTherapyToys.com, of course).

-This is a great idea! This organization allows kids to train rescue dogs to be used in animal-assisted therapy.

-Alternative therapies like play therapy are gaining popularity across the globe. This article looks at the practice of non-clinical therapy interventions in the United Arab Emirates.

-This isn’t a new article, but it’s very interesting and comprehensive look at ADHD statistics.

-I always enjoy reading profiles of therapists in local newspapers; it gives you a nice look into others’ practices. Here’s one on an art therapist in Wisconsin.

-A “Therapy summer camp” in California is helping kids heal and learn through play.

-This is the first we’ve heard of the EyePlay system, which projects games onto the floor that help children in a variety of developmental areas. I’d love to try this out!

-In most cases, parents can’t bring their children in for therapy with a professional every day. The PLAY project is teaching parents of autistic children how to engage their kids in play therapy at home.

-If you walk into a bookstore lately you might see something rather unusual: a display of coloring books…for adults. Adult coloring books are topping bestseller lists as people turn to art therapy to ease their minds. Kids have known that coloring has this soothing power all along!

-Here’s a brief history of art therapy from Creative Counseling 101.

-The New Yorker had a funny and fascinating article in which neuroscience is used to explain the out-of-control behavior of teenagers.

-As kids head back to school this month, it’s important to be aware and attentive to the many anxieties that accompany this time of year.

-Fire up the printer! Here’s a great collection of free feelings word activities and posters!

Have a super September!

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Categories : Monthly Wrap-Up, Play Therapy news, Resources, Wrap Up

July Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Jacob Wilburn 
· August 1, 2015 
· No Comments

-This is a nice story about how a child with Autism Spectrum disorder was able to socialize and enjoy his birthday party.

-Here’s a really fun intervention idea to help teach children how to manage their anger. It’s a great way to have some fun outside, too!

-This was a very interesting piece about a therapist who uses sand tray therapy with immigrants and their families. She uses the therapy to connect with her clients, who are often in danger of having their spouse or parent deported, and to help them work through the stress and emotional trauma of the situation.

-There are four very simple activities that will help children with sensory disorders, and improve their physical health!

-In this video, therapists demonstrate two activities involving puppets that can be used as play therapy interventions.

-We’ve all heard the phrase “window into your soul” but what about a “fence”? This is a neat and informative article on the meaning of fences in sand tray therapy.

-It’s accepted as a universal parenting truth that positive reinforcement is helpful in child development and self-esteem. This very interesting article in the Washington Post suggests that it might not be as constructive as we think.

-Grief affects even those who’s profession is to help people cope with grief. Here’s a moving and insightful editorial on how a therapist mourns.

-Looking for a good sandplay learning opportunity but don’t want to travel? The Association for Sandplay Therapy is hosting a live webinar September 26-27 called “The Return to Health and Spirit in Sandplay”.

-The new Pixar film “Inside Out” has been a huge hit and, as this blog post explains, there’s lots to be gleaned from the film from a counselor’s perspective.

-Using brain imaging, scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have completed a study that suggests anxiety and depression are passed down to children from their parents.

-A similar study done at Duke university showed that mental health problems in childhood often lead to difficulties in adulthood.

-It sounds like the five-day play therapy conference at the University of North Carolina was a really great learning experience, with excellent speakers. Did you attend?

-Child-Centered Play Therapy explained.

-A documentary about the amazing power of LEGO, and the toy’s ability to help children with autism, recently screened at San Diego Comic-Con. Here’s an intriguing review of the film.

-This is another good article from the Southern Sandtray Institute on alternatives to cognitive behavioral therapy when it’s proved ineffective.

-All parents want to keep their children completely safe from harm, but, as this article suggests, letting kids take risks is essential to their development.

Have an awesome August!

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Categories : Monthly Wrap-Up, Play Therapy, Play Therapy news, Wrap Up

June Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Jacob Wilburn 
· June 28, 2015 
· No Comments

-This is a very moving story about a woman who lost a daughter and started an animal rescue organization in her name. The group rescues animals from kill shelters and uses them in animal-assisted play therapy to help kids with self-esteem, behavior management, and self-control.

-It’s great to read stories about the ever-widening use of play therapy across the globe!

-This is an informative and timely article on how art therapy (including the use of sand tray figurines) can be used to help victims of sexual abuse and trauma.

-When a child goes from gregarious to shy it can be very worrisome to a parent. This first-hand-account suggests some possible reasons for the change and recommends some ways of dealing with it, including play therapy.

-This post on the Southern Sandtray Institute blog explains how to deal with a situation therapists are all familiar with: when a first-time client looks at you like you’re crazy…

-Young Ukrainian children who have spent extended periods of time in bomb shelters due to recent conflicts are being helped by teams of volunteer psychologists. Interesting read!

-Feeling tense? We all know sand is a great way to express oneself, but it can also be very relaxing. Check out this soothing video of a robot making designs in a sandtray!

-This video provides a nice peek into a play therapy session aimed at building a “growth mindset.”

-A novelist and activist has started a non-profit organization that builds playgrounds for children in Palestine. This is a great article about someone making a difference by bringing play into the lives of children who need it most.

-Play therapists in the San Francisco Bay Area might be interested in checking out some of these upcoming workshops offered by Connecting to Play Therapy. Find about more upcoming events across the globe in our research section.

-As this article illustrates, play therapy can be very useful in helping victims of sexual abuse.

-Small children, even babies, are not immune to threats to their mental health. This article explains why mental health care is important from infancy.

–This is a really great article about how play therapy works to help children with medical issues deal with the many physical and mental challenges that accompany those issues. It has a nice breakdown of the play room and the different toys used for every situation.

-Bibliotherapy is on the rise! The New Yorker posted a fascinating article on the many therapeutic benefits of sitting down with a good book.

-Here’s a very moving, personal story about a father who lost his wife and had to help guide his children through their grief while dealing with his own.

-In this thorough, well-researched article the author delves deep into the best intervention in cases of domestic violence.

Have a joyous July!

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Categories : Monthly Wrap-Up, Play Therapy news, Uncategorized

May Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Jacob Wilburn 
· May 31, 2015 
· No Comments

-The Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute and Learning Center had such success in 2013 and 2014 with their Art Therapy + Happiness Project they’ve decided to bring it back for 2015. This summer’s workshops will include lectures and lessons from Janet McLeod (New Zealand), Emily Johnson Welsh (USA), and Cathy Malchiodi (Guest Host/USA). Registration begins now!

-This is an inspiring story about an 86-year-old man who has become a special advocate for abused and neglected children in his community. In this volunteer role, he also uses play therapy with the children to help them communicate and heal.

-Earlier this month the NSPCC in Ireland and Hasbro Gaming held “The Really Big Board Game Day” to help children suffering from abuse and neglect by giving them the opportunity to participate in play therapy.

-The Pensacola News Journal ran a 4-part series earlier this month on child abuse. It really ventures deep into the prevalence of the issue and what can be done to curb and treat it, including the implementation of creative interventions such as play therapy and sand tray therapy.

-This is the sort of story a child therapist hates to see: Safe From the Start, a 12-year-old, state-funded program dedicated to helping children who are suffering from a wide range of traumas, is in danger of losing its funding.

-In a blog post earlier this month, the Southern Sandtray Institute named Sandtray Therapy: A Practical Manual (2nd Edition) by Linda E. Homeyer and Daniel S. Sweeney the “number one book on sandtray therapy.” I concur! And guess what? You can get this essential resource at ChildTherapyToys.com!

-Speaking of sandtray and ChildTherapyToys.com, here’s a video displaying an impressive collection of sandtray toys and miniatures, including many that were donated by CTT. You can browse all of our miniatures here.

-This was an interesting article written by a woman who has been through divorce and saw the many effects it had on her child. In the article, she highly recommends play therapy as a means of helping children through this difficult time.

-This is a great story about a man in British Columbia who was inspired to found a program to help children in Nepal through play therapy and other interventions.

-It’s very cool to see play therapists using the medium of podcasting to inform and get the message out about play therapy. Here’s one specific to Baltimore.

-The website of clinical counselor Kathy Eugster contains some great articles on a range of topics from sibling rivalry to play time.

-Here’s a great “Day in the life” of a play therapist working with abused children in the UK.

-This news story explains why the testimony’s of children should not be discounted in a court of law, and how play therapy can be used as a reliable tool for children to relate an experience.

Have a joyous June! And don’t forget to check out what’s new at ChildTherapyToys.com, like our great selection of sweat suit dolls and special needs equipment.

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Categories : Monthly Wrap-Up, Play Therapy news, Uncategorized, Wrap Up
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