Play Therapy Convention

I thought this week I would write a blog about the upcoming training that many at the Center will be participating in. The Association for Play Therapy is having its International Conference in Phoenix this year during the first week of October. We are excited to have this training with renowned authorities in our city. Our therapists continue in many post-graduate trainings in order to be at their best clinically. They will have fresh ideas for working with children and families as well as learn what therapies are evidence based (most effective).

International Play Therapy Conference

The International Conference is committed to providing graduate level training and education, fostering the exchange of ideas, and providing networking opportunities to professionals across many disciplines. Counselors, psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, graduate students, and other mental health professionals select from over 65 educational workshops over a 6-day period. Nearly 1000 attendees earn 35-40 hours of continuing education approved for state licensure and play therapy credentialing. The keynote speaker will be Janine Shelby, PhD, RPT-S, Play Therapists and her presentation will be titled: “Troubled Times: The Art of Bearing Hope in a Culture of Violence.

Play Therapy Association

The Association for Play Therapy is a national professional society established in 1982 to advance play therapy and play therapy practice, instruction, and supervision. I thought I would highlight a section of their website called “The Parents Corner”. Under the title “Does my child need Play therapy?” here are a few of their thoughts:

Children are seen in therapy for an array of reasons, such as behavioral issues (caused by bullying, grief and loss, divorce and abandonment, physical and sexual abuse, and crisis and trauma) and mental health disorders (i.e.: anxiety, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity or ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, academic and social impairment, physical and learning disabilities, and conduct disorders).

The website has a page dedicated to helping parents understand each of these issues and is located on their “Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders” page. I hope you find their website to be a help as you make decisions as a caregiver. I followed a link on their website to an article from James Madison University titled “MENTORING YOUTH DEALING WITH DISASTERS AND TRAUMAS TIP SHEET”. With the start of school happening all over the valley I found this to be a poignant reminder of what might be going through some of our children’s thoughts. I pray you have a great beginning to this school year.

Deborah Pettitt’s Training

If you would like to read the trainings that our director has had please click on the link.

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