Child's Play

This experiential workshop focuses on creative and expressive ways of working systemically and therapeutically with children and families. Therapists and workers often work with children or adult members of families but do not feel confident in seeing younger children in sessions with parents and adolescent/older siblings. This workshop considers the rationale for including children and play in family therapy and explores a range of creative techniques for involving all family members in sessions where there are children present.

Activities including art/drawing, sand play, the use of hand puppets, St. Luke’s cards and storytelling are some of the fun and therapeutic interventions we will be using. The activities are all modelled by the trainers and then participants are given opportunities to try them out. The activities are all in the context of conjoint work.

Participants are invited to share their practice wisdom and ideas for integrating play and work with families.

What will you learn?

By attending this workshop, you will be able to:

• Describe the therapeutic rationale for using play and other creative techniques in the context of clinical work with families with children
• Describe a range of child-focused activities and therapeutic modalities and apply these to your work with families

Who should attend

Clinicians who are working therapeutically with families and wish to enhance their skills in play and creative therapies that consider the needs and expressive capacities of children.

Prior knowledge

Some previous work with children or being in a role where you might have this opportunity is useful but not necessary.

Workshop style

Demonstrations and activities make this an interactive and engaging workshop.

Our play exploration could include:

• Art and drawing
• Sand play
• Hand puppets
• St. Luke’s cards
• Storytelling
• and more fun and therapeutic interventions

Participants are invited to share their practice wisdom and ideas for integrating play and work with families.