Understanding and Treating Traumatized Children June 16-17, 2022

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 complex trauma and other disorders that
may be trauma-based. It will provide an overview of trauma symptoms across the
lifespan emphasizing the types of post-traumatic play seen in the playroom. a
framework for assessing the symptoms of trauma as experienced by young, school
aged including and adolescent clients and their families using a variety of
play based, standardized and non-standardized measures will be explored.

The instructor will identify a theoretical perspective that determines the
current stage of treatment so that the therapist can make informed decisions
about what to address with a traumatized child and his/her family, when it
should be addressed, and why.

This course incorporates a culturally sensitive perspective given the
culturally diverse populations seen in clinical practice with an emphasis on
working with Canada’s Indigenous children, youth and families.

The second day This workshop provides an overview of treatment for traumatized
children and adolescents. It includes an in depth exploration of at the
various types of play that traumatized children engage in,
trans-theoretical stages of trauma therapy and at exposure; one of the
essential elements of trauma therapy. It will highlight evidence based
models such trauma-focused cognitive behaviour therapy (Cohen, Mannarino
& Deblinger) for type one traumas, the Attachment, Self Regulation
and Competency model (Blaustein & Kinnibergh) for complex trauma and
how they can be adapted to play therapy.

There are other emerging models that have a developing evidence base will also be explored