Description:

In an age of increased anxiety, many children are being seen with excessive worrying. This can interfere with their ability to have the quality of life that children need to prosper and learn. As play therapists, we have the tools to allow these children to work through the worry and, in addition, teach them through play how to minimize or discontinue worry and allow for positive thinking. This seminar will provide a learning experience that will enhance their abilities to treat children with this syndrome. The didactic presentation will also have experiential techniques, as well as actual case illustrations through video format.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the levels of anxiety and sources of anxiety that children exhibit in play therapy
• Compare how anxiety is manifested in children vs. adults.
• Utilize play therapy techniques to assess anxiety in play therapy and consider the course of action to take.
• Describe two cognitive-behavioral techniques in play therapy to relieve the excessive worrying.
• Compare the differences among children in play therapy struggling with excessive worry.
• Demonstrate the basics of being playful in play therapy and how that counters anxiety.