Emotional Regulation & Sensory-Based Interventions in Play Therapy

This workshop provides therapists with a deeper understanding of emotional regulation in children. Participants will understand the development process of children’s sensory systems, window of tolerance, and ability to regulate. We will explore the importance of integrating these concepts into play therapist’s conceptualization, treatment planning, and interventions with all clients in the playroom. Participants will have the opportunity to learn how to use play therapy to explore and assess a child’s window of tolerance and sensory needs, identify signs of dysregulation, and identify things that may activate a child, leading to dysregulation. Participants will learn various play therapy, movement, and sensory based interventions to help clients regulate and get back into their window of tolerance. Participants will leave this workshop being able to help clients increase overall resilience and wellbeing by using play therapy to enhance their window of tolerance, modulate sensory and movement needs, and maintain overall regulation.

Participants will achieve success in the following learning objectives:

1. Describe the developmental process of emotional and sensory regulation and how it impacts children’s symptomatic presentation in play therapy.
2. Utilize play therapy techniques to explore and assess an individual’s window of tolerance and what situations or triggers may contribute to clients becoming dysregulated in play therapy.
3. Describe the impact of movement on the brain, body, and nervous system, specifically related to emotional regulation, trauma, and resilience for clients who are participating in play therapy.
4. Describe the reason for sensory and movement-based interventions as a tool for overall regulation and resilience, including the use of sensory and movement-based activities both in and out of play therapy sessions to advocate for clients’ needs across environments.
5. Utilize and demonstrate skills, vocabulary, and exercises to increase body awareness of self and clients to build resilience in play therapy sessions.
6. Prepare and apply sensory and movement-based interventions for play therapy sessions to help clients maintain expand their window of tolerance and to regulate their bodies and nervous systems in and out of session

Workshop Schedule:

This schedule will be used for both days of the workshop.

• 8:30-10:15 Instruction Time
• 10:15-10:30 Break
• 10:30-12:00 Instruction Time
• 12:00-1:00 Break(Lunch on your own)
• 1:00-2:30 Instruction Time
• 2:30-2:45 Break
• 2:45-4:00 Instruction Time

Play Therapy Training Hours:

Play therapy credit available to mental health professionals & graduate students in a mental health program. APT Approved Provider #16-457.

Total Hours: 6 Contact CEs

• 6 hours Special Topics