- Get buy-in from parents
- Help them understand their role
- Optimize outcomes
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Send Me The LinkAn important function of the Child Centered Play Therapist is to accurately understand and reflect to the child a shared understanding of the thoughts, feelings, and themes emerging from their efforts and narratives in the play therapy room. Themes are the morals of the story or the lessons children are trying to learn and convey through repeated observation and direction of play as a “window into the child’s psyche”. Children often have difficulty verbalizing their thoughts and feelings at a cognitive level, which may produce obstacles for the child therapist or counselor. Many times play therapists in training feel “stuck” in trying to decipher the messages and meanings children are trying to sort through as both adult and child ask themselves, “What does this story mean for you?” and “How does this lesson help you?” The Child Centered Play Therapy relationship is one in which the adult is trained to listen closely and tune into the stories the child is telling as the child communicates through play. This workshop is intended to present the ten most commonly conveyed themes of children’s play therapy, so that play therapists feel more competent in recognizing and communicating through the child’s safe use of metaphorical language. This workshop will offer a process for developing attunement and reflection of the child’s growing insights and problem solving that is happening in the story-telling process. Participants will learn the Child Centered Play Therapy skills of theme identification, reflection, clarification, and creating space for problem-solving and hopeful solution formation toward the child’s treatment goals.