Learn to Play Therapy – Part 2: Refining and Applying Skills (2 Day ONLINE Workshop)

Thur 27 – Fri 28 April

9:30am – 4:30pm

Presented by Dr Chloe Wadley and Dr Siobhan Casey

*Start and end times are in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Canberra, UTC+10:00

ABOUT

This workshop is suitable for those who have completed Learn to Play Therapy – Part 1: Foundation (2 Day Workshop).

This 2 day workshop builds on Learn to Play Therapy – Part 1: Foundation (2 Day Workshop) training as it is assumed that participants understand and have knowledge of the development of pretend play. Participants will also know how to carry out formalised play assessments using the Pretend Play Developmental Checklist (PPE-DC) or the Child Initiated Pretend Play Assessment-2 (ChIPPA2) with children who find it difficult to play.

Learn to Play Therapy aims to facilitate the ability of a child to spontaneously self-initiate pretend play. The therapeutic skills required to facilitate this ability in children, who find it difficult to play, are explored more deeply in this 2 day ONLINE workshop.

The clinical framework and theoretical underpinnings of Learn to Play Therapy are explored to provide participants with a deeper understanding of the underlying processes and principles. The importance of creating safety for the child in therapy is explored with a strong emphasis on reflecting on therapeutic presence. Video analysis and break out rooms will support the exploration of the therapeutic skills of tracking, empathic reflections, holding, limit setting, and congruence. Day 1 will also include information on working with children within the Autistic Community and exploring how Learn to Play can provide supports.

Day 2 explores the delivery and application of Learn to Play Therapy within practice, including working with parent/child dyads and children in Group Learn to Play Therapy. Day 2 also explores Learn to Play therapy with children who have experienced trauma. Goal setting forms a large part of application on Day 2, followed by exploring play activities and case study planning in the afternoon. The workshop focusses on practical problem solving of difficult cases and how to facilitate play ability in children who find it difficult to play.

The morning online presentations are complemented by pre-workshop activities and open discussion sessions to further explore play materials for therapy sessions, and engagement of children in play.

This workshop would be valuable to therapists, social workers, psychologists and early intervention workers who work with families with children under 8 years of age who have a developmental delay.

Pre-Workshop Activities: 2 pre-recorded PowerPoint presentations are provided, plus further reading and videos. These pre-recorded PowerPoint presentations provide information relevant to the first and second morning sessions.

Workshop content: The morning sessions include a PowerPoint presentation. The afternoon sessions provide time to consolidate information presented in the morning sessions with case studies and break out rooms.

Day 1

• Exploring the complexity of play
• Therapeutic presence
• Theoretical framework for Learn to Play Therapy
• Learn to Play Therapy for children within the Autistic Community
• Advanced therapeutic skills

Day 2

• Learn to Play- Parent/Child Dyads
• Group Learn to Play therapy
• Learn to Play Therapy with children who have experienced trauma
• Goal setting
• What activity do I use now?
• Case Study Application

**The new Learn to Play book: Learn to Play Therapy: Principles, Process and Practical Activities was published in 2021. This 314 page book explains the theoretical underpinnings, principles and process as well as includes an additional 114 pages of play activities by developmental level. It comes with a USB that includes the play activities, parent handouts, and Play Background Checklist. This book is an essential reference source for Learn to Play Therapy.

PRESENTER’S PROFILE – DR SIOBHAN CASEY

Dr Siobhan Casey is a paediatric occupational therapist with experience in working with children, their families and teachers in a variety of settings. In 2018, Siobhan was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy from Deakin University. Her research primarily focused on understanding the developmental processes that occur for self-regulation and pretend play capacities in supporting resilience in children. Her prior research included identifying important markers and processes for change, for children with Autism participating in the Learn to Play program. Siobhan has presented on pretend play development at conferences both nationally and internationally and enjoys delivering training to a wide range of audiences interested in promoting the opportunity for pretend play development in children. Siobhan has previously worked in early intervention community settings, private practice and specialist development schools. She is currently working within a mainstream school setting, supporting the implementation of pretend play within the curriculum. Siobhan continues to research the impact of pretend play development on global developmental functioning and has further interests in researching the role of pretend play development in supporting positive health and wellbeing across the lifespan.

PRESENTER’S PROFILE – DR CHLOE WADLEY

Dr Chloe Wadley is a paediatric Occupational Therapist who has completed her PhD in the Learn to Play Program within Specialist Schools for neurodiverse children supervised by Dr Karen Stagnitti. Chloe works as a paediatric occupational therapist within the community, home, clinic, school, kindergarten, and childcare settings. Chloe specialises in Learn to Play Therapy within her occupational therapy practice. Chloe runs both individual and group Learn to Play for pre-school and primary school children. Chloe is also a Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at Deakin University and involved in the supervision of Masters of Play Therapy students. Chloe has extensive training and clinical practice in the use of play assessment tools and Learn to Play therapy. Chloe enjoys sharing her knowledge and skills through delivering workshops to a range of audiences interested in Learn to Play. Chloe’s research to date has focused on Learn to Play within school and group settings.