Climbing the Symbolic Ladder: How Principles of DIR®/Floortime Support Play Therapy
If you take a course on child development, you will learn all of the stages of development and expected milestones including skills in social emotional learning. However, many children who enter play therapy arrive with developmental differences that impact the child's ability to make progress in reducing interfering symptoms. The Developmental, Individual-differences Relationship-Based Model (DIR®)/Floortime provides a framework for understanding the key social emotional skills that are required for healthy development. Any child with any developmental presentation can benefit from support in developing skills to ‘climb the ladder’ to achieve a new stage of function in self-regulation and social interaction. By focusing on chains of attuned interaction, the play therapist and caregiver support the child in reaching higher order symbolic thinking and relating(Wieder & Greenspan, 2003). In this workshop, participants will learn application of principles of the DIR®/Floortime framework to play therapy through reflection, role play, and case discussion.
Learning Objectives: After successful completion of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify and explain the first six Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities of DIR® and how these relate to children’s play and social interactions and participation in play therapy.
- Discuss how shared attention and shared problem-solving support a child’s developing capacity to regulate emotions.
- Assess a child’s ability to use spontaneous symbolic play in order to set play goals for play therapy.
- Observe and count circles of interactions in adult-child interactions including opening and closing of circles by each partner in order to set interaction goals for play therapy treatment.
2 Contact CE | Intermediate| Play Therapy Special Topics
About our presenter: Denise Galford-Koeppel, PMC, MS, MS Ed, LMHC, RPT™ is a special educator, licensed mental health counselor, trainer, and registered play therapist™ with years of experience. Denise supports children, parents, and educators through the approaches of the Hanen Program®, the Pyramid Model, and Developmental Individual-Differences Relationship -Based Model® with specialization in working with young children.
NEAPT Members $75; Guests $125; NEHS Staff $50
This training is approved by APT Approved Provider 02-123 for 2 CE hours. NEAPT maintains responsibility for the program. Registrants understand and agree that any photograph, video or audio recording of themselves may be used to further promote NEAPT.
Cancellation Policy: All cancellations must be requested in writing and received no later than June 1, 2024. Cancellations are subject to a $20 processing fee. Substitutions (someone else attending) or transfer of registration to another training date may be requested. No refunds or partial refunds after June 1, 2024.
By registering for this training, you are giving NEAPT permission to add your email to our email list and you are giving permission for NEAPT to use any photographs or screenshots that are taken during the event containing your likeness for promotional purposes.
