√..Most useful training with provision of materials to take away and use straight away.

 

√..Sometimes you leave PD days but feel like you've not gained much in terms of practical skills.

Everything was so useful here.

 

√..Fantastic presenter - loved the practicality of it.

 

 There is in every child at every stage a new miracle of vigorous unfolding.

Erik Erikson

Playful Therapy for Children and Young People: Narrative Based Activities for Assessment and Intervention  

Course overview:

This one day workshop is designed for those in child counselling and mental health services who want to ‘hear the voice of the child’. Learn how to therapeutically and playfully engage with young clients for assessment,  intervention and outcome evaluation.

 

Practice creative child counselling interventions, imaginative play-based engagement and assessment tools that have been used effectively by the presenter for over 12 years in managing family violence, significant losses and trauma. Inspired by Narrative Therapy’s playfulness and inventiveness, gain skills in responding to problems and in collaborative identity restoration. 

 

This workshop will assist you to develop simple, respectful ways to establish boundaries, explain confidentiality and assess risk with clients 5-17 years old. It will incorporate a range of engaging, imaginative activities to invite connection, foster enjoyable participation and help a child both explore their current problems, and reveal and name their resourcefulness, strengths, hopes and values. 

 

The workshop has a child-centred approach, but is not about ‘child-directed play.’ The smorgasbord of inventive, evidence-based practices are informed by the principles of Narrative Therapy, Play Therapy, Mindfulness, Brief Solution-focused, Strengths-based, Systems Theory, Single Session Therapy and a sprinkling of Mary Poppins’ magic.

 

You will have the opportunity to:

• Develop your curiosity and openness to a child’s presentation and responses
• Foster imaginative and playful conversations about serious problems and possible ways to resolve them.
• Practice how to help a child or young person talk about and be re-energised by new ways of relating to their feelings, values, hopes and intentions.
• Explore practical ways to help children externalise and gain some perspective on their challenges.
• Learn how to not get stuck in a mire of problem stories.
• Consider relevant theory on child development, therapeutic approaches, responding to risk and trauma and practitioners’ self-care.

 

What ideas are explored?

• What therapeutic activities can help the child see their problem and strengths in a new light?
• How can therapeutic conversations foster playfulness, delight, hope and new possibilities?
• How can we help the child tell their story in ways that are important to them?
• What theories inform this work?
• Do these activities work for all ages?
• How can I use these method in safe and respectful ways?

Training methods will include:

• Interactive presentation
• Large and small group discussions
• Experiential activities
• Reflection opportunities for application of methods
• Learn with the support of a small group

Who Should Attend?

All those working with children and young people in a counselling or case work capacity who want to work in more engaging, strength based and creative ways. Psychologists, school counsellors, social workers, counsellors, youth workers, case workers, pastoral workers, other allied health professionals and students of these disciplines working with children and young people. Provisional psychologists can attend at student rates.

  

Workshop Facilitator

Kim Billington - Masters in Counselling, Masters in Narrative Therapy and Community Work, Bachelors in Education

 

Workshop Dates

 

SYDNEY 1st April or 22nd September 2020

 

MELBOURNE 22nd July or 18th November 2020 

 

Workshop Venues

SYDNEY - Burwood RSL Club, 96 Shaftesbury Rd, Burwood

 

MELBOURNE - Centre for Theology and Ministry - 29 College Crescent, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC

Affordable accommodation near Melb Training

Workshop Details

Included in the workshop price:

• 6 CPD points/hours 
• Comprehensive Bound Seminar Workbook and USB with resources
• Certificate of Attendance
• Lunch, Morning & Afternoon Teas
• GST
• 9am - 4pm Training
• Early bird savings for bookings made two months prior to training.

Workshop Cost

Regular Price        $330

Early Bird Price     $300

Student Price        $270

Student Early        $250

Work Paying?

Lucky you!

Send us an email requesting an invoice via the contact page with your name, the dates and name of course/courses you'd like to do and the name of your organisation who you want us to invoice and we will send you an organisational invoice and a registration form. 

 

 

 

What people are saying about ...

Playful Therapy

The training workshop was..

 

√..really enjoyable! Lovely small group.

 

√..practical and experiential.

 

√..valuable to see the relevance to younger children and had learning reinforced by actually doing the activities.

 

√..superb and thoroughly enjoyable.

 

√..chance to learn about some excellent tools and ideas for working with children.

 

√..really practical and great. The resources and ideas will be so useful in my work. Thanks Kim!

 

√..so valuable in giving me loads of takeaway resources and ideas to build my 'bag of tricks' working playfully with children.

 

√..most useful training with provision of materials to take away and use straight away.

 

√..Sometimes you leave PD days but feel like you've not gained much in terms of practical skills. Everything was so useful here.

 

√..I feel like I've got lots of new things for my toolbox. But also I feel very inspired.

 

√..Fantastic presenter - loved the practicality of it.