Children have a right to access psychological services that are developmentally appropriate to their needs. In fact, children can best engage in therapy when it is developmentally appropriate to their needs.
Play therapy has emerged as a psychological intervention that honours these rights of the child. It is one of the few psychological therapies that has been specifically designed for children, not an adult-based therapy that has been adapted to children. Psychologists in Australia working with children have a responsibility to develop and align service delivery for children with the evolving socio-political context. This includes the principles of the National Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy (Australian Government, 2021), which emphasises children’s services be developmentally appropriate; and enabling freedom of expression (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 13.1).
This webinar will explore the efficacy and processes of play therapy that position it as an effective evidence-based child-centred, developmentally appropriate and neurobiologically sensitive intervention for children.
A case example will be shared illustrating HOW play therapy works – i.e. cognitive reprocessing within a play therapy intervention.
Learning Outcomes
1. Define play therapy, articulate its efficacy, and distinguish between three common play therapy models
2. Gain insight into the therapeutic and processes of how play therapy works
3. Identify key play therapy techniques
About our presenter: Katherine Olejniczak
Katherine Olejniczak is Director of Psychology and Play Therapy Australia. She is an experienced psychologist, play therapist, supervisor, trainer, consultant, mentor and leader, and a published author. She is committed to the growth of play therapy in Australia and is a respected leader in this field.
Katherine’s clinical interest areas include childhood trauma and recovery; play therapy; and interpersonal neuroscience. She has extensive experience in the provision of counselling and play therapy to children, young people and families in the areas of abuse related trauma, family violence, grief and loss, and drought and bushfire disaster recovery. She has worked extensively with children, young people and their families involved with child safety services and living in out of home care (i.e. foster care, kinship care, therapeutic residential care).
In the supervision and leadership space, Katherine is particularly passionate about supporting development of therapist’s identity; and promoting neuroscience-informed, relationship-oriented leadership practices.
Webinar timing: 7:00 – 8:00 pm AEDT
Access to the recording of this webinar: A recording of this webinar will be available through the CPD Webinar Library, but for the best experience and the opportunity to ask your questions, join us live. Everyone who registers will be advised via email as soon as the recording is available. Members have unlimited access to the recording, and non-members will have access for 6 months.