Play Therapy utilizes play, as a child's natural medium of expression, to help them express their feelings more easily with toys instead of words.

 

Julie is trained to perform 3 types of therapeutic modalities, all centered around the power of play: CCPT, EMDR, and Sand Tray therapy. 

 

Child-Centerd Play Therapy (CCPT): 

CCPT differs from regular play, in that the therapist is trained to asses and understand the child's play. The therapist then supports and helps the child to address & resolve his/her own problems.

Using Play Therapy, children may learn to express and regulate feelings, build relationships, and communicate with others. During play, children may develop and practice age appropriate problem-solving and coping skills.

Play provides a safe psychological distance from their problems and allows expression of thoughts and feelings appropriate to their development.

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Play Therapy helps children:

• Become more responsible for behaviors and develop more successful life-strategies.

• Develop new and creative solutions to problems.

• Develop respect and nurture acceptance of themselves and others.

• Learn to experience and express emotion.

• Cultivate empathy and respect for the thoughts and feelings of others.

• Learn new social skills and relational skills with family.

• Develop self-efficacy and thus a better understanding of their abilities.

 

Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): 

EMDR is an evidence based, highly effective treatment modality for processing trauma. It has been extremely effective in the treatment of PTSD, phobias, anxiety, depression, etc.

As a trained practitioner in play-based EMDR, Julie can provide effective, developmentally appropriate intervention - specifically for trauma processing with children and teens.

EMDR consists of repetitive movement in the body from on one side of the both to the other, back and forth. This movement stimulates the brain in a way that encourages the brain to process traumatic memories, and decreases the brain's emotional response to triggers.

This style of therapy, paired with the effectiveness of a play room and a trained practitioner, can allow for children and teens to process trauma in a safe and inviting environment.

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Sand Tray:

Sand Tray is an expressive therapy which allows the client (children, teens and/or adults) the freedom to explore and relate without relying exclusively on words. Sand Tray therapy translates personal experience into a concrete, three-dimensional form. Just as a picture can say a thousand words - a figure or scene can express feelings, emotions and conflicts that previously had no verbal language.​

Sand Tray participants create a story or picture by arranging miniatures, people, animals, symbols, etc., in a small table-top sand box. Sand Tray is a non-invasive therapeutic method that works especially well with individuals who are young, or have trouble comprehending and talking about difficult issues such as domestic abuse, child abuse, incest, or the death of a family member.

 

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Visit a4pt.org for more information!

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