Goals:

In this training, participants will learn and have opportunity to practice play, sand, and art activities in order to implement EMDR with kids and teens. Learn ways to assess for EMDR targets, explain EMDR to littles and parents in a way that makes sense, as well as how to do reprocessing using play therapy techniques and strategies that help them engage in EMDR while staying in their window of tolerance. Participants will watch videos of children doing EMDR, and be taught via case examples, lecture, and live demonstrations various techniques to increase your ability to utilize EMDR in creative ways with littles and teens.

Objectives:

• Participants of this workshop will review the EMDR protocol while focusing on common play therapy attachment approaches to understand how EMDR is facilitated with children and teens.

• Participants of this workshop will review the impact of pre-verbal trauma on the brain, and through reviewing play therapy case examples, learn how to treat pre-verbal trauma in children using an EMDR protocol. 

• Participants of this workshop will review the brain and trauma through the play therapy lens, and focus on ways to teach parents and children about how the brain works with EMDR for informed consent.

• Participants of this workshop will learn play therapy techniques experientially in order to engage clients for all phases of the EMDR protocol, including assessment of EMDR targets, resourcing, reprocessing, assessing SUD and VOC, closing out incomplete sessions, and body scans. 

• Participants of this workshop will learn how to “put it all together” through case examples, video, and workshop member participation for what EMDR can look like with children while maintaining protocol fidelity in the playroom.

• Participants of this workshop will review unique challenges in working with children and when to modify or adjust EMDR protocol to address those needs, including developmental age of the trauma, resource development, and inclusion of caregivers in the play therapy setting.

• Participants of this workshop will utilize Sandtray techniques to learn ways to assess for targets, resource clients, and complete reprocessing in the playroom.