Advanced Play Therapy   [Archived Catalog]
2011-2012 Academic Catalog and Student Handbook with Addendum
   

PY 543 - Advanced Play Therapy


This course will address the phenomena of play and play therapy from multiple theoretical perspectives. This course will examine how play is used as a therapeutic intervention and assessment tool to help children and adolescents communicate ideas, feelings and experiences, how play is used to help children rehearse and master life skills, resolve events such as trauma or loss, and how play may provide a window for adults into a child’s lived experience. This course will address specific techniques for guiding, participating in, observing and interpreting play behavior both in dyads, small groups and systemically. The influences of culture, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, and spirituality on play will be identified. Non-verbal and verbal therapeutic modalities will be explored. (3 credits)