Amy Flaherty – Play Therapy for Trauma: Brain-Based Strategies for Children & Adolescents

Outline

Overview of the Effect of Trauma on the BrainOverview of the Effect of Trauma on the Brain

• Age-appropriate playAge-appropriate play
• Environmental vs physicalEnvironmental vs physical
• Long-lasting effects: ACES scoreLong-lasting effects: ACES score
• Protective factors with traumaProtective factors with trauma
• Importance of attachment researchImportance of attachment research
• Five distinct symptoms of trauma within play therapyFive distinct symptoms of trauma within play therapy

Principles of Interpersonal Neurobiology in Play TherapyPrinciples of Interpersonal Neurobiology in Play Therapy

• The Domains of IntegrationThe Domains of Integration
• The divided brain and why it mattersThe divided brain and why it matters
• How play therapy is able to regulate and allow the person to move up and down the brain system as neededHow play therapy is able to regulate and allow the person to move up and down the brain system as needed
• Case examples to demonstrate lack of integrationCase examples to demonstrate lack of integration

REPAIRING THE BRAIN THROUGH PLAY TECHNIQUES – OVER 30 TECHNIQUESREPAIRING THE BRAIN THROUGH PLAY TECHNIQUES – OVER 30 TECHNIQUES

Techniques for Techniques for dysregulation, rigidity, regression, trauma loops (targets cerebellum)dysregulation, rigidity, regression, trauma loops (targets cerebellum)

• Rhythm games and songsRhythm games and songs
• Attachment activitiesAttachment activities
• Touch in play – when appropriate, best practicesTouch in play – when appropriate, best practices

Techniques for Techniques for emotional identification (targets the limbic system)emotional identification (targets the limbic system)

• Color my heart activityColor my heart activity
• Name that feelingName that feeling
• Angry balloon gameAngry balloon game
• Angry volcano experimentAngry volcano experiment
• Butterflies in my tummyButterflies in my tummy
• What’s different in the sand trayWhat’s different in the sand tray

Techniques for Techniques for coping skills coping skills to address rigidity, trauma loops, and harmful behaviors to address rigidity, trauma loops, and harmful behaviors (targets the cortex)(targets the cortex)

• Mad Libs assertiveness skill gameMad Libs assertiveness skill game
• I can calm down hand gameI can calm down hand game
• Breathing gamesBreathing games
• Calm down bottle/sensory bottleCalm down bottle/sensory bottle
• Positive self-talkPositive self-talk
• Biblothearpy in the play roomBiblothearpy in the play room

Techniques Techniques to improve executive function for positive choices: to improve executive function for positive choices: After body is regulated and the whole brain is online After body is regulated and the whole brain is online (targets the pre-frontal cortex)(targets the pre-frontal cortex)

• Vision boardVision board
• Sandtray directivesSandtray directives
• Draw headstoneDraw headstone
• Carrying shame stonesCarrying shame stones
• Board of directorsBoard of directors

Best practices for parents/caregiversBest practices for parents/caregivers

• Name it to tame itName it to tame it
• ACT methodACT method
• What research says about the importance of parents working on their own storiesWhat research says about the importance of parents working on their own stories