First Trimester: Attachment, Play Therapy and Post-Traumatic Play

The first trimester will provide a solid foundation in attachment seen from a trauma-focused lens. Participants will be introduced to the theory of play as well as the importance of child led play with typically developing children and children exposed to trauma. Participants will in addition learn ways to engage school age children and youth in therapy. Participants will also gain useful techniques to work with caregivers. Post-traumatic play and creative arts therapy round out this trimester.

Second Trimester: Impact of Trauma on Child Development

During the Second trimester participants begin to deepen their understanding of the foundational underpinnings of trauma and the ways in which trauma impacts child development, neurobiology, attachment, the family, and family dynamics as well as the many ways that trauma can show up in the therapy room.

It is also during this semester, with a solid sense of community built in the class that we begin to unpack our own social locations and power we hold as therapists, teachers, facilitators and humans in the world and the ways in which these interact with our clients’ social locations, their families and the larger social context.

Third Trimester: An Introduction to trauma treatments

In the final trimester participants will learn about various trauma treatments that are designed to expand the children’s window of tolerance and heal the attachment ruptures that result from exposure to trauma as well as give participants usable and transferable skills to bring back to their therapy offices and clients.