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Sleep is the Best Medicine: Play Therapy Approaches to Childhood Sleep Problems (Recorded)

Previously Recorded
Christina Scott, LPCC-S, NCC
$59.99

Sleep problems can wreak havoc on anyone’s life, especially a child’s. According to the American Family Physician, up to 50% of children are affected by sleep disorders or difficulties. Sleep disturbance may directly influence social, emotional, academic and behavioral functioning in children and adolescents (Owens, Chervin, & Hoppin, 2019).

Play therapy can be effective in addressing this challenge. While this approach is not the sole treatment for childhood sleep problems, we might improve the therapeutic outcomes by including play therapy interventions in the treatment planning process.

The language of play can foster communication with children, allow clinicians to immerse themselves in the child’s world, and help therapists build rapport with their clients. Play Therapy can allow us to better understand the child’s perceptions of their relationship to sleep. Play serves as the therapeutic vehicle, allowing them to communicate or describe their struggles to the therapist. This, in turn, affords the clinician a glimpse into the child’s inner world as well as an opportunity to gain insight into the nighttime challenges and issues, along with strategies for restoring restful sleep.  

About the Presenter

Christina Scott, LPCC-S, NCC is a licensed counselor and supervisor in Ohio. A proud geek therapist, she utilizes superheroes and pop culture in her work with clients. She is a Registered Play Therapist and is certified in Trauma Focused CBT. Christina owns an online private practice called Rising Action Counseling. She chose this field because she loves connecting with others and is a life-long learner.

Learning Objectives:

  1. 1. Articulate the prevalence of childhood sleep disorders and sleep-related difficulties and the numerous ways these sleep disorders impact various areas of client’s daily functioning.
  2. 2. Interpret, justify and utilize therapeutic play as it pertains to the assessment and treatment of childhood sleep disorders.
  3. 3. Identify and describe two major play therapy theoretical approaches in assessing and treating childhood sleep disorders (Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy and Jungian Play Therapy).
  4. 4. Verbalize methods of adapting current and appropriate play therapy interventions for children who present with sleep disorders or sleep-related difficulties as the primary referral reason.
  5. 5. Demonstrate six specific play therapy techniques to assist the child client in managing his/her maladaptive sleep symptoms.
  6. 6. Exhibit a more comprehensive knowledge base as it relates to the potential implications of digital play on a child’s sleep hygiene and discuss the pros and cons of living in the digital age as they related to sleep habits.

Agenda:

9:00 – 9:30 a.m. Introduction Activity (#1); Review learning objectives.

9:30 -10:15 a.m. Lecture: Discuss overview of sleep disorders in children/prevalence; examine role of sleep in psychopathology. Identify play therapy techniques in assessment of sleep.

10:15 – 10:30 a.m.  Play Therapy Technique - Assessment of Sleep (#2)

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. Break

10:45 – 11:15 a.m. Lecture: Discuss Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT) and identify key theoretical elements as they pertain to treating sleep symptoms. 

11:15 – 11:30 a.m.  Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy Technique (#3) 

11:30 – 12:00 p.m.  Lecture: Discuss theoretical approach of Jungian Analytical Play Therapy (JAPT) and identify key elements relating to the treatment of childhood sleep problems.

12:00– 1:00   p.m. Lunch

1:00 – 1:15    p.m.  Jungian Analytical Play Therapy Technique (#4)         

1:15 - 1:30 p.m.  Curative Powers of Play for children with maladaptive sleep patterns     

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. ‘A Reservoir of Resources’- Discuss basic play therapy interventions (e.g. coloring/drawings, doll play, puppet play, board/card games)  as they can be adapted to target sleep issues or symptoms associated with sleep problems (e.g. psychoeducation, anxiety/worry, concentration difficulty, thought-stopping, affect modulation)

Play Therapy Adapted Activities (#5 & #6)

2:30 – 2:45 p.m.   Break

2:45 – 3:15 p.m.   Lecture: Discuss the pros and cons of digital play (e.g. video games, iPad/phone apps) with regards to a child’s sleep functioning. Identify strategies for bridging the gap between digital play and play therapy techniques to target youth with sleeping disorders.

Play Therapy Activity- Using Digital Play in the Therapy Room (#7)

3:30 – 4:00 p.m.  Closure, Questions, and Evaluations

This workshop offers 3 Continuing Education Credits
This webinar is recorded and will not grant live credits.

This presentation is open to:
  • Social Workers
  • Professional Counselors
  • Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
  • Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
  • Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
Course Level: intermediate
Level of Clinician: intermediate
  • New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
  • Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
  • Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
  • Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives

Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.

Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
  • CE You! is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland.
    CE You! maintains responsibility for this program.
Refund Policy:
Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.
48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.
*exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.