Day One - Thursday, July 11, 2013

8:00 – 9:00

Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:15 – 12:00

Keynote Presentation

Edward Tronick, Ph.D., - The “Still-face” and Beyond

Edward Tronick, Ph.D., revolutionized our understanding of the emotional capacities and coping of infants with his Still-face paradigm in 1975. Dr. Tronick has authored or co-authored more than 150 scientific papers and chapters in his long career. His work continues to focus on understanding the normal and abnormal developmental processes which are embedded in the moment by moment emotional and social exchanges of infants and young children with their caregivers. He is Director of the Child Development Unit at Boston Children’s Hospital, and Distinguished University Professor of Psychology in the Child Development Unit at University of Massachusetts Boston.

His keynote address will reflect upon the history of his work to date--how he came to it, how it grew out of attachment theory, and how it informs treatment. This is a very special opportunity to spend time with one of the greats in the field of child development.

12:00-1:00

Lunch Break

1:00 – 2:30

Plenary Session: Becoming a Secure Base for Parents

Karen Buckwalter, MSW, LCSW; Mary Ring, MAMFC, LPC-S, LMFT-S, RPT-S, Michael Trout, BA, MA

In Theraplay, our goal is to develop a more secure attachment between a child and his parent(s). Recognizing the crucial role that parents play in treatment, The Theraplay Institute recently amended our typical treatment protocol to include a Theraplay session with the parent before beginning with the child, as well as frequent parent-only sessions to allow for processing and improving the parents’ capacity to support the treatment. It is essential that we help the parents as well as the child to move toward attachment security. The parent must be emotionally available, attuned and responsive to the child for Theraplay treatment to be fully effective.

Part One: Being Attuned to Parents: Wondering, Following and Leading

In this session, Michael Trout, director of The Infant-Parent Institute and author of The Jonathon Letters will discuss how we, as therapists, can become more attuned to our parent clients.

2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Break and Book Fair

3:00 - 4:30

Plenary Session: Becoming a Secure Base for Parents (Continued)

Part Two: Applying Wondering, Following and Leading in Theraplay—The Adult Attachment Interview and Case Examples of Working with Parents in Theraplay

Karen Buckwalter and Mary Ringboth Theraplay Therapists and Trainers will share some of their work with parents and discuss how it relates to Michael Trout’s core principles

Part Three: Michael Trout Response, Closing Thoughts and Q & A

4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Theraplay Activities Demonstration

We’ll split up into three groups to share and demonstrate activities for babies/toddlers, school-age and adolescents.

Day Two - Friday, July 12, 2013

 8:00 – 9:00

Registration and Continental Breakfast

 9:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Keynote Presentation

Eliana Gil, Ph.D., - An Integrative Approach to Treating Childhood Trauma

Eliana Gil, Ph.D.has worked in the field of child abuse and prevention since 1973. Early on, she realized the limitations of verbal communication to address trauma in children, and over the years she developed an integration of theories and treatments to optimize her work with traumatized children. Her practice is the Gil Center for Trauma Recovery and Education in Fairfax, Virginia, also the home of the Starbright Training Institute for Child and Family Play Therapy, where she regularly hosts Theraplay training. Dr. Gil is a prolific author, most recently, Helping Abused and Traumatized Children: Integrating Directive and Nondirective Approaches (2011), and frequently presents about her work at national and international conferences.

Her keynote address will focus on her lifetime body of work treating children with trauma, including her current thinking about integrating different treatment approaches and understanding the phenomenological experience of childhood trauma.

12:00-1:00

Lunch Break

1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Break-out Sessions Part One

Theraplay with Adolescents: Using and Combining Theraplay with Other Treatments

Michelle Robison, MSW, LCSW, Certified Theraplay Therapist and trainer, and Thomas Donovan, MA, LCPC, both Associated Clinical Directors at Chaddock in Quincy, IL. These two very experienced clinicians will share how they use Theraplay as a foundational approach to working with complex adolescents. They will share how they use the Theraplay dimensions as a lens to guide treatment even when using models other than Theraplay, and how they combine Theraplay with other models and/or use Theraplay to transition to other models.

Weaving Music into Your Theraplay Sessions

Cindy Mitchell Perkins, MA, LCPC, Theraplay practicum student, Scarborough, ME.
Learn ways to include simple music rhythms and activities into your Theraplay sessions, including video of music being used for regulation and relationship building. Come experience the power of music (ukuleles will be available).

Going on a Volunteer Mission for Theraplay:
Reclaiming Playfulness and Connection in the Traumatized Culture of Nigeria

Joan Wilson MEd, RPT/S, certified Theraplay Therapist and Trainer, Ontario, Canada; and Susan Gestal, MA, LCPC, RPT/S and Theraplay practicum student, Greenwich, CT. Joan and Susan traveled to Nigeria in the summer of 2011, and trained 80 people with limited education and resources, struggling to care for orphans in a residential setting. Learn how they presented Theraplay in a culturally sensitive manner and the impact it is had in this third world setting.

Theraplay in Schools: A Panel Discussion

Marlo Winstead MSW, LSCSW, RPT/S, certified Theraplay Therapist, Trainer and Supervisor, in private practice in Kansas City, KS, and Mental Health Coordinator for The Kansas City Urban Youth Center, will moderate this panel.

Theraplay as a Model for Adoptive-Parenting

Part One: SafeBase, An Adoption Support Program in the UK
Madeleine Baldon, QSW, SafeBase Service Manager for After Adoption and Rita Grant, QSW, Adoption Support Team Manager for St. Andrew’s Children’s Society in Edinburgh, Scotland, will present their comprehensive adoption support program that currently serves 500 families. It involves a family observation using the four Theraplay dimensions, a training program and on-going support groups.

Part Two: Parenting the Theraplay Way
Tracy Muklewicz, MS Ed, NCC, LCPC,Certified Therapist from The Theraplay Institute, will provide an overview or our adoptive parenting curriculum and explain how you can qualify to use this program to train parents in your own setting.

 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Break-out Sessions Part Two

Integrating Theraplay and Non-Directive Play Therapy

Evangeline Munns PhD, RPT/S, Certified Theraplay Therapist and Trainer/Supervisor. Sometimes, the complex needs of the child will require integrating both types of play therapy within a session. How to do that can be tricky, especially to avoid confusing the child. Dr. Munns will share three case examples of how, when and why to combine Theraplay with non-directive play therapy, including a discussion of the core similarities and differences between the two.

Incorporating Therapeutic Life Story Work with Theraplay

Carol Platteuw, QSW, Supervisor for the British Association of Play Therapists and Theraplay practicum student, in Surrey, UK. Life story work is an effective method for helping children to understand their backgrounds and personal history. This presentation will present practical technique for integrating this work into Theraplay sessions, including video.

Theraplay Case Studies in Trauma and Anxiety

Part One: Parent-Child Reconnection via Theraplay after Parental Depression and Family Trauma
Nicole Charney, Clinical Child Psychologist and Certified Theraplay Therapist from Santiago, Chile, will present the Theraplay treatment of a nine-year-old boy who was anxious, fearful and withdrawn following parental depression and many negative life changes. Cultural influences on child-rearing and treatment acceptance will be included.

Part Two: Theraplay as a Treatment for Selective Mutism
Sandra Lindaman, CCC-SLP, MSW, LCSW, Certified Theraplay Therapist and Trainer/Supervisor will show how Theraplay was used to increase social contact, engagement and communication for several children with selective mutism. Methods for tracking client progress and qualitative research will be discussed.

Using Theraplay to Treat Children with Moderate to Severe Autism

Part One: A Case Study from Finland
Hanna Lampi, Certified Theraplay Therapist and Trainer/Supervisor, will share the case of a girl she began working with at age 2.5, with her family in the home and then later in Group Theraplay at the girl’s day care center.

Part Two: Working with Severely Impacted Autistic Youth and Their Families.
Rand Coleman, PhD, Certified Theraplay Therapist and Trainer, Devereux, Phoenixvile, PA. will discuss the challenges and opportunities to use Theraplay with children with severe autism, with intellectual disability and serious behavior problems in addition to limited verbal and social skills.

Theraplay in the Community

Part One: Assessing Parent-Child Interactions in Well Child Check-Ups
Mary Talen, PhD, Clinical Director of Behavioral Health Science at Northwestern Family Residency Program at the Erie Family Health Center and Melissa Salinas, MA, Psychology Extern there. This presentation will outline strategies for assessing children’s social/emotional development and parental stress using the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM)-Nano protocol in primary care settings.

Part Two: Group Theraplay in a Pre-School for At-Risk Children and Children of a Homeless Shelter
Catherine Tucker, PhD, LMHC, RPT/S, Assistant Professor, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Coordinator, Indiana State University will share her work using Group Theraplay at a Catholic Charities pre-school, with the goals of improved self-regulation, self-calming, soothing.

  5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Closing

International Songs and Games

Please note: This schedule of events is subject to change. Updated program notes, speaker biographies and learning objectives will be available on-line no later than June 15 and at conference registration.

Come Play with Us…Conference Social Events

Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Chicago Botanic Gardens Tour and Dinner, 4:15 – 8:00 p.m.
$50/person

Board our motor coach at the Hilton Orrington Hotel for a trip to one of the world’s loveliest botanic gardens. The Chicago Botanic Garden features 385 acres including 25 separate gardens,