Do you love neuroscience but aren’t quite sure how to integrate it into your play therapy practice?

You walk away neuroscience trainings, podcasts, and blogs excited, and also overwhelmed. You're unsure of what exactly to do next, with your next client - tomorrow. 
 
You work with so many young people who are overwhelmed, dysregulated, and distressed.  

Each client that walks through your door has some sort of dysregulation - from anxiety, to anger and rage and everything in between.  Children who are dysregulated because they have faced some of the most difficult and painful traumas or kids and teens who get stuck in sadness - like a raincloud they just can't shake. 

You also work with parents and know the pressure to make progress or "fix" the behaviors that happen when kids are emotionally out of control.  The physical aggression, lack of participation at school, or isolating in their room.  Other times the focus pivots to frequently crying and tantrums, difficulty sleeping in their own bed, or turning in homework on time. 

You want to help your clients gain control over their emotions (and behaviors) but are looking for more tools in your toolbox and a better understanding of how to transfer neuroscientific principles of emotional regulation (that can be cumbersome) into your daily practice. 
 
Your thinking.... all of this neuroscience is great - but what next?  How exactly do I unlock the code of emotional regulation? AND what do I do about all these behaviors that are causing so much distress? 

Now, imagine coming into your next session...

• Confident and fully prepared to combine the neuroscience of emotional regulation with the powers of play.
• Knowing exactly how to explain emotional regulation in a way that young people can understand, because you fully understand it too! 
• Understanding the connection between emotions and behaviors and how to support healing for both in a way that is effective. 
• Knowing the specific directive play therapy activities to increase emotional regulation and help your clients get the relief they need. 
• Knowing exact ways to alter your daily practice, playroom setup, and way of being in the playroom to create the best environment for healing. 

 
Imagine being able to actually shift the way that you play that is in line with neuroscientific principles - knowing how to take all of the cumbersome research and put it into specific and actionable steps in your everyday practice!

Inside this course you will learn: 

• Foundational theories such as Polyvagal Theory, Memory Reconsolidation Theory, and attachment theory to break down and understand emotional regulation in neuroscientific terms.
• Over 30 Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy techniques to help children increase emotional regulation.
• How to make emotional regulation activities fun and engaging.
• 20 concrete ways to use neuroscience to inform your Play Therapy practice, tomorrow! 
• How to identify specific play materials and toys that can be used to integrate neuroscience and Play Therapy. 
• Play Therapy techniques used for different nervous system states. 

You will also discover the answers to some of the most difficult questions child therapists face including:

• Why something may be deeply triggering to one child but not the next. 
• Why some children are flexible and have a higher distress tolerance than others.
• Why some children take a longer time to make improvements on goals and why for others it is much easier. 

 
AND once we can understand this information you will be able to identify exactly what to do next in your play therapy practice to have a giant impact. From how to explain these concepts to parents and children to what activities and techniques to use. 

You also won't walk away empty handed!

In addition this course provides over 13 downloadable handouts, printables, and companion worksheets including directive Play Therapy activities that combine neuroscience and the powers of play for emotional regulation!

Handouts Include: 

• Nervous System Guide 
• Brain Guide 
• Feeling Heart 
• Polyvagal Ladder Activity Handout 
• The Music In Me 
• Regulation Skills Cards
• Therapeutic Thank You Cards
• Color Monster Worksheet
• 70+ Books For Emotional Regulation
• Thank You Omu! Worksheet Bundle
• Mindfulness + Gratitude Scavenger Hunt Handouts
• Regulation Skills Quick Link Cheat Sheet
• ​+ More!! 

Want to learn more? Check out the details below! ​

CE Information:
This course is approved for 8 APT Non-Contact hours by Meehan Mental Health Services (APT Approved Provider 19-580). 
 
Learning Objectives:

• Learn at least 30 Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy techniques to help children increase emotional regulation.
• Identify at least 20 ways to use neuroscience to inform your Play Therapy practice.
• Identify specific play materials and toys that can be used to integrate neuroscience and Play Therapy. 
• List at least 5 brain processes involved in emotional regulation.
• Define emotional regulation by using neuroscientific principles.
• Explain how concepts of Polyvagal Theory, Memory Reconsolidation Theory, hardwired emotional circuits, attachment relationships, and the Window of Tolerance relate to regulation. 
• Identify and describe the difference between Play Therapy techniques used for sympathetic nervous system states and parasympathetic nervous system states. 
• Identify and explain at least 3 Experiential Regulation activities.

 
Course Format:  Train when it works for you! This course is a pre-recorded online self paced course where the modules are broken up into smaller digestible chunks that can be completed during a client cancellation, on the weekends, early in the morning, late at night - whenever! You can login at your own pace, re-watch content, and have unlimited access to the course. This course is designated "Non-Contact" by the Association for Play Therapy. 
 
Who should attend: This course is an intermediate to advanced skill level.  Anyone who is interested in the neuroscience behind emotional regulation should attend!  

Cost:  $147.00

​

---

​​Course Presenter

​Hi! I'm Ann - or formally Ann Meehan, MS, LPCC, RPT-S, EMDRIA Consultant.  I work as a private practice therapist in the north woods of Minnesota and specialize in working with young people ages 3 and up using Play Therapy and EMDR.  I have a library of trainings and run The Playful Therapist Blog.  Overall I am passionate about helping other therapists grow into competent and confident Play Therapists, trauma therapists, and child and adolescent therapists. ​

​Please email [email protected] with questions or concerns. 

Play Therapy Credit may not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.  There are no refunds for this recorded course.  See Meehan Mental Health Services full policies and procedures for online and in person trainings here.