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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.
Sleep is the Best Medicine:
Play Therapy Approaches to Childhood Sleep Problems (3 CE Credits)
Wednesday, January 25, 2023, 5:30 PM EST
Presenter: Christina Scott, LPCC-S, NCC
Course Length: 3 Hours
This workshop Offers 3 Live Interactive Continuing Education Credits
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.
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