Play Therapy Approaches to Childhood Sleep Problems
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.
FREE WEBINAR
Sleep is the Best Medicine:
Play Therapy Approaches to Childhood Sleep Problems
Previously Recorded
Presenter: Christina Scott, LPCC-S, NCC
Course Length: 3 Hours
Learning Objectives:
- 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. Interpret, justify and utilize therapeutic play as it pertains to the assessment and treatment of childhood sleep disorders.
- 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. 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. Demonstrate six specific play therapy techniques to assist the child client in managing his/her maladaptive sleep symptoms.
- 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.
This workshop Offers 3 Continuing Education Credits
This webinar is recorded and will not grant live 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.
Learning Objectives:
- 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. Interpret, justify and utilize therapeutic play as it pertains to the assessment and treatment of childhood sleep disorders.
- 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. 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. Demonstrate six specific play therapy techniques to assist the child client in managing his/her maladaptive sleep symptoms.
- 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:
Introduction Activity (#1); Review learning objectives.
Lecture: Discuss overview of sleep disorders in children/prevalence; examine role of sleep in psychopathology. Identify play therapy techniques in assessment of sleep.
Play Therapy Technique - Assessment of Sleep (#2)
Break
Lecture: Discuss Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT) and identify key theoretical elements as they pertain to treating sleep symptoms.
Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy Technique (#3)
Lecture: Discuss theoretical approach of Jungian Analytical Play Therapy (JAPT) and identify key elements relating to the treatment of childhood sleep problems.
Lunch
Jungian Analytical Play Therapy Technique (#4)
Curative Powers of Play for children with maladaptive sleep patterns
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)
Break
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)
Closure, Questions, and Evaluations
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
- 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.
- Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0774.
- Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
- Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0325.
- 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.