COUN 7505 Play Therapy with the Neurodiverse
According to the latest estimates, approximately one in five school-aged children is in some way neurologically diverse, meaning that how their brain function is “atypical” from what’s considered “normal.” Children with ADHD, dyslexia, autism, giftedness, anxiety, sensory processing disorder, and/or other neurodifferences have many challenges. As a play therapy practitioner are you equipped to identify these differences and help these clients become more successful at home, school, and in their neighborhoods? To aid in equipping professional play therapy practitioners working with neurodiverse clients, NNU’s Adventure Play Therapy Education and Training Center (APT Approved Provider #12-332) is offering COUN6954F-01/COUN56207 Play Therapy with the Neurodiverse Friday, April 28 from 5:00 – 10:00 pm (online synchronous) and Saturday, April 29 from 8:00am – 5:00pm (F2F). Dr. Lori Fairgrieve, RPT-S will be the instructor for this jammed packed weekend of learning and hands-on fun.
The sensory system contributes to every child’s ability to learn and function. Neurodiverse children, more specifically children with sensory processing disorders (SPD), differ from typically developing (TD) children in their play and social abilities. As a result, they almost always suffer from emotional, social, and educational problems, including the inability to make friends or be a part of a group, poor self-concept, academic failure, and being labeled clumsy, uncooperative, belligerent, disruptive, or “out of control.” Anxiety, depression, aggression, or other behavior problems can follow. Consequently, play interactions, commonly shared enjoyable experiences that create positive connections between caregivers and children, can be complex and challenging.
Effective interventions for the neurodiverse and/or SPD student is available, but far too many children with sensory processing symptoms are misdiagnosed and/or improperly treated. Unfortunately, untreated SPD that persists into adulthood can affect an individual’s ability to succeed in marriage, work, and community social environments. This course will help students and practitioners to better understand neurodiversity, such as sensory processing disorder, and how play therapy can be an effective way to help these neurodiverse children and their families thrive. A sensory-integrated approach will be presented in this course, and the core components of predominant play therapy treatments will be outlined. In creative and playful ways, participants will learn how to incorporate play-therapy techniques into neurodiverse-based treatments, while maintaining fidelity to both developmentally and neurologically sensitive approaches.
Organizer
Lori Fairgrieve has a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern California, and she holds licenses in the State of Idaho as both a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She is registered with the Association for Play Therapy (APT) both as a Registered Play Therapist and as a Registered Play Therapist – Supervisor. In 2012, she was recognized by APT as a Key Award recipient for outstanding Public Education and Promotion. From the time she moved to Idaho, she has served the profession of counseling by holding various leadership positions on the Council of Leaders for the Idaho Counseling Association (ICA), as a member of the Conference Committee, Awards Chair, President-Elect, President, and Past-President. In January 2013, she was honored by her colleagues in Idaho for her 25 years of service to the profession and for her commitment to counseling in the state by presenting her with their “Distinguished Service and Medal of Honor.” As a counselor, supervisor, and educator, her passion for “everything” counseling has never waned, and it is her greatest hope that this pattern of service and devotion to working with children and their families has indeed contributed to the counseling profession as a whole. Lori Fairgrieve celebrates her 15th year as a faculty member at Northwest Nazarene University (NNU). She is currently Chair of the Department of Counselor Education and the Director of the Adventure Play Therapy Center (APTC), which was approved by APT in 2011 as an Approved Center for Play Therapy Education. There are currently 31 Approved Centers of Play Therapy Education in the United States. NNU’s Approved Center of Play Therapy Education (APTC) is 1 of these 31, and it is 1 of 4 approved centers in the Northwest and 1 of 5 approved centers in the Pacific Northwest. In 2008 NNU offered its very first play therapy course. In Idaho at that time, there were less than ten Registered Play Therapists (RPTs) in the entire state and only three Registered Play Therapy Supervisors (RPT-Ss). There were no approved or certified play therapy educational programs. Currently, Idaho has 18 RPTs 13 of which have taken one or more play therapy classes at NNU. Similarly, there are currently 23 RPT-Ss in the State of Idaho 14 of which received advanced supervision education and training at NNU. Since the first play therapy course offered in 2008 to the current 20 courses, we offer over a two-year rotation, more than 1000 seats have been filled by master-level students in counseling and social work and post-grad professionals from all over the state.