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Hello Play Therapists!


If you are like me, you woke up this week and realized HOLY COW! Summer is halfway over! Where did the time fly by?  I remember the slow, lazy days of childhood and feeling that summer vacation would last forever…It makes me wonder if many children still get to have that privilege in our fast paced and over-scheduled world.  

Some of the most important work we can do with children and families is teaching them how to slow things down- slow down their “hot thoughts”, slow down their impulses, slow down their big feelings which often translate into big behaviors.  Teaching parents how to slow down their reactions to the big reactions is a crucial parenting skill.  Sometimes this means taking time to teach mindfulness or working through parenting challenges and meeting with the parents for a few sessions without the child present (parents need a safe place too!).  

One simple (and fun) way to begin teaching mindfulness or learning to quiet your body and your mind is to offer your client(s) a small Hershey’s Kiss.  Ask them to close their eyes and unwrap the wrapper, taking time to listen to the crinkle of the foil and to be conscious of what it feels like in their hands as their hands are working and holding the candy.  Next, instruct them to put the chocolate in their mouth and hold it on their tongue.  They are supposed to let it melt on their tongue without chewing the chocolate and just pay attention to the different sensations, tastes, thoughts, etc.  This should take a few minutes for the chocolate to dissolve.  After you may want to process what it felt like, what thoughts they have, if they like it or not, etc.

I hope the next few weeks of summertime can be a slow, enjoyable time of the season for you too!  You may just want to stash a few Hershey Kisses in your desk and “practice” this too!

Keep Playing!
Clair

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Helping Children with Anxiety and OCD

Please join me in Boise, ID for a 2-day conference on Anxiety and OCD September 22 & 23, 2017!  Mention this special code for $15 off registration! Discount valid through July 31. Click here to register! CODE: clairplay

Here are some other trainings I would love to see you at:

Join us in Croatia!

Unlocking the Unspeakable: Accessing and Healing Trauma Through Attachment Centered Play Therapy

Join us on September 1-3 for a 3-day conference: 


Through the lens of attachment theory, participants will gain a new understanding of how children and families interact and bond to one another in healthy vs maladaptive ways. We will be exploring how trauma, abuse, and neglect impact the bonds of attachment within the family system and how the power of Attachment Centered Play Therapy can help to heal these wounds.
 

Participants will spend three days learning new and innovative play therapy techniques including hands on experiential activities, sand tray interventions, and expressive arts.  You will leave with a creative toolbox of tips, techniques, and a clear understanding of how attachment styles impact relationships.
 

Learning Objectives:

1- Participants will learn how attachment theory applies to play therapy and to view family systems through the lens of attachment.

2- Participants will be able to conceptualize attachment patterns that impact modern parent-child relationships.

3- Participant will learn skills in becoming more competent and confident in engaging parents in family play therapy.

4- Participants will learn effective evidence-based play therapy techniques that can be used immediately with their client populations.

Click on button below and scroll down for English instructions.

Register Today!

Clair Mellenthin, LCSW, RPT-S shares a play therapy intervention called Grief Quilt.

I would love to speak at your upcoming event!

Contact me today
Copyright © 2017 Clair Mellenthin LLC, All rights reserved.


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