Culturally Competent Play Therapy for Grief & Loss

Description: Grief and loss are ever present - yet we often are not taught how to help children, teens and adults. Cultural norms, countertransference and societal pressures combine to make talking about death, divorce and loss difficult. Models of grief and loss, talking with bereaved children and teens, as well as typical versus atypical grief reactions will be processed. This webinar will serve as a guide for therapists to infuse their practice with art, play and sandtray activities that will support bereaved and grieving individuals. Therapists will be able to incorporate learned skills into their clinical approach and techniques into in person and online telehealth services. Ethical considerations, diversity and limitations will also be explored.

CE Broker Tracking #: 20-973246

This event is sponsored by FMHCA, an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider. FMHCA NBCC Provider# 2058. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  FMHCA is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. This course is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, LMHC, LMFT, LCSW – FMHCA CE Broker #: 50-748

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe at least two art, play and sandtray activities to incorporate into grief and loss services.
2. Identify cultural considerations with play and art therapy techniques unique to bereavement.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of Task-based grief models
4. Incorporate the Task-based models into play therapy services.

Marla Berger has been working with children, teens and adults providing experiential therapies since 2000. After receiving her Bachelors Degree from University of Florida and her Masters Degree in Art Therapy from University of Louisville, she specialized in working with children and their families. In the wake of the Parkland tragedy in 2018, she has been serving the community in supporting trauma and loss. She knows the working through traumatic experiences can be difficult to talk about, so incorporates art, play, sandtray and equine assisted services into her therapy program. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Registered Art Therapist, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, Eagala Advanced Certified in Equine Assisted Services and trained in Natural Lifemanship which is a Trauma-Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy modality. Since 1999, Marla has been speaking locally and nationally on a variety of topics including how to incorporate experiential therapies for grief, loss and trauma.