Presenter: Gabrielle Anderson, LMFT, RPTS
Date: Friday, March 21st, 2025
Time: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Live Webinar
Cost: $125.00 (Payment link will be emailed once you register)
NBCC Approved – 6 Hours
APT Approved – 6 Hours (Can be used for Special Topics or Skills/Methods)
About The Speaker: Gabrielle Anderson, LMFT, RPTS
Gabrielle is a previous board member for the Virginia Play Therapy Association. She is a therapist for children, teens and adults and enjoys weaving play therapy and other expressive modalities into sessions when appropriate. Gabrielle also runs supervision groups for those in training to become an RPT™.
She is the owner of the Family Therapy Center of Northern Virginia, llc and owner of The WIllow’s Crown Meditation Studio and Training Facility, llc. She has a specialty in stress management, anxiety and trauma with her private practice clients and utilizes brain based Mindful Meditation when appropriate. She also teaches virtual meditation to therapists, community members and other adults outside of the counseling practice.
Workshop Description:
Current research is exploring the importance of safety and regulation and has been explaining its important role in emotional healing. Therapeutic playrooms are designed to gently trigger a child all the while the play therapist mindfully holds a place of safety where the child stays regulated enough to heal. When this does not occur, and a child becomes dysregulated within the therapeutic setting, play therapy cannot only come to a halt, but can also be coded as a dangerous situation and setting. Walk-through the spectrum of the nervous system with us. After this training, participants will be able to talk about the look and feel of balance and regulation, but also the different faces of dysregulation.
Deepen Learning Fun:
Prepare to do 2 or more experiential hands on activities during this live event.
Learning Objectives:
Upon the completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain the Science of Safety and the importance of regulation in a play therapy session
- Describe the different parts of the nervous system essential to Polyvagal theory and how it is applicable in play therapy
- Explain what to do when a client is activated, shut down or even frozen in a play therapy session
- Explain strategies for communicating and playing with a child who has selective mutism
- Assess the signs and symptoms of different states of nervous system activation
- Explain Polyvagal theory basics and play therapy related interventions to parents/caregivers for home practice
Tentative Schedule:
8:00 – 9:15 AM: The Science of Safety
9:15 – 10:00 AM: Parasympathetic
10:00 – 10:15 AM: Break
10:15 – 11:00 AM: Sympathetic
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Activities
12:00 – 12:30 PM: Break
12:30 – 2:00 PM: Mixed State
2:00 – 2:15 PM: Break
2:15 – 3:00 PM: Experiential Activity/Wrap Up
Brave Play offers continuing education for mental health professionals that is interactive and experiential. You’ll come away with more knowledge, new skills to enhance your practice, renewed energy, and meaningful connections. In today’s fast-paced world and complex mental health systems, many practitioners feel overwhelmed and experience burnout and other health problems. Our professional training is designed to offer you a safe space with unique opportunities to nourish your personal and professional selves. For information about our speakers visit us here.
*Garrett Counseling has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6763. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Garrett Counseling is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs NBCC ACEP Provider No. 6763.
*Garrett Counseling is approved by APT to provide continuing education. Garrett Counseling maintains responsibility for this program and its content. APT Approved Provider 15-430.
*By registering for this event you are giving Brave Play / Garrett Counseling permission to use video and photography for advertisement on all marketing material, including social media. You understand that all of GCC property is being recorded and all common areas have voice and video recordings. By registering and attending you are giving permission to GCC for both voice and video recordings on company property.
Cancellation Policy: If you contact us before the program date, you may exchange for a certificate to attend another program or a tuition refund less a cancellation fee of $10.00. Occasionally, changes are made due to unforeseen circumstances or participant demand. While Garrett Counseling will do everything possible to ensure participant satisfaction, Garrett Counseling’s liability is limited to the tuition fee only. If you cancel, 10 business days before the event, you will receive a full refund. Cancellation must be received in writing and can be faxed to 1-256-217-4162 or emailed to garrett@garrettcounseling.com. If cancellation is not received in writing, you will be charged the full amount of tuition.