See. feel and experience the child's perspective on nonverbal communication, emotional awareness, play and relationships.

With Kids present a new programme of online webinars that will develop observational skills and enhance playful interactions that can support children in their social and emotional development. A CPD certificate is supplied.

These webinars are suitable for anyone who lives or works with children as well as those interested in training as a play therapist.

Please note : This is a Zoom webinar and cannot be accessed through school IT equipment.

Please note the email you register with is the one required to sign in to the live webinar.

I am angry - a story from a play therapist's case book.

The story of Alan opens the webinar. A powerful vignette of a 7 year old boy who explores emotions in his own unique way to make sense of why he does not fit in.

Background

Why the teaching of emotional literacy can directly conflict with children's early emotional development and regulation.

Using neurobiological understanding as a foundation to understanding children's developing emotional awareness.

Activity

A recent research study looks at how we feel emotions within our body. This webinar will explore how understanding where emotions are felt in the body can help inform us, acknowledge and support children's self awareness of emotions.

Children can show and tell us how they feel with delightful instinctual descriptions. Can you guess what emotions might be expressed from children's images of play?

Shared reflective space

An opportunity to bring your thoughts on the content of this webinar in small groups. Consider any direct experience of the link between how children express emotions and how we may have felt in that moment. Discuss with others and hear other's perspectives.

Group summation

Pulling together the main learning points to take away.

Follow up

There an opportunity to join The art of playful communication Forum on With Kids Facebook that will be members only. There will be free resources posted monthly and an opportunity to ask questions that will be answered by a play therapist.

The facilitator

Jeanne McLaughlin – Play therapist and Clinical Supervisor at With KidsMA Psychology; PG cert Autism; PG Dip Play Therapy

I have spent 30 years working with children from 0 to 14 years in a variety of settings. I have been the MSc in Play Therapy module leader on child developmental theories for the last 3 years.

At present I am designing and delivering a range of specialised training to share knowledge and upskill people who currently work or live with children in any capacity.

My main interest is helping children's voices to be heard and understood in order to improve relationships at home, at school and the wider community. The long term aim of the training is to help adults to equip children with lifelong skills to manage their mental health.

I continue to keep up to date with the latest advances in neurobiology and often look for practical applications of these findings to inform and develop my therapeutic work.

Publications

McLaughlin, J. (2021) The journey from face to face child centred play therapy to online sessions: Reflections from play therapists during COVID lockdown from March 2020 to June 2020. British Journal of Play Therapy.

McLaughlin, J. (2015) The role of the dollhouse in the play therapy toolkit. The Journal of the International and UK Societies of Play and Creative Arts Therapies. pp 8-13.