Healing through Play: Addressing Trauma in Children

Shot Of A Mature Therapist Observing How A Young Mother Interacts With Her Daughter

Healing through Play: Addressing Trauma in Children with Play Therapy (2HR)

$32.00

Course Description

In this workshop, participants will learn how play therapy can be a powerful tool in helping children process and heal from trauma. Play allows children to safely express and make sense of their traumatic experiences, reducing fear and confusion. The workshop will cover specific trauma-informed play therapy techniques that can help children rebuild trust, regulate emotions, and develop coping strategies. Through case examples and experiential exercises, participants will learn how to guide children through their trauma narratives using symbolic play and creative interventions. By the end, attendees will be equipped with strategies to support children in overcoming the effects of trauma and fostering resilience.

Upon completion of the training, participants will be able to:

Identify the impact of trauma on children and how play therapy can help them process and heal from traumatic experiences.
Learn trauma-informed play therapy techniques that facilitate emotional expression and trauma processing in a safe, supportive environment
Explore how to use symbolic play, art, and other creative interventions to help children reconstruct their trauma narratives.

Social workers completing this course receive 2 Clinical asynchronous continuing education credits.

For other board approvals, this course qualifies for 2 Clinical continuing education training.

Course Instructor: Aseem Garg, LPCC-S, LMFT

Recording Date: 09/05/2025

Course Format

NBCC ACEP # 7091, CE Training Workshops has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP #7091. Programs that do not qualify are clearly identified. CE Training Workshops is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. CE Training Workshops designates this continuing education activity for 3 continuing education hours.

CE Training Workshops, LLC, #1770, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/02/2025 to 08/02/2028. Social workers completing this course receive 3 Clinical continuing education credits.

Meet Your Facilitator

Aseem Garg, LPCC-S, LMFT is a seasoned clinician, supervisor, and educator with over seven years of experience in the behavioral health field. As a licensed professional clinical counselor and marriage and family therapist, he specializes in trauma-informed care, adolescent mental health, dual diagnosis cases, and couples and sex therapy. His work spans direct clinical practice, program development, and leadership roles in both nonprofit and startup mental health settings.

Aseem is a skilled trainer known for delivering engaging, research-backed workshops on topics such as implicit bias, trauma-informed care, and best practices for working with diverse client populations. He has a strong background in therapist development, having hired, trained, and supervised clinicians across various levels of experience. His approach to training is both practical and reflective, encouraging clinicians to integrate data-driven insights with real-world application.

Passionate about fostering professional growth, Aseem creates dynamic learning environments that challenge assumptions, build clinical confidence, and enhance therapeutic effectiveness. His workshops empower mental health professionals with the tools and perspectives needed to navigate complex client dynamics with empathy, ethical integrity, and cultural humility.

Syllabus

Introduction
• Overview of workshop purpose and learning objectives
• Understanding play as a child’s primary language for expression and healing
• Brief reflection on trauma presentation in children and clinical challenges

Objective 1: Identify the impact of trauma on children and the role of play therapy in healing
• How trauma affects emotional regulation, attachment, and sense of safety
• Common trauma responses in children across developmental stages
• Why play therapy is an effective, developmentally appropriate intervention
• Reducing fear, confusion, and avoidance through play-based expression

Objective 2: Learn trauma-informed play therapy techniques that support emotional regulation and safety
• Principles of trauma-informed care in play therapy
• Techniques for rebuilding trust and establishing therapeutic safety
• Play-based strategies for emotional expression and self-regulation
• Supporting coping skill development through structured and unstructured play

Objective 3: Apply symbolic play and creative interventions to help children process trauma narratives
• Using symbolic play to externalize traumatic experiences
• Incorporating art, storytelling, and creative media in trauma work
• Guiding children through trauma narratives without re-traumatization
• Case examples illustrating clinical application

Objective 4: Integrate play therapy strategies into clinical practice to foster resilience
• Translating play therapy techniques into treatment planning
• Adapting interventions for different ages and trauma presentations
• Supporting resilience, mastery, and post-traumatic growth
• Experiential exercises to reinforce learning

Summary / Q&A
• Review of key concepts and clinical takeaways
• Participant questions and discussion
• Resources for continued learning and practice