The Use of Art and Play with Families Facing Childhood Cancer

10304 Lynnhaven Place,Oakton VA 22124

14 October, 2022

Description

Fortunately, children diagnosed with cancer are often provided therapeutic support within the hospital setting- but what about other family members? Beyond the cancer diagnosis, parents, siblings, and the family as a unit must navigate great change and loss to their familiar routines, family roles, and time spent together. Research specifically on siblings of children with cancer has shown that these siblings have their own unique needs, such as being more likely to demonstrate higher levels of Posttraumatic Stress symptoms and increased challenges in verbally expressing their needs and emotions to others. Research on parents of children with cancer has also identified individual challenges among parents, such as an increased likelihood of depression. Additionally, research on the family system has recognized the importance of communication within the family, both in highlighting unmet communication needs, as well as identifying that positive communication within the family often serves as a protective factor for families adapting to a cancer diagnosis. In this training, we invite you to learn more about the unique strengths and needs of siblings and families of children with cancer, and how as play therapists, we can support these family members individually, and as a family unit, through the safe emotional space of play, art, and the use of sandtray. Clinicians may also find that the techniques shared within this training can also apply to children and families that are coping with other serious illnesses or crises and may be especially helpful for clients who may benefit from playful or artistic forms of expression. Learning Objectives: By the end of this course participants are able to: 1. Describe unique needs and challenges of families affected by childhood cancer and review different change agents within play, art, and sandtray that relate to these unique needs and challenges. 2. Demonstrate how art and play therapy skills can help children and families express emotions using both verbal and nonverbal mediums, as well as how the use of sandtray in particular may allow for verbal and nonverbal integration. 3. Identify at least 5 play and expressive therapy techniques participants can use to strengthen expression, communication, and connection with siblings and families of children diagnosed with cancer. Play Therapy Special Topics 2 APT Contact CE. VAPT is approved by the Association for Play Therapy to offer continuing education credits specific to play therapy. VAPT maintains responsibility for the program. APT Approved Provider 01-109 About our presenter: Kristina Sawetz-Glasener is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the Commonwealth of Virginia and a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™. Kristina earned her Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Expressive Therapies doctoral program at Lesley University. For her dissertation, Kristina will utilize a phenomenological arts-informed study to explore the use of sandtray with siblings of children with cancer in expressing their lived experience after recently completing a pilot project utilizing a similar technique with adults retrospectively reflecting upon their childhood experience of having a sibling with cancer. Kristina has worked in the field of mental health for over 12 years, providing mental health services such as therapeutic day treatment and outpatient therapy within Richmond City, Hanover County, and Fairfax County CSBs. Most recently, Kristina is a therapist and owner of Creative Counseling Center of Northern Virginia. Kristina also provides grant-funded mental health and support services to children and families within preschools in Alexandria, Virginia and has proudly volunteered with Special Love Inc., a non-profit organization for children with cancer and their families, for the past 15+ years. HANDOUTS: Handouts (if available) and confirmation will be sent a few days prior to the training. CANCELLATION POLICY: No refunds. PHOTO RELEASE: By registering for this training, you are giving permission for VAPT to use any photographs that are taken during the event containing your likeness for as long as VAPT deems appropriate and desirable. Photographs may be used on the VAPT website, social media pages, and/or newsletter for any purpose. By completing the registration, you are also consenting to waive any rights to the photographs indefinitely. If you do not wish to have your photo used, it is your responsibility to notify VAPT of your request to be omitted.