Playing in a Postmodern World: Narrative, Solution-Focused, and Resilience-Based Play Therapy

Friday, March 12, 2027 ♦ 9:00am – 12:00pm (ET) Zoom Webinar

Presenter: Lawrence C. Rubin, Ph.D., ABPP

Over the last two decades, the fields of psychotherapy and counseling have embraced what has come to be called postmodern theory and practice. Linked by an emphasis on personal agency and choice; a focus on resilience, strength and success; collaboration and relationship, as well as the notion that the (child) client is the expert, Resilience-based, Narrative, and Solution-focused Brief Play Therapy have found increasing utility in the playroom with children and teens. Each of these theoretical schools further emphasize the importance of future orientation and a re-authoring of past events in order to move more healthily, adaptively and successfully into the future. Further, the concepts and techniques of both Narrative and Solution-focused Brief Therapy nicely lend themselves to playfulness, creativity and spontaneity, while remaining faithful to evidence-based practices (EBPs). This webinar will combine didactic information, opportunities for conversation, and engagement in experiential play-based exercises centered around the application of these approaches with children and teens struggling with a broad range of clinical and developmental challenges.

Level of Curriculum Content: Beginner

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Lawrence C. Rubin, Ph.D., ABPP is an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University, Editor for Psychotherapy.net, and Retired Professor of Counselor Education at St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida. He holds a Diplomate in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and has specialized in working with children, teens, and families. Additionally, he was the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Association for Play Therapy, and has been doing play therapy for decades. Dr. Rubin’s books include Using Superheroes in Play Therapy and Counseling, Play-based Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders, The Handbook of Medical Play Therapy and Child Life, and the textbook Diagnosis and Treatment Planning for Mental Health Professionals: A Popular Culture Casebook Approach. He founded the Division of Mental Illness and Popular Culture for the Popular Culture Association. Dr. Rubin obtained his doctorate in clinical psychology from Nova University.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Analyze the evidence-based and evidence-informed nature of play therapy
• Discuss the core tenets of postmodern approaches to play therapy
• Describe how Narrative Therapy techniques can be adapted to play therapy
• Describe how Solution-focused Brief Therapy techniques can be adapted to play therapy
• Integrate postmodern play therapy concepts into case conceptualizations with children and teens
• Design treatment plans incorporating Narrative and Brief Solution-focused play therapy techniques

PROGRAM AGENDA

9:00am – 10:00am Resilience-Oriented Play Therapy

10:00am – 11:00am Narrative Play Therapy

11:00am – 12:00pm Solution-Focused Play Therapy

For additional information on continuing education policies, please visit our website at https://psychology.nova.edu/ce