Funded by the HSE National HSCP Office priority is for those employed in publicly funded health care settings. Before registering your interest in attending this course; please read the Terms and Conditions for attending publicly funded CPD events here

This workshop is an interdisciplinary event with the Association of Occupational Therapists in Ireland (AOTI), Social Care Ireland (SCI) and the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT). Funding for this event was provided by the HSE National Health & Social Care Professions Office (NHSCPO) to support training and professional development opportunities for Health and Social Care Professionals working within HSE-funded roles. This training is suitable for all Health and Social Care professionals, particularly Social Care Workers, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Creative Psychotherapists, and Play Therapists.

Through clinical practice experiences that together offer over 30 years of clinical knowledge, Carol and Kylie have noted significant overlap and complementarity between their unique clinical fields. Both Kylie and Carol propose that co-opting from their clinical perspectives will heighten all clinicians’ capacity to respond with greater depth and more meaningfully in practice when faced with referral needs that require attachment and trauma understanding, but also require the understanding of occupational dimensions for the child and family. The absence of a more multidimensional and multi-disciplinary thinking approach may inadvertently create misattunement and create barriers in therapeutic outcomes. Carol and Kylie propose that sharing language from one another’s clinical concepts and integrating understanding from each other’s professional fields may go some way towards protecting against this. A person’s attachment needs influence therapeutic engagement and may significantly alter or impede a child’s therapeutic intervention. Conversely, attachment disruptions can be the direct result of functional challenges that affect performance and activities. These issues, when unrecognised can coexist, multiply and inadvertently create problems rather than resolve them.

Learning Outcomes:

• Participants will engage with an Experiential workshop examining the intersection of Occupational therapy and Play therapy interventions.
• An introduction to basic Occupational Therapy concepts and how they relate to Play therapy.
• An introduction to basic Play Therapy concepts and how they cross over to Occupational Therapy.
• An exploration of referral and intervention dilemmas.

Biography:

Carol Duffy is a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist specialising in play therapy and a former Senior Play Therapist In Tusla In Mayo. She is also a clinical supervisor. She is a Core Trainer and Academic Registrar at The Children’s Therapy Centre in Westmeath and a Clinical Supervisor. She has over 22 years’ experience working therapeutically with children and their families. Carol specialises in the areas of attachment, trauma, and play. She has significant experience of working with children in care and with children who have experienced attachment disruptions and developmental/relational/complex trauma. Carol delivers training widely, facilitates many workshops, has published videos and blogs online. Carol has published chapter contributions on the many therapeutic benefits of play and playfulness and the process of therapy. Carol developed a model called the R.R.I.G.H.T. Play Therapy Techniques to promote trauma informed and trauma responsive practices.

Kylie Mahon has over 9 years of experience across many clinical settings, including children’s disability services. She also has experience working with adults with occupational therapy needs. Kylie has multiple CPD training and has a specific interest in neurodisability and neuro- affirming practices. Some of her training includes: OPC –Occupational Performance Coaching by Dr. Aine O’Dea; Studio III Training Managing stress and distress behaviours using low arousal approach Facilitated by Paul Phillips; ASI Module 1 &2; Ayres Sensory Integration 1; Understanding Dyspraxia/Developmental Coordintion Disorder (DCD) Facilitated by Dr. Aine O’Dea; Paediatric Neurodisability with the Royal College of Surgeons. She delivers training for parents on supporting their understanding of their childs sensory differences and needs.